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Public 4-Year Minimally Selective Iowa City, IA NCAA Division I-FBS

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA

83.7%
Acceptance Rate
$29,219/yr
Est. Cost of Attendancesum of published cost components
$22,531/yr
Avg Price After Aid
73.9%
6-yr Grad Rate
22,264
Undergrads

About University of Iowa

The University of Iowa is a public institution located in Iowa City, a small city in Iowa. With an undergraduate enrollment of 22,264 students and a student-to-faculty ratio of 16:1, it is a mid-sized university serving a diverse student body that includes 22.3% first-generation students and 18.4% Pell grant recipients.

Type
Public 4-Year
Undergrads
22,264
Avg Faculty Salary
$115,764
Athletics
NCAA Division I-FBS
Endowment
$3.5B
Pell Students
18.4%
First-Gen
22.3%
What University of Iowa Is Known For
Majors far more concentrated here than at colleges nationally
Labor and Industrial Relations 142 graduates · 2.8% of degrees here vs 0.04% nationally 67×
Behavioral Sciences 289 graduates · 5.8% of degrees here vs 0.09% nationally 66×
Organizational Leadership 174 graduates · 3.5% of degrees here vs 0.23% nationally 15×
Exercise Science and Kinesiology 377 graduates · 7.5% of degrees here vs 1.32% nationally
Finance 360 graduates · 7.2% of degrees here vs 2.13% nationally
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023, against the national share at the same degree level
Admissions
83.7%
Acceptance rate · Minimally Selective
25,682
Applicants
Can I Get In? →
Cost & Aid
$22,531 avg net
Average net price after aid
$15,316
Under $30K income
$3.5B
Endowment
Can I Afford It? →
Outcomes
$52,696 median
Median earnings 6 years after entering
73.9%
6-yr Grad Rate
$22,500
Median Debt
Is It Worth It? →

University of Iowa Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate
83.7%
25,682 applicants
Student:Faculty Ratio
16:1
Undergrad instruction

University of Iowa admitted 83.7% of applicants, meaning most applicants meeting basic academic requirements gain admission.

How Selective Is That, Really?
Each dot is one of 100 applicants · Source: school's Common Data Set, else College Scorecard
1 in 2 applicants is admitted · 25,682 applied
10-Year Acceptance Rate Trend
10-year trend · Source: College Scorecard
10 years

SAT & ACT Score Ranges

Where Admitted Students Score
Middle 50% of enrolled students, on the full SAT scale · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS)
Fall 2023
1130–1330
40080012001600

Admissions Requirements

Admission Factor Weights
Official weights from submitted institutional data · Source: Common Data Set, section C7
Rigor of coursework Very Important
Class rank Very Important
Academic GPA Very Important
Standardized test scores Very Important
Application essay Not Considered
Recommendations Considered
Extracurricular activities Not Considered
Talent / special ability Considered
Character / personal qualities Considered
First generation status Not Considered
Alumni relation Not Considered
Geographic residence Not Considered
Volunteer work Not Considered
Work experience Not Considered
Waitlist Statistics
Source: Common Data Set
13,969
Offered spot
13,969
Accepted offer
13
Admitted from WL
Who Applies, and Who Gets In
First-year applicants, admits and enrollees by gender
Applied Admitted Rate Enrolled
Men 11,425 9,346 81.8% 2,076
Women 14,209 12,359 87% 2,957
SOURCEIPEDS Admissions — Fall 2023 admissions cycle
How These Admissions Numbers Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

University of Iowa admits 83.6% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 83%.

Acceptance rate
This school
83.6%
Similar colleges (532)
83%
IA (30)
80%
National (1,934)
78.1%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

University of Iowa Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance

Avg Net Price
$22,531
Average for all students receiving federal aid, 2023-24
Median Federal Debt
$22,500
Federal Loan Rate
41.9%
Students borrowing federal loans

The University of Iowa's cost of attendance is $29,219, while the average net price is $22,531, meaning students on average pay less than the sticker price. Lower-income students, including the 18.4% receiving Pell grants, typically pay less.

