Public · Ames, Iowa

Iowa State University

Ames, IA · City · Large (25,367 undergrads)Website Net price calculator

The total cost of attendance at Iowa State University was $24,018 for 2024–25 (in-state), according to the U.S. Department of Education. Students who received federal aid paid an average net price of $18,589, and $10,582 if family income was under $30,000. In its Common Data Set (2024-25), the school reports 434 international undergraduates receiving aid, averaging $12,582.

Admit rate (2024–25)

89%

SAT / ACT middle 50%

1120–1360 · 21–28

Your fit indicator

Likely

Based only on admit rate 89% (add an SAT/ACT score for a better indicator)

Cost of attendance (2024–25)

$24,018

Official · U.S. Dept. of Education (College Scorecard)

Net price (average)

$18,589

Federal-aid recipients; not for international students

Graduation rate

75%

Median earnings, 10 yrs

$63,386

Median debt

$22,869

Your real cost

Published cost → aid by income → what internationals pay

1
Published cost of attendance: $24,018 per year (2024-25)
Tuition & fees (out-of-state)
$27,683
Tuition & fees (in-state)
$10,497
Housing & food (on campus)
$9,726
Books & supplies
$1,091
Other expenses
$2,890
Total: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 2024-25. Breakdown: NCES IPEDS academic-year charges, 2023-24 (first-time, full-time undergrads). Costs usually rise each year.
2
U.S. students: average net price by family income
$0–30,000
$10,582
$30,001–48,000
$11,506
$48,001–75,000
$15,463
$75,001–110,000
$19,605
$110,001+
$22,496
Average for all aided students: $18,589. Net price = cost minus grants and scholarships (not loans).
Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25; students who received federal aid. Use the school's net price calculator for your own estimate.
3
International students: cost minus the school's own aid to internationals
Cost for a non-resident: $41,390. In 2024-25, 434 international (nonresident) undergraduates received institutional aid averaging $12,582.
For those aided students, that leaves about $28,808 a year. Students without an award pay the full cost. Past averages don't predict your award.
Source: the school's Common Data Set 2024-25, Section H6, numbers checked for consistency in the PDF (PDF copy from the College Transitions CDS repository), 2026-10-15. Open the CDS PDF
International students can't receive U.S. federal aid (Pell, federal loans, work-study). Add health insurance and travel.

How students pay here

Need-based aid

We haven't verified this school's Common Data Set need figures (% of need met, average need-based grant).

Merit (non-need) aid

No verified merit-aid figures. Federal data below combines need-based and merit grants.

All first-year aid (federal data)

Got any financial aid: 89%
Got a grant from the school: 75%; Average $9,582 (need + merit)
Got a Pell Grant: 18%; Average $5,176
Got a state grant: 1%; Average $4,197
Took a federal student loan: 46%; Average $5,237

International students

See “Your real cost” above for this school's reported aid to internationals.

Forms & deadlines

FAFSA for U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens (this school takes federal aid). studentaid.gov
CSS Profile or the school's own form: check the school's aid page; many private colleges require it, including for internationals. CSS Profile
Aid deadlines: see the official aid page. We only list dates we've confirmed.

Sources: NCES IPEDS Student Financial Aid 2022-23 (full-time, first-time undergrads; IPEDS doesn't separate need and merit).

Living here

Ames · Ames, IA

Cost of living 11% below the U.S. average · 2-bedroom median rent $1,009 · transit commute share 3.9%

Est. monthly student budget

$1,227

See the area

· Compare

Compare cost with similar schools

All colleges in Iowa: cost & aid · Ways to pay

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, Most-Recent-Cohorts institution file (released Jun 10, 2026). Cost of attendance & admissions: 2024–25. Net price, earnings, debt and completion are the most recent cohorts in that release and lag by a few years; net price covers federal-aid recipients (not international students). Fit labels are rough indicators from published ranges, not admission odds. “—” = not reported.