University of Iowa — College Profile

About

Located in Iowa City, the University of Iowa is a major public research institution world-renowned for its creative writing legacy—anchored by the prestigious Iowa Writers' Workshop—alongside top-tier programs in nursing, speech-language pathology, and business through the Tippie College of Business. As the centerpiece of the first designated UNESCO City of Literature in the United States, the university uniquely bridges a rich arts tradition with cutting-edge biomedical research at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. Student life centers on vibrant Big Ten school spirit and a dynamic downtown that seamlessly borders campus, famously epitomized on fall Saturdays by the Kinnick Wave to the patients watching from the adjacent Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

Wikipedia:The University of Iowa is a public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized into 12 colleges offering more than 200 areas of study and 7 professional degrees.

Location

Iowa City, IA, 52242-1316 · City campus

✈

Nearest airport from college

ORD · Chicago O'Hare

188 mi away

Open in Google Maps

Cost & aid

Cost of attendance

In-stateOut-of-state

Tuition & fees$11,283$33,371

Housing & food (on campus)$12,920$12,920

Books & supplies$950$950

Cost of attendance$28,596$54,121

Average net price$22,531Not published

Out-of-state prices

Tuition & fees$33,371

In-state: $11,283

Housing & food (on campus)$12,920

Books & supplies$950

Cost of attendance$54,121

In-state: $28,596

Average net priceNot published

In-state: $22,531

Source: U.S. College Scorecard · published total: financialaid.uiowa.edu

How it’s made up · out-of-state, 2026-27

University of Iowa’s own figures for 2026-2027, newer than the 2024-25 federal figures above, so the amounts differ.

Tuition$34,247

Books & supplies$950

Personal expenses$3,648

Transportation$1,254

Total published by the school$54,121

Source: financialaid.uiowa.edu · checked Sep 28, 2026

Net price by family income · in-state students, 2023-24

$0–30k

$15,316

$30–48k

$15,489

$48–75k

$19,930

$75–110k

$23,811

$110k+

$26,266

Your family's actual price → University of Iowa net price calculator

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Merit aid · 2024-25

Awarded without financial need. Students with financial need can get merit awards too; they're counted as need-based aid.

Average award$6,075

First-years who got one1,690

Source: University of Iowa's Common Data Set — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures (PDF).

Outcomes

Completion

Within 6 yrs

74%

Entered 2017–18

Within 4 yrs

58%

Back for yr 2

90%

Transferred

18%

8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students

75% graduated · 18% transferred · 7% left or unknown · none still enrolled

Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021

6 yrs after entry$52,696

10 yrs after entry$64,762

Debt

Median at graduation$22,500

Monthly payment$239

Middle 50% owe$7.5k–$26.3k

90th percentile$30,762

Green marks a figure above the typical Doctoral University: 70% graduate within 6 yrs, $63,395 earned 10 yrs after entry.

Admissions

Getting in · applied for fall 2024

Admit rate

84%

Test policy

Test optional

Checked Sep 2026

SAT average

1200

R 570–670 · M 560–660

ACT midpoint

Comp 21–28 · E 20–28 · M 19–27

SAT middle 50%: 1130–1330

40080012001600

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Essay prompts

If University of Iowa asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body

Gender

Men 43%Women 57%

Who enrolls

Faculty ratio

16 : 1

Pell grant

18%

First-gen

22%

Family income

$72,993

Independent

13%

Veterans

Age at entry

20.0

Part-time

Race & ethnicity

White

74%

Hispanic

Black

Asian

Two or more

Non-resident

Unknown

Varsity sports

NCAA Division I-FBS · EADA 2024-25

Baseball
Men's
Basketball
Men's · Women's
Field Hockey
Women's
Football
Men's
Golf
Men's · Women's
Gymnastics
Women's
Rowing
Women's
Soccer
Women's
Softball
Women's
Swimming and Diving (combined)
Women's
Tennis
Women's
Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
Men's · Women's
Volleyball
Women's
Wrestling
Men's · Women's

Programs & Earnings

Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings

Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021

After 6 yrs

$52,696

After 10 yrs

$64,762

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness543

Finance and Financial Management Services391

Behavioral Sciences327

Marketing301

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing229

Business Administration, Management and Operations201

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities191

Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods183

Human Resources Management and Services169

Communication and Media Studies161

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods155

English Language and Literature/Letters, Other148

Accounting and Related Services143

Political Science and Government139

Economics126

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other114

Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.

Institutional

Resources

Endowment

$3.5B

Full-time faculty

88%

Faculty salary

$12,922/mo

Teaching spend

$15,714

per student

Federal loans

42%

Classification

Carnegie type

Doctoral University

Research activity

R1 — very high research

$703M research spending · 431 research doctorates a year

Undergraduate profile

Four-year, selective admissions