The Best Colleges in Iowa | TheBestSchools

Ames is the home of Iowa State University, a public university founded in 1869. As of 2018, nearly 35,000 learners take courses at the university. While the majority of these degree candidates enroll full-time, Iowa State hosts about 3,800 part-time students. In the 2017-18 schools year, the school awarded 6,791 bachelor's, 1,034 master's, 393 doctorate, and 144 veterinary medicine degrees.

Iowa State University Tuition, Accreditation, and Admissions Info

Tuition

• Online students pay in-state tuition.
• In-state undergraduate: $311 per credit hour; more for fall, spring, and specific upper-class courses.
• In-state graduate: $497 per credit hour; more for fall, spring, and some technological courses.

Accreditation and Approvals

Iowa State is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The Iowa Board of Regents also approves the school's academics.

Iowa State's individual schools and programs hold 49 specialized accreditations. For example, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology provides credentials for engineering programs, while the American Veterinary Medical Association accredits the veterinary medicine degree.

Admissions

Iowa State admits first-year students based on a formula that considers each applicant's ACT score, percentile ranking in high school, GPA, and high school transcripts. The school also accepts candidates with GED or high school equivalency exams. Iowa State University acceptance rate for undergraduate students is around 89%.

Transfer applicants with at least 24 transferable credits from an accredited school and a GPA of at least 2.25 receive guaranteed admissions. Applicants who meet the GPA requirements but have 24 credits cannot earn automatic admission. Candidates with less than 24 credits must meet the GPA standards along with all freshman admissions requirements.

Graduate applicants must submit undergraduate transcripts and demonstrate a 3.0 GPA or above. Candidates with lower GPAs may be admitted on a provisional basis. While the school does not require students to submit graduate entrance exams, some specific programs require GRE scores.

Other Statistics

• Students come from all 99 Iowa counties, all 50 states, and 126 different countries.
• The school boasts a 19:1 faculty-to-student ratio.
• The school's Soar in 4 initiative helps undergraduate students graduate in four years.

School Profile

• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
• Full-Time Freshman Retention Rate: 87%
• Required Standardized Test: ACT for freshmen, some graduate applicants need GRE
• Public/Private: Public
• Acceptance Rate: 87.2%
• Graduation Rate: 68.9%
• Athletics: NCAA Division I, Big 12 Conference
• Mascot: Cardinals (recently changed from cyclones)
• Colors: Red and yellow
• Address: 100 Enrollment Services Center, 2433 Union Dr., Ames, IA 50011-2011
• Phone Number: (800) 262-3810
• Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Online Degrees Offered

The colleges of agriculture, human sciences, and liberal arts each offer an online bachelor's degree. The agriculture department also provides two undergraduate certificate programs.

Graduate students have many more options for online degrees at Iowa State:

• Agriculture: five master's degrees and four graduate certificates.
• Business: one master's and two graduate certificates.
• Design: one master's degree.
• Engineering: 11 master's and 11 graduate certificate programs.
• Human Sciences: 12 master's and nine graduate certificate programs.
• Mathematics: one master's degree.
• Veterinary Medicine: one master's degree.