How much does it cost to attend?
In State Iowa Resident Sticker Price
| Fee | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $8,982 |
| Other Fees | $1,515 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,091 |
| Room and Board | $9,726 |
| Other Expenses Budget | $2,890 |
Out of State Resident Sticker Price
| Fee | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $26,168 |
| Other Fees | $1,515 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,091 |
| Room and Board | $9,726 |
| Other Expenses Budget | $2,890 |
In-State Tuition
In-state tuition at Iowa State University for undergraduate students residing in Iowa is $8,982. Room and board charges total $9,726 per year. Students will also need to budget for books and supplies, which typically amount to $1,091 annually. Other administrative or academic fees are $1,515 for the year. Additionally, students should plan an estimated $2,890 for other miscellaneous expenses throughout the year. In sum, residents attending Iowa State University full time should expect a total annual cost of $24,204.
Out-of-State Tuition
Undergraduate tuition at Iowa State University is $26,168 for out-of-state students. Additionally, out-of-state students are charged $9,726 for room and board, $1,091 for textbooks and educational resources, plus fees of $1,515. Students are advised to budget $2,890 for other expenses. When these costs are combined, annual out-of-state charges total $41,390. This figure is 71% higher than what Iowa residents pay.
Housing Costs
On campus room and board is provided by the school at a cost of $9,726 per academic year. Students electing to live off campus elsewhere in Ames should budget at least this amount.
Books and Supplies
The estimated annual cost for books and educational supplies is $1,091.
Other Living Expenses
If living on-campus, students should budget for $2,890 in additional living expenses. Off-campus students should budget for $2,890 in other miscellaneous living expenses.
All price data is sourced from the 2023/2024 U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics survey.
Net Price
The average reported annual net price for Iowa State University for students receiving grants or scholarship aid was $17,354* in 2019/2020. Net price includes tuition and required fees, books and supplies, and average cost for room and board and other expenses.
Average Net Price 2022/2023
Below is the average net price by student family income.
| Family Income | Net Price Paid |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $11,734 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $12,465 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $15,430 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $19,807 |
| $110,000+ | $21,827 |
The net price provides a more realistic estimate of the true cost of attending Iowa State University, once common grants and scholarships have been taken into account. It's important to note that your net price will fluctuate based on factors such as family income, assets and individual financial need. Net price is the out-of-pocket total cost that students end up paying or financing though student loans.
*Reported Average Annual Net Price for students receiving grant or scholarship aid reported to the U.S. Department of Education's Academic Year 2022/2023 IPEDS Survey. Financial aid is only available to those who qualify. Consult this school's net price calculator for further understanding of your potential net price.
Note that for colleges with no reported on-campus room and board, the average net price has been increased to account for living expenses. This number may not only reflect the net price paid to the school for tuition.
Financial Aid
77% of full-time undergrad Iowa State University received financial aid in the form of grants, scholarships, fellowships from the institution or from Federal, State or local government agencies. This aid averaged $10,718 per student during the 2019/2020 school year. Grant and scholarship aid does not need to be paid back.
Pell Grants
18 percent of students received aid in the form of Pell Grants from the U.S. Federal Government. The average Pell Grant awarded for 2019/2020 was $5,176. To apply for a Pell Grant to attend Iowa State University, the first step is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Student Loans
46% of students received Federal Student Loans averaging $5,237 and 11% of undergrads took out private student loans averaging $13,467.
| Type | Avg./Student | Students Receiving |
|---|---|---|
| Total Grant and Scholarship Aid | $10,718 | 77% |
| Institutional Grants and Scholarships | $9,582 | 75% |
| Pell Grants | $5,176 | 18% |
| Other Federal Grants | $525 | 13% |
| State and Local Grants | $4,197 | 1% |
| Federal Student Loans | $5,237 | 46% |
| Other Student Loans | $13,467 | 11% |
Financial Aid Mix - $24,204 In-State Total Cost
CollegeSimply has modeled example payment coverage for the annual in-state tuition and living expenses of $24,204. Breakdown is based on average grant aid and federal loan aid which will vary based on your family income.
Grants and Scholarships
50% - $10,718Money granted to you by the U.S. Department of Education, Iowa State University or other organizations. These are not loans and do not need to be repaid.
Federal Student Loans
25% - $5,237Low interest student loans funded by the U.S. Department of Education. This amount will need to be repaid.
Out of Pocket Cost
25% - $5,359Covered by family savings, work or private student loans which you will have to repay.
Student Loans
To gauge a more realistic picture of what it really could cost you out of pocket to go to Iowa State University, we've modeled a ten year student loan with an original principal value of $69,416. The loan balance of $69,416 is a four year multiple of the $17,354 average net price. This is a estimate of what you could owe upon graduation if you were to qualify for average financial aid and what a degree really may cost. Should you not qualify for financial aid, you may owe significantly more when you graduate. Based on these assumptions, a monthly repayment of $789 could be required to pay off your student loan. The total of all payments including interest would sum $94,711.76.