Cost of Attendance Breakdown
Estimated annual costs · on-campus, 2023-24 · Source: College Scorecard
$29,219
In-state Tuition & Fees
$11,283
39%
Room & Board
$12,920
44%
Books & Supplies
$950
3%
Other Expenses
$4,066
14%

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income
Average net price after all grants and scholarships · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS net price)
Under $30,000
$15,316
$30,001 – $48,000
$15,489
$48,001 – $75,000
$19,930
$75,001 – $110,000
$23,811
Over $110,000
$26,266
Full Cost of Attendance
Source: College Scorecard
2023-24

Student Loan Debt

How Many Students Borrow
Undergraduates taking on any loan
Take out a loan
90%
Federal loans
42%

Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $239.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How This Price Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

After aid, University of Iowa costs $22,531 a year — about 54% more than a typical similar college.

Cost of attendance
This school
$28,596
Similar colleges (565)
$25,083
IA (48)
$33,372
National (3,197)
$25,367
Students taking a loan
This school
90.1%
Similar colleges (583)
84.8%
IA (57)
90.7%
National (4,096)
86.4%
Median debt at graduation
This school
$22,500
Similar colleges (585)
$21,000
IA (61)
$14,745
National (4,347)
$13,097
Average net price
This school
$22,531
Similar colleges (565)
$14,600
IA (68)
$17,731
National (5,106)
$17,160

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

University of Iowa Graduation Rate & Student Outcomes

6-yr Grad Rate
73.9%
Median Earnings 6yr
$52,696
6 years after entering

University of Iowa has a graduation rate of 73.9%, with median earnings of $52,696 six years after entry and $64,762 ten years after entry.

Graduate Earnings After College

Median Graduate Earnings Over Time
6 and 10 years after entering · includes all students, not just graduates · Source: College Scorecard
Median Earnings by Gender · 6 Years After Entering
Students working 6 years after entering · Source: College Scorecard
$56,707
Men
$50,704
Women
Graduation Rate: Pell vs. Non-Pell
6-year graduation rate by grant status · Source: College Scorecard
65.3%
Pell recipients
68.8%
Non-Pell students

Top Majors & Programs

Top Majors by Graduates
Most recent year available · bachelor's degrees only · Source: IPEDS Completions 2023
MajorGraduates
Exercise Science and Kinesiology377
Finance, General360
Behavioral Sciences289
Marketing/Marketing Management, General251
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse232
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies200
Organizational Leadership174
Accounting146
Speech Communication and Rhetoric145
Labor and Industrial Relations142
Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Completing within six years
White
75.4%
Asian
73.7%
Hispanic
71.1%
Black
63.5%
SOURCECollege Scorecard — groups with too few students to report are omitted
Earnings Further Out
The longer horizon

Median earnings eight years after entering University of Iowa are $60,321, and 80% of former students earn more than $25,000 six years after entry.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How These Outcomes Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Six years after entry, former University of Iowa students earn $52,696 — 14% more than at a typical similar college.

Median earnings, 10 years
This school
$64,762
Similar colleges (587)
$54,560
IA (69)
$42,793
National (4,696)
$40,782
Median earnings, 6 years
This school
$52,696
Similar colleges (589)
$46,058
IA (69)
$39,099
National (4,847)
$35,433
Graduation rate
This school
73.9%
Similar colleges (566)
51.7%
IA (31)
63.9%
National (2,168)
52.3%
Freshman retention
This school
89.8%
Similar colleges (567)
76%
IA (30)
76%
National (1,841)
75.7%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

University of Iowa Campus, Athletics & Faculty

University of Iowa is a public institution located in Iowa City, a small city setting, with an undergraduate enrollment of 22,264 students. The student body includes 56.7% women, 22.3% first-generation students, and 18.4% Pell grant recipients.

