Iowa State University

Ames, IA iastate.edu 25,033 students

Iowa State University's campus is located in Ames, Iowa, and provides a traditional college town experience. Known for its strong programs in agriculture, engineering, and design, the university fosters a research-oriented environment. As a land-grant institution, Iowa State maintains close ties to its agricultural heritage. Students can participate in a wide array of activities, including spirited support for the Cyclones athletic teams.

Programs

Analyzed in dataset

Earnings

$49,817

Average graduate, 1 yr after

Outlook

56/100

Avg DegreeOutlook Score

Tuition

$10,497

In-state sticker price

Out-of-state: $27,683/yr

Financial Aid

The sticker price is rarely what families actually pay. Iowa State University's grant and scholarship aid lowers the net price for most income brackets. 18% of students receive Pell Grants; 46% take federal loans.

Net Price by Family Income

Academic Year 2025

Income Bracket	Avg Net Price	4-Year Net Cost
$0 – $30K	$11,734	$46,936
$30K – $48K	$12,465	$49,860
$48K – $75K	$15,430	$61,720
$75K – $110K	$19,807	$79,228
$110K+	$21,827	$87,308
Sticker price (no aid)	$10,497	$41,988

Net price = tuition + fees + room & board minus grants and scholarships, by reported family-income bracket. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey via College Scorecard.

Programs at Iowa State University

67 degree programs ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any program for AI scenario analysis and 10-year earnings projections.

Degree Program	DW Score	1-yr Earnings	AI Risk	ROI
Computer Science Compare across schools →	88	$78,517/yr	Very High	24.9x
Computer Engineering Compare across schools →	85	$79,182/yr	Very High	25.5x
Finance Finance and Financial Management Services Compare across schools →	80	$56,974/yr	Very High	17.0x
Accounting Accounting and Related Services Compare across schools →	79	$58,479/yr	Very High	16.5x
Electrical Engineering Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering Compare across schools →	77	$84,913/yr	Very High	24.6x
Economics Compare across schools →	77	$57,619/yr	Very High	18.3x
Business Administration Business Administration, Management and Operations Compare across schools →	77	$57,188/yr	High	17.6x
Construction Engineering Compare across schools →	76	$77,845/yr	High	21.7x
Aerospace Engineering Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering Compare across schools →	75	$75,036/yr	High	21.0x
Chemical Engineering Compare across schools →	74	$76,184/yr	High	21.9x
Mechanical Engineering Compare across schools →	73	$72,900/yr	Very High	20.1x
Civil Engineering Compare across schools →	73	$72,502/yr	High	19.5x
Industrial Engineering Compare across schools →	72	$74,310/yr	High	20.0x
Materials Engineering Compare across schools →	69	$65,831/yr	High	19.9x
Engineering-Related Fields Compare across schools →	69	$62,416/yr	High	17.5x
Information Sciences Computer and Information Sciences, General Compare across schools →	69	$60,397/yr	Very High	13.4x
Agricultural Business Agricultural Business and Management Compare across schools →	69	$53,967/yr	High	15.4x
Agricultural Engineering Compare across schools →	68	$72,376/yr	High	17.5x
Mathematics Compare across schools →	67	$51,422/yr	Very High	16.9x
Subject-Area Teaching Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas Compare across schools →	67	$47,559/yr	High	12.1x
Marketing Compare across schools →	66	$48,304/yr	Very High	15.3x
Food Science and Technology Compare across schools →	65	$60,351/yr	Moderate	14.2x
Architecture Compare across schools →	62	$54,957/yr	High	15.7x
Teacher Education Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Compare across schools →	62	$45,512/yr	High	10.9x
Agricultural Mechanization Compare across schools →	61	$63,321/yr	Moderate	16.4x
Bilingual & Multilingual Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Compare across schools →	61	$48,052/yr	High	10.4x
Business Operations Support Business Operations Support and Assistant Services Compare across schools →	60	$49,962/yr	Very High	10.9x
Public Relations & Advertising Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Compare across schools →	60	$42,530/yr	High	14.0x
Landscape Architecture Compare across schools →	58	$53,355/yr	High	13.8x
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations Compare across schools →	57	$46,374/yr	High	10.0x
Environmental Technology Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians Compare across schools →	55	$63,707/yr	Moderate	14.2x
Biochemistry Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology Compare across schools →	55	$43,520/yr	High	15.7x
Microbiology & Immunology Microbiological Sciences and Immunology Compare across schools →	55	$39,019/yr	High	13.5x
Architectural Sciences and Technology Compare across schools →	53	$57,928/yr	High	12.8x
Plant Sciences Compare across schools →	53	$49,393/yr	High	11.9x
Urban & Regional Planning City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning Compare across schools →	53	$44,146/yr	High	13.7x
Criminal Justice Criminal Justice and Corrections Compare across schools →	53	$41,624/yr	Moderate	8.9x
Hospitality Management Hospitality Administration/Management Compare across schools →	53	$36,743/yr	High	11.6x
Health & Physical Education Health and Physical Education/Fitness Compare across schools →	53	$36,492/yr	Moderate	13.6x
Sociology Compare across schools →	52	$40,602/yr	High	12.8x
Statistics Compare across schools →	51	$53,132/yr	Very High	11.7x
Geosciences Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences Compare across schools →	51	$50,150/yr	High	12.0x
Chemistry Compare across schools →	51	$43,870/yr	High	9.4x
Apparel and Textiles Compare across schools →	51	$40,849/yr	High	11.1x
History Compare across schools →	49	$41,294/yr	High	10.0x
Political Science Political Science and Government Compare across schools →	49	$30,715/yr	Very High	13.6x
Curriculum and Instruction Compare across schools →	48	$48,698/yr	Very High	10.6x
Communication and Media Studies Compare across schools →	48	$40,497/yr	High	12.3x
Animal Sciences Compare across schools →	48	$39,567/yr	High	12.3x
Human Development & Family Studies Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Compare across schools →	47	$36,364/yr	High	9.8x
Design Design and Applied Arts Compare across schools →	46	$37,565/yr	High	12.1x
International Agriculture Compare across schools →	45	$52,068/yr	High	11.3x
Natural Resources & Conservation Research Natural Resources Conservation and Research Compare across schools →	45	$37,890/yr	High	13.0x
Family & Consumer Sciences Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General Compare across schools →	44	$43,783/yr	High	10.3x
Biology Biology, General Compare across schools →	44	$32,528/yr	High	13.0x
Psychology Psychology, General Compare across schools →	43	$34,155/yr	High	10.9x
Journalism Compare across schools →	42	$39,347/yr	Very High	11.4x
Romance Languages Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics Compare across schools →	40	$37,909/yr	Very High	10.3x
Genetics Compare across schools →	38	$33,330/yr	High	12.3x
Forestry Compare across schools →	36	$39,337/yr	Moderate	9.8x
English English Language and Literature, General Compare across schools →	36	$38,375/yr	Very High	8.9x
Dietetics & Nutrition Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services Compare across schools →	35	$33,958/yr	High	11.7x
Liberal Arts & Humanities Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Compare across schools →	32	$36,532/yr	Low	9.7x
Linguistics Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services Compare across schools →	31	$25,065/yr	Very High	10.5x
Anthropology Compare across schools →	31	$25,014/yr	High	9.5x
Botany & Plant Biology Botany/Plant Biology Compare across schools →	30	$34,442/yr	High	7.2x
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology Compare across schools →	30	$29,842/yr	High	9.8x