Iowa State University (ISU)

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Iowa State University can be found in Ames, IA, a public college which focuses on only a select few programs offered. ISU enrolls about thirty four thousand students annually.

Students can submit either the SAT or ACT exam scores to ISU. A score within the range of 1100 to 1340 on the SAT exam, or 22 to 28 on the ACT exam is among the 25th - 75th percentile range among admitted students. By applying sampled GPA data from over 150 schools, we are able to estimate that the Iowa State University (ISU) average GPA ranges from 3.23 to 3.52 for accepted students. 92% of all applicants are admitted to Iowa State University, from which 33 percent choose to attend. Based on historical acceptance rate data, the projected Iowa State University (ISU) acceptance rate 2021 is estimated to be 84%. You can get more information from the admissions office website at admissions.iastate.edu.

Overall Iowa State University (ISU) Acceptance Rate - Fall 2020

92.1%

The overall acceptance rate for Iowa State University was reported as 92.1% in Fall 2020 with over 18,200 applications submitted to ISU. Both in state and out of state applicants are included in these figures. We do not have data on transfer acceptance rates currently.

Accepted Applicants Profile

  • ISU ACT Scores: 22 - 28
  • ISU Average GPA: 3.23 - 3.52

How Hard Is It to Get into Iowa State University?

Applicant Selectivity: Medium

The applicant selectivity of Iowa State University is about average, as determined by collecting standardized test scores e.g. ACT/SAT and high school average GPA ranges of students who were granted admissions from previous years.

Historical Trend and Acceptance Rate 2024 Projection

The historical trend chart shows acceptance rates from the previous years, from which we have projected the acceptance rate for the 2024-2025 school year. The overall acceptance rate trend for ISU has been slowly getting higher over the past years.

Acceptance Rate By Year

  • 2016-2017: 87.5%
  • 2017-2018: 89.3%
  • 2018-2019: 90.6%
  • 2019-2020: 92.1%
  • Projected ISU Acceptance Rate 2024-2025: 84.2%

How Does Iowa State University (ISU) Compare?

92.1%
This School
56.7%
National Avg

The acceptance rate for ISU is sixty-two percent higher than the national average of all colleges which is around 56.7%.

Nearby Similar College Acceptance Rates

SchoolAcceptance Rate
University of Northern Iowa79.1%
University of Iowa82.6%
University of Nebraska at Omaha83.5%
Minnesota State University-Mankato62.7%
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse73.0%

Admissions Rates & Enrollment Rates - Details

General Recommendations & Requirements for Admissions

  • High School GPA Scores are Required
  • High School Class Rankings are Required
  • School Records are Required
  • College Prep Classes are Required
  • Standardized Test Scores (SAT,ACT,...) are Required
  • TOEFL Exam (Foreign Language Students) are Required

Number of Applicants, Percent Accepted, and Enrolled Students (Fall 2020)

TotalMaleFemale
Applicants18,24651.5%48.5%
Admitted16,79651.6%48.4%
Enrolled5,59754.4%45.6%

Average ACT/SAT Scores of Applicants to Iowa State University (ISU) (Fall 2020)

SAT® SectionScore Range
Critical Reading540 - 650
Math560 - 690
Total Score1100 - 1340
ACT®Score Range
English21 - 28
Math21 - 28
Composite Score22 - 28
To learn more about the data and calculations that power this site, please visit our data discussion page.