Student Demographics
Undergraduate enrollment · Source: College Scorecard / IPEDS
Race & Ethnicity
White
74.4%
Asian
4.4%
Hispanic
8.9%
Black
2.8%
Other Indicators
First-generation
22.3%
Pell grant recipients
18.4%
Women
56.7%
University of Iowa Athletics
Total Revenue
$5.5M
Total Expense
$34.9M
Athletes
840
369 men · 471 women
Head Coach Salaries
Men's vs Women's programs · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's sports
$2,076,495
Women's sports
$324,172

Average head coach salary by program gender.

Athletic Aid
Scholarship spending by gender · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's aid
$6,742,246
Women's aid
$7,921,752
Academic Resources
1,329
Full-time faculty
$115,764
Avg faculty salary
27,927
FT staff
$3.5B
Endowment
Faculty Salary by Gender
All instructional ranks combined · Source: IPEDS Human Resources
Men (avg)
$128,740
Women (avg)
$100,653
Overall avg
$115,764
Who Is on Campus
Beyond the undergraduate headcount
Undergraduates
22,264
Graduate students
8,041
Varsity Athletes
Play a varsity sport
3.3%

679 of 20,492 undergraduates, counting each athlete once regardless of how many sports they play.

SOURCEIPEDS enrollment; Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filings
Online & Distance Learning
How much of the teaching happens remotely
Undergrads fully online
3.7%
Undergrads taking any
63%
Grad students fully online
28.3%

824 of 22,130 undergraduates study entirely at a distance, against 2,238 of 7,912 graduate students.

SOURCEIPEDS Fall Enrollment, distance education status

University of Iowa is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and operates its own medical school and teaching hospital.

How This Campus Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

University of Iowa spends $189,983 per student on research — about 22× a typical similar college.

Pell grant share
This school
18.4%
Similar colleges (590)
34%
IA (73)
33.9%
National (5,367)
40.1%
Research spending per student
This school
$189,983
Similar colleges (531)
$8,786
IA (50)
$5,848
National (2,823)
$5,605
Students per faculty member
This school
16:1
Similar colleges (595)
16:1
IA (73)
13:1
National (5,427)
15:1

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Every Major at University of Iowa
88 fields of study, bachelor's degree level, grouped by subject area
5,006 graduates
Business and Marketing 1,199 grads · 8 majors
Finance, General 360
Marketing/Marketing Management, General 251
Organizational Leadership 174
Accounting 146
Labor and Industrial Relations 142
Management Sciences and Quantitative... 112
Actuarial Science 12
Insurance 2
Parks, Recreation and Kinesiology 501 grads · 4 majors
Exercise Science and Kinesiology 377
Sport and Fitness Administration/Management 102
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies 12
Sports Studies 10
Health Professions 451 grads · 6 majors
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 232
Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language... 79
Public Health, General 68
Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer 43
Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy 21
Nuclear Medical Technology/Technologist 8
Multidisciplinary Studies 436 grads · 7 majors
Behavioral Sciences 289
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 75
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 27
Systems Science and Theory 13
Ancient Studies/Civilization 12
Data Science, General 11
International/Globalization Studies 9
Engineering 392 grads · 8 majors
Mechanical Engineering 94
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 88
Civil Engineering, General 48
Industrial Engineering 45
Computer Engineering, General 42
Chemical Engineering 41
Electrical and Electronics Engineering 30
Environmental/Environmental Health... 4
Social Sciences 323 grads · 7 majors
Political Science and Government, General 112
Economics, General 79
Criminology 58
Sociology, General 27
International Relations and Affairs 24
Anthropology, General 13
Geography 10
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 241 grads · 5 majors
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 92
Neuroscience 60
Biochemistry 31
Biomedical Sciences, General 31
Microbiology, General 27
Visual and Performing Arts 239 grads · 8 majors
Art/Art Studies, General 93
Music, General 59
Film/Cinema/Media Studies 46
Dance, General 16
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 11
Playwriting and Screenwriting 7
Art History, Criticism and Conservation 5
Musical Theatre 2
Communication and Journalism 226 grads · 2 majors
Speech Communication and Rhetoric 145
Journalism 81
Liberal Arts and General Studies 200 grads · 1 major
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 200
English Language and Literature 162 grads · 2 majors
English Language and Literature/Letters,... 115
English Language and Literature, General 47
Education 153 grads · 5 majors
Elementary Education and Teaching 131
Music Teacher Education 17
Art Teacher Education 2
Science Teacher Education/General Science... 2
English/Language Arts Teacher Education 1
Computer and Information Sciences 102 grads · 2 majors
Computer Science 82
Informatics 20
Physical Sciences 77 grads · 4 majors
Chemistry, General 45
Geology/Earth Science, General 13
Physics, General 13
Astronomy 6
History 66 grads · 1 major
History, General 66
Foreign Languages and Linguistics 65 grads · 7 majors
Spanish Language and Literature 28
Linguistics 14
French Language and Literature 11
Classics and Classical Languages,... 7
Russian Language and Literature 3
German Language and Literature 1
Italian Language and Literature 1
Mathematics and Statistics 60 grads · 2 majors
Mathematics, General 46
Statistics, General 14
Natural Resources and Conservation 42 grads · 2 majors
Environmental Science 27
Environmental Studies 15
Public Administration and Social Services 40 grads · 1 major
Social Work 40
Area, Ethnic and Gender Studies 17 grads · 4 majors
Women's Studies 7
African-American/Black Studies 4
Asian Studies/Civilization 4
American/United States Studies/Civilization 2
Philosophy and Religious Studies 14 grads · 2 majors
Philosophy 11
Religion/Religious Studies 3
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023 — first majors only, so a student with a double major is counted once

