University of Iowa: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Storm Lake, Iowa · Private nonprofit · Moderately selective
University of Iowa is a private nonprofit university in Storm Lake, Iowa that admits about 72% of applicants, making it a moderately selective school. The average family pays about $18,321 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Human Services, General and Business Administration, Management and Operations, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 2.9 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
University of Iowa is a private institution located in Storm Lake, Iowa with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of Iowa admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 72%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1090 and an ACT composite around 22. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $18,321 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of Iowa is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for University of Iowa?
University of Iowa admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
SAT and ACT scores University of Iowa typically admits
The middle-50 ACT composite range is 18–25. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
How much does University of Iowa actually cost?
Published tuition is $40,190 for in-state students and $40,190 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $10,896 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $18,321 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 43% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
Most popular majors at University of Iowa
The most popular undergraduate programs at University of Iowa, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Human Services, General and Business Administration, Management and Operations. Across all programs, University of Iowa confers roughly 353 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods program report a median income of about $44,936 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 85 | $44,936 |
| Human Services, General | 60 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 60 | $58,956 |
| Psychology, General | 37 | $38,073 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 37 | $58,537 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 26 | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 25 | $74,244 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 23 | $52,766 |
Is University of Iowa safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), University of Iowa disclosed 4 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 2.9 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 1 violent offenses and 2 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
Other colleges in Iowa parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of Iowa
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of Iowa recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about University of Iowa
What GPA do I need for University of Iowa?
University of Iowa admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum.
What SAT or ACT score does University of Iowa typically admit?
The middle-50 ACT composite range is 18–25.
How much does University of Iowa actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Iowa after grants and scholarships is $18,321 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is University of Iowa realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, University of Iowa is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at University of Iowa?
University of Iowa accepts about 72% of applicants. That makes it a moderately selective school.
Is University of Iowa a public or private school, and where is it located?
University of Iowa is a private nonprofit institution located in Storm Lake, Iowa.
What are the most popular majors at University of Iowa?
The largest undergraduate majors at University of Iowa by annual graduates are Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Human Services, General and Business Administration, Management and Operations. The school awards about 353 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is University of Iowa safe? What is its campus crime rate?
University of Iowa reported 4 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 2.9 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
Data sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.