by our College Data Analytics TeamThis overview lays out the cost of attending Iowa State University, from sticker cost of attendance and projected degree cost to net price, debt at graduation, and aid breakdowns.
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Attendance costs at Iowa State University fell between $23,309.00 through $41,403.00 based on in-state versus out-of-state status.
In-state residents qualified for the lower cost, with out-of-state students paying more: near $23,309.00 in-state against $41,403.00 out-of-state.
Here the cost is broken out three ways: no aid, average aid, and the aid a low-income student typically receives.
| Tuition and fees | $10,787.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $12,522.00 |
| Total cost | $23,309.00 |
| That is 21% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $23,309.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$5,429.00 |
| Net price | $17,880.00 |
| That is 7% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $23,309.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$13,436.00 |
| Net price | $9,873.00 |
| That is 49% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $28,881.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $12,522.00 |
| Total cost | $41,403.00 |
| That is 115% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $41,403.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$5,429.00 |
| Net price | $35,974.00 |
| That is 87% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $41,403.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$13,436.00 |
| Net price | $27,967.00 |
| That is 45% above the national average net price. | |
| For the full breakdown, see tuition and fees plus living costs. |
Published costs have climbed year over year at a recent average of 4.3% annually, so the projections below total more than one year of attendance. These tables carry the cost across a degree for three cases: low-income w/ aid, average aid, and no aid. Loan figures amortise the projected total over ten years at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Freshman year | $10,299.00 | $18,651.00 | $24,314.00 |
| Senior year | $11,689.00 | $21,169.00 | $27,596.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $43,936.00 | $79,569.00 | $103,728.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $16,738.00 | $30,313.00 | $39,517.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $506.00 | $916.00 | $1,194.00 |
| Total amount paid | $60,674.00 | $109,881.00 | $143,245.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Freshman year | $10,299.00 | $18,651.00 | $24,314.00 |
| Senior year | $10,743.00 | $19,455.00 | $25,362.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $21,041.00 | $38,106.00 | $49,676.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $8,016.00 | $14,517.00 | $18,925.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $242.00 | $439.00 | $572.00 |
| Total amount paid | $29,057.00 | $52,623.00 | $68,601.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Freshman year | $29,173.00 | $37,525.00 | $43,188.00 |
| Senior year | $33,111.00 | $42,591.00 | $49,019.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $124,457.00 | $160,089.00 | $184,249.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $47,414.00 | $60,988.00 | $70,192.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $1,432.00 | $1,842.00 | $2,120.00 |
| Total amount paid | $171,871.00 | $221,078.00 | $254,441.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Freshman year | $29,173.00 | $37,525.00 | $43,188.00 |
| Senior year | $30,431.00 | $39,143.00 | $45,050.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $59,603.00 | $76,668.00 | $88,238.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $22,707.00 | $29,208.00 | $33,616.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $686.00 | $882.00 | $1,015.00 |
| Total amount paid | $82,310.00 | $105,876.00 | $121,854.00 |
Jump to the net-price detail in the Net Price section.
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the published sticker price. It is usually a better planning number than the sticker cost above.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $18,589.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $18,165.00 |
Net price is far from uniform: lower-income families typically pay much less after aid. The figures below give average net price by income bracket:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $11,734.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $12,465.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $15,430.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $19,807.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $21,827.00 |
For a personalized estimate, try the Iowa State University Net Price Calculator, or get in touch with the financial aid office.
For the grant-and-scholarship detail behind these figures, see the financial aid page.
Median graduate debt at Iowa State University is $18,750.00, which the Department of Education classifies as a Low ($10-20k) debt-burden bucket.
The percentile spread of debt at graduation is shown below:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $4,166.00 |
| 25th | $8,250.00 |
| Median (50th) | $18,750.00 |
| 75th | $27,000.00 |
| 90th | $32,500.00 |
The spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles reflects how variable debt outcomes are at this school.
Read the complete debt breakdown on the student loan debt detail.
Debt outcomes vary substantially with family income. Below the data splits borrowers across three income groups:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $18,500.00 |
| Middle income | $18,420.00 |
| High income | $19,500.00 |
Debt at graduation often differs for first-generation students.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $19,000.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $18,630.00 |
First-generation borrowers from Iowa State University leave with $370.00 in extra median debt compared with continuing-generation peers.
Pell Grants are the largest source of federal need-based aid for undergrads. The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap reveals how borrowing differs by need.
The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap at Iowa State University amounts to $1,338.00. This school carries a federal Pell-debt-inequity flag.
The federal default-rate classification for Iowa State University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 3.8% |
For context on the loan portfolio, Stafford disbursements at Iowa State University total $1,607,868,176.00 distributed across 77,148 borrowers.
Veteran and active-military students often access dedicated federal aid programs including the GI Bill and Tuition Assistance from the Department of Defense.
| GI Bill recipients | 356 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $9,330.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 125 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $4,059.00 |
Dig into veteran education benefits on the veterans benefits detail.
The data above is a foundation; round it out by asking yourself about Iowa State University, think through the questions below:
Explore the related pages below for a deeper look at the cost picture:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.