Please note that financial aid is not guaranteed and is only available for qualifying students. Federal Student Loans are not grants and must be repaid with interest. The current Stafford loan interest rate is 6.53%.
| Example Loan | $69,416 |
| Stafford Loan Interest Rate | 6.53% |
| Time to Pay Off Student Loan | 10 years |
| Example Monthly Payment | $789.26 |
| Total Interest Paid | $25,295.76 |
| Sum of All Loan Payments | $94,711.76 |
Student Loan Affordability
In order to afford student loan payments and still meet all your other costs of living, it is recommended not to borrow more than you can pay back using 10% of your monthly income earned after graduation. If you're considering attending Iowa State University, should consider if it will be realistic to make the post graduation loan payments based on your expected salary.
Using the 10% of salary threshold, an annual income of $94,711.76 would be needed to afford a $789.26 monthly payment in the example $69,416.00 loan modeled above. This assumes a repayment over 10 years. You can change the terms of this example loan using the student loan calculator below. View statistics about Iowa State University student loan debt and graduate salaries under student outcomes.
Projected 4 Year Degree Price
4 Year Sticker Price
| Year | Iowa Residents | Non Residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $24,204 | $41,390 |
| 2 | $24,981 | $42,718 |
| 3 | $25,782 | $44,089 |
| 4 | $26,610 | $45,504 |
Based on published tuition prices, we estimate the current cost of a 4 year bachelor's degree and living expenses at Iowa State University to be $96,816 - assuming graduation in normal time. The estimation assumes a 3.2% annual increase over the next 4 years which has been the recent trend for this school.
Credit Hour Cost and Price per Class
| Price Per Credit | 3 Credit Class | 4 Credit Class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa Residents | $376 | $1,128 | $1,504 | Out of State Residents | $1,091 | $3,273 | $4,364 |
Estimated cost for a class at Iowa State University based on published credit hour prices. Note that not all schools allow single class enrollment. These prices should be used for comparison purposes as to how much it may cost to take a class at Iowa State University versus other colleges.
Tuition Payment Plans Available
| Tuition Payment Plan | No |
| Prepaid Tuition Plan | No |
| Alternative Tuition Plan | No |
| Guaranteed Tuition Plan | No |
Tuition History
Historical in-state and out-of-state tuition and price increases for Iowa State University.
| Year | In-State | Out-of-state | Annual Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $8,982 | $26,168 | 3.5% |
| 2022 | $8,678 | $25,162 | 4.3% |
| 2021 | $8,324 | $24,136 | 3.5% |
| 2020 | $8,042 | $23,230 | 0% |
| 2019 | $8,042 | $23,230 | 3.9% |
| 2018 | $7,740 | $22,144 | 3.8% |
| 2017 | $7,456 | $21,292 | 5% |
| 2016 | $7,098 | $20,462 | 6.8% |
| 2015 | $6,648 | $19,768 | 0% |
| 2014 | $6,648 | $19,534 | 0% |
| 2013 | $6,648 | $19,200 | 3.7% |
| 2012 | $6,408 | $18,280 | 5% |
| 2011 | $6,102 | $17,668 | -8.3% |
| 2010 | $6,651 | $17,871 | 4.6% |
| 2009 | $6,360 | $17,350 | 3.2% |
| 2008 | $6,161 | $16,919 | 5.1% |
| 2007 | $5,860 | $16,354 | 4% |
| 2006 | $5,634 | $15,724 | 3.8% |
| 2005 | $5,426 | $15,128 | 7.9% |
| 2004 | $5,028 | $14,370 | 22.3% |
| 2003 | $4,110 | $12,802 | 19.4% |
| 2002 | $3,442 | $10,776 | 9.9% |
| 2001 | $3,132 | $9,974 | 4.3% |
| 2000 | $3,004 | $9,564 | 4.5% |
| 1999 | $2,874 | $9,152 | 3.9% |
| 1998 | $2,766 | $8,808 | 3.8% |
| 1997 | $2,666 | $8,480 | 3.6% |
| 1996 | $2,574 | $8,192 | 4.2% |
| 1995 | $2,471 | $7,731 | 5.1% |
| 1994 | $2,352 | $7,386 | 5.6% |
| 1993 | $2,228 | $6,996 | 7.5% |
| 1992 | $2,072 | $6,526 | 10.2% |
| 1991 | $1,880 | $6,160 | 3% |
| 1990 | $1,826 | $5,982 | 7% |
| 1989 | $1,706 | $5,488 | 9.1% |
| 1988 | $1,564 | $4,864 | 12.5% |
| 1987 | $1,390 | $4,080 |
Is it Worth the Cost?
To make a comparative assessment if ISU is worth the price, measures of it's relative value for tuition dollar can be examined. We've calculated an academic national percentile rating of 62.39/100 for Iowa State University. Considering an average net price paid of $17,354, this leads to an overall value ranking of 60/100. This places the school 232nd on our national Best Value Colleges ranking as a provider of a very high value education compared to actual overall price paid.
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Costs for Similar Colleges
Explore costs at colleges similar to ISU
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=153603 IPEDS survey data for Iowa State University.
Last updated February 24, 2025