A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at ISU are mostly White with a small Foreign Resident population. The school has low racial diversity. 24% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.
| Race | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| White |
76%
|
| Black |
3%
|
| Hispanic |
5%
|
| Asian |
3%
|
| American Indian / Alaskan |
0%
|
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islander |
0%
|
| Two or more races |
2%
|
| International |
7%
|
| Race Unknown |
5%
|
There are 21% more male students than female students enrolled at Iowa State University with a gender ratio of 55% men to 45% women. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, ISU has a comparable gender diversity ratio to other US colleges and is inclusive of both genders.
| Gender | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
55%
|
| Women |
45%
|
| Gender | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
16,417
|
| Women |
13,552
|
ISU serves a low number of students outside of Iowa, with 52 percent of the student body residing in-state.
| Origin | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| In State |
52%
|
| Out of State |
45%
|
| Foreign |
3%
|
| Unknown Location |
1%
|
19% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.
| Segment | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Students Over 25 Years Old | 5% |
| Part time Undergrads | 3% |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=153603 IPEDS survey data for Iowa State University.