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Iowa City, IA · Public · 22,264 undergraduates · urban

University of Iowa

Less selective

Add to my college list Review admission

Iowa's undergraduate identity is shaped by an unusual combination of writing culture, major healthcare infrastructure and a walkable college town.

Phil Roeder from Des Moines / CC BY 2.0

Institutional profile

Well established Solid in career outcomes, and solid in academic standing.
Academic Solid Affordability Solid Career Solid Mobility Steady Experience Steady
Academic standing Solid
Affordability Solid
Career outcomes Solid
Mobility Steady
Student experience Steady
Admission
84.7% admitted

25,682 applicants in the reported year

Price by income
Resident and nonresident prices differ

Compare recent average annual costs by household income

Completion
72.3%

$64,762 median earnings 10 years after enrollment

What sets University of Iowa apart

Academic design

Writing programs span creative writing, journalism, screenwriting and communication alongside extensive health and professional fields.

Campus pattern

Campus and downtown Iowa City meet along the Iowa River, creating a compact university-city core.

Career & value signal

University healthcare, publishing, communication, finance and regional employers provide substantial professional pathways.

Can I get in?

84.7% admitted

Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.

Recent applicant pool

25,682

About 85 in every 100 applicants were admitted.

Admission rate 84.7%
Entering class

Academic range

SAT middle 50%1130–1320
10001440
ACT middle 50%22–28
1832

Of admitted students, 19% submitted an SAT, and 59% submitted an ACT. The SAT range comes from a small share of admitted students and does not describe the full class.

Entered with a 4.0 GPA35%

Admission by residency

Open either way

Degree-seeking, first-time, first-year students · Fall 2025

University of Iowa admitted 84.6% of Iowa applicants and 81.1% of applicants from other states. It admits most of the students who apply, whichever group they are in. Iowa students took 52% of the seats in the entering class.

In-state84.6% admitted

4,984 admitted from 5,892 applicants

Out-of-state81.1% admitted

19,510 admitted from 24,060 applicants

International42.4% admitted

637 admitted from 1,502 applicants

In the season card

Where your GPA sits in the entering class

The full entering-class GPA distribution for University of Iowa, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.

See where I land

In the season card

What University of Iowa weighs when it reads a file

See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.

  • Course rigor  
  • GPA  
  • Test scores  
  • Essay  
  • Recommendations  
  • Extracurriculars  
  • Demonstrated interest  
See what counts here

What moves the application

The evidence that separates a strong file

01

Show preparation for this curriculum

Writing programs span creative writing, journalism, screenwriting and communication alongside extensive health and professional fields.

02

Make institutional fit specific

Iowa's undergraduate identity is shaped by an unusual combination of writing culture, major healthcare infrastructure and a walkable college town.

03

Use the application route carefully

Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.

How to apply

Rounds, route, and required materials

Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.

Early ActionNov 3
Regular DecisionMay 1
Fee and waiver$55 application fee

Fee waiver: u.s. only

Major and program admission

Some fields have their own entry path.

The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.

BusinessAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Teacher preparationAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

EngineeringAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Health professionsAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

NursingAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Can I afford it?

Compare annual cost by household income.

Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.

Published annual cost$31,845
Average annual cost after aid, in-state$23,000
Affordability profileSolid

College funding

Scholarships and financial aid

Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.

University of Iowa publishes three merit awards, the largest reaching $10,000 to $20,000 a year. No separate scholarship application is required; the college uses the admission application. All of them renew past the first year.

Reviewed with admission An award reaching $5,000 to $10,000 a year

Open across the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews each year · Has a dated deadline

Reviewed with admission An award reaching $10,000 to $20,000 a year

Open across the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews each year · Has a dated deadline

Automatic consideration An award under $5,000 a year

Open across the university · Merit · Renews each year

In the season card

These three awards, by name

What each one is called, what it pays, what it asks of you, and the dates two of them close - which is usually earlier than the application for admission.

  • The name of each award 
  • What it pays 
  • The grades and scores it asks for 
  • The deadline 
  • What to send, and where 
See the full read
Financial aid timing2027-28 FAFSA Submission Deadline for Maximum Aid Consideration: December 1 Plan with your figuresOpen this college’s net price calculator
Open financial aid plan

In the season card

Average annual cost by household income at University of Iowa

Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.

  • $0–30k 
  • $30–48k 
  • $48–75k 
  • $75–110k 
  • $110k+ 
Open the price by income

Is it worth it?

Completion, debt, and earnings

Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.

Complete within 8 years72.3%

Degree completion across the reported entering cohort

Return after year one89.8%

First-year students who return for year two

Median federal debtWhat students owe on the way out

And what that comes to against what they earn.

Median earnings$64,762

Reported 10 years after enrollment

Academic portfolio

Largest bachelor’s fields

How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

Recent graduates543
Median earnings$61,732

Behavioral Sciences

Recent graduates327
Median earnings—

Marketing

Recent graduates301
Median earnings$81,994

Admits separately

What is campus life like?

University of Iowa beyond the classroom

Campus and downtown Iowa City meet along the Iowa River, creating a compact university-city core.

Academics

A defining academic feature

Writing programs span creative writing, journalism, screenwriting and communication alongside extensive health and professional fields.

Campus setting

What shapes an ordinary week

Campus and downtown Iowa City meet along the Iowa River, creating a compact university-city core.

Career & value

Where the degree can lead

University healthcare, publishing, communication, finance and regional employers provide substantial professional pathways.

22,264 undergraduatesMidwesturban setting93% of first-year students live on campus