ISU: the complete school report for parents
ISU puts the most weight on course rigor and GPA. The academic record does most of the work. It does not consider legacy and demonstrated interest, so campus visits and emails will not move the decision. With an 87.9% admit rate and 58% of enrolled students at a 3.75 GPA or above, the transcript is the entry ticket and scores are optional but help when they are strong. Major matters more than the name on the diploma here: five years out, Computer Engineering graduates earn a median $111,313 against $41,391 for English Language and Literature, General.
ISU is officially Iowa State University. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-09-20.
What does ISU actually weigh in admissions?
ISU rates 2 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA. It does not consider 4 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is ISU's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How ISU rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Very Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Important |
| the essay | Considered |
| extracurricular activities | Considered |
| recommendations | Considered |
| personal qualities | Considered |
| talent | Considered |
| class rank | Considered |
| demonstrated interest | Not Considered |
| the interview | Considered |
| legacy | Not Considered |
| first-generation status | Not Considered |
| geography | Considered |
| state residency | Considered |
| volunteer work | Considered |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does ISU consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The senior-year schedule should keep its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
Does ISU consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does ISU consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does ISU consider the application essay?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does ISU consider extracurricular activities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does ISU consider recommendation letters?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does ISU consider character and personal qualities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does ISU consider a special talent or ability?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does ISU consider class rank?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does ISU consider demonstrated interest?
No. ISU does not consider it. Campus visits, emails and info sessions do not move the decision.
Does ISU consider an interview?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does ISU consider legacy status?
No. ISU does not consider it. A parent or grandparent who attended gives no advantage.
Does ISU consider being first-generation?
No. ISU does not consider it.
Does ISU consider where we live?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does ISU consider state residency?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does ISU consider volunteer work?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does ISU consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does ISU consider religious affiliation?
No. ISU does not consider it.
What GPA do admitted students actually have?
58% of enrolled students had a 3.75 GPA or above. The average was 3.76 on a 4 scale, reported for 99.87% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.
| High school GPA | Share of enrolled students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 30.93% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 26.8% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 18.18% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 11.25% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 7.29% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 5% |
| 2.00–2.49 | 0.4% |
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
ISU admitted 80.0% of 2,757 transfer applicants, against 87.9% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
ISU offers neither Early Decision nor Early Action, so there is no early round to strategize about and every applicant is read in one pool.
| Regular application deadline | Not reported |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | 2 days after receipt |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | No |
| Early Action offered | No |
| Application fee | $40 |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What will ISU actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $18,589 a year at ISU after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $9,530. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 68.6% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 2,537 merit awards averaging $8,830 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
What families at each income level actually paid:
| Family income | Average net price per year |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $10,582 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $11,506 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $15,463 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $19,605 |
| Over $110,000 | $22,496 |
53% of ISU graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $28,851 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $242 a month in repayment. ISU’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from ISU pay off?
Graduates earn a median $63,386 ten years after entering, and $53,873 at six years. 86% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 76% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:
| Family income | Four-year net cost | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $42,328 | 2.2 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $46,024 | 2.4 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $61,852 | 3.2 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $78,420 | 4.0 |
| Over $110,000 | $89,984 | 4.6 |
A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.
$111,313 to $41,391, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at ISU:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $111,313 | 295 |
| Computer Science | $108,762 | 96 |
| Chemical Engineering | $96,097 | 123 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | $92,551 | 158 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $88,697 | 406 |
| Industrial Engineering | $88,344 | 132 |
| Civil Engineering | $86,261 | 122 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $78,149 | 418 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $75,665 | 225 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $45,407 | 118 |
| Anthropology | $44,015 | 24 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $41,391 | 49 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
89% of first-years return for a second year. 57% graduate within four years and 77% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 69.7% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 80.5% of everyone else, a gap of 10.8 points.
How big are the classes?
31% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 9% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 18:1, and 84% of faculty are full-time. Both are true at once: 9% of sections seat 100 or more, and those are the introductory lectures. Accredited by Higher Learning Commission.
What is life at ISU like?
26,346 undergraduates, 46% of first-years from out of state. 89% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 31% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 15% of men join a fraternity and 15% of women a sorority. 20% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $61,269.
What this means for your student
- Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
- 58% of enrolled students are at a 3.75 GPA or above, averaging 3.76. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
- Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
- Its highest-earning major returns $111,313 five years out against $41,391 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about ISU
What GPA do you need for ISU?
58% of enrolled students at ISU had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.76, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What do ISU graduates earn?
ISU graduates earn a median $63,386 ten years after entering, and 86% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with ISU
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: ISU’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.