University of Iowa Location & Campus Safety

University of Iowa is in Iowa City, IA, in what IPEDS classifies as a small city setting. The campus sits about 0.5 miles from the center of Iowa City. There are 3 other colleges within 25 miles, and Cedar Rapids, IA is 22.1 miles away.

University of Iowa
Small city
Campus Setting
0.5 mi
To City Center
3
Colleges Within 25 mi
75,264
Iowa City Population
Living in Iowa City
Cost of living and getting around, for the whole city — not the campus
ACS 2023
$1,094
Median Rent / mo
$57,533
Median Household Income
37.6%
Rent as % of Income
How People Commute
Drive alone
56%
Walk
14%
Public transit
6.7%

Johnson County scores 9.3 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — below average walkable. The index is a county-wide average of block groups, so it describes the surrounding area rather than the campus itself.

Undergraduates make up about 27.3% of Iowa City's residents.

SOURCEU.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates; EPA National Walkability Index

Campus Safety at University of Iowa

Every college that receives federal financial aid must publish its crime statistics each year under the Clery Act. These are the figures University of Iowa reported for 2024.

156
On-Campus Offenses
22
In Residence Halls
5.1
Per 1,000 Students
139
Domestic, Dating & Stalking

Read these numbers carefully. A Clery figure counts reports, not incidents. A university with active reporting channels, a large campus police force and a teaching hospital will record more offenses than one where the same events go unreported — so a higher count is not evidence of a more dangerous campus, and a low count is not evidence of a safe one. In 2024, 833 campuses with more than 1,000 students reported no offenses at all. Use these figures to ask a college questions, not to rank one against another.

Reported On-Campus Offenses by Year
Criminal offenses reported on campus, including residence halls · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Clery Act disclosures
2022
101
2023
161
2024
156
What Was Reported in 2024
On-campus criminal offenses by category
Sexual offenses
69
Aggravated assault
64
Burglary
11
Motor vehicle theft
10
Robbery
1
Arson
1

Separately, University of Iowa reported 82 arrests and 211 disciplinary referrals for weapons, drug and liquor law violations on campus. Referrals for alcohol violations are usually the largest category at residential colleges and reflect how a school handles student conduct internally.

SOURCEU.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety and Security — Clery Act disclosures, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about University of Iowa admissions, costs, and outcomes.