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Ames, IA · Indianola, IA
| Iowa State University | Simpson College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $18,589/yr | $21,936/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $10,582/yr | $17,941/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $22,869 | $26,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $11,506/yr | $15,764/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $15,463/yr | $19,176/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $19,605/yr | $22,468/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $22,496/yr | $26,586/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $242/mo | $276/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $10,808/yr | $10,500/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $9,576/yr | $9,548/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $700/yr | $1,168/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $2,400/yr | $4,202/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $24,018/yr | $61,227/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $10,787/yr | $47,656/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $28,881/yr | $47,656/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 19% | 35% |
| Students taking federal loans | 43% | 71% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 89% | 86% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1120–1360 | No data reported |
| SAT average | 1204 | 1440 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 21–28 | 31–33 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 20–27 · Math 20–27 | English 28–34 · Math 27–32 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 22,995 | 1,646 |
| Students accepted | 20,496 | 1,463 |
| Students who enrolled | 5,859 | 342 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 29% | 23% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 10% | 0% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 51% | 2% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Recommendation letters | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Not considered | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 75% | 63% |
| Freshmen who come back | 88% | 81% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $63,386/yr | $59,274/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $43,544–$90,188 | $42,841–$81,432 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 74% | 67% |
| White students graduating | 77% | 64% |
| Black students graduating | 61% | 57% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 67% | 59% |
| Asian students graduating | 73% | 50% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $53,873/yr | $49,946/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 84% | 84% |
| Graduate on time | 57% | 51% |
| Pell students who graduate | 69% | 56% |
| First-gen students who finish | 65% | 72% |
| Low-income students who finish | 61% | No data reported |
| Students who transfer out | 19% | No data reported |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $59,021/yr | $50,552/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Engineering 21% · Business, Management & Marketing 20% · Agriculture & Veterinary Science 10% | Business, Management & Marketing 13% · Health Professions 11% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 10% |
| Most popular program | Engineering — 21% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 13% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 20% of degrees | Health Professions — 11% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Agriculture & Veterinary Science — 10% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 10% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 6% of degrees | Parks, Recreation & Fitness — 9% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 6% of degrees | Education — 8% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Veterinary Medicine — $96,477/yr | Computer Science — $70,950/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 36% | 17% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 25,367 | 1,227 |
| Students per professor | 18 : 1 | 12 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 4,752 | 16 |
| Average professor pay | $12,702/mo | $6,723/mo |
| Full-time professors | 84% | 52% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
| Median family income | $76,488 | $72,990 |
| Setting | City (small) | Town (fringe) |
| Location | Ames, IA | Indianola, IA |
| Region | Plains | Plains |
| Founded | 1858 | 1860 |
| Public or private | Public | Private (nonprofit) |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity | Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 3.6% | 2.7% |
| Men | 55% | 50% |
| Women | 45% | 50% |
| White students | 75% | 72% |
| Black students | 2.4% | 4.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 7% | 13% |
| Asian students | 4.2% | 1.9% |
| Two or more races | 3.2% | 4.2% |
| Other / not reported | 4.5% | 1.6% |
| Special type | None | Religiously affiliated |
| First-generation students | 20% | 23% |
| Part-time students | 3.8% | 2.1% |
| Students age 25+ | 3.4% | 5.5% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $12,347/yr | $12,667/yr |
| Endowment | $1.6B | $87.2M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 10,465 | 1,282 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $4,862/yr | $4,866/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $4,864/yr | $5,222/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | 19 meals/week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Four-one-four plan |
| Religious affiliation | No data reported | United Methodist |
| Federal designation | Land-grant institution | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | No |
| On-campus day care | Yes | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FBS | NCAA Division III with football |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 14 | 23 |
| Student athletes | 460 | 683 |
| Athletic scholarships | $9.9M | $0 |
| Athletics budget | $103.9M | $4.7M |
| Athletics revenue | $103.9M | $4.8M |
| Recruiting spend | $1.5M | $76,750 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.