University of Iowa acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
With an acceptance rate near 84%, University of Iowa is an accessible public university in Iowa. Because it admits most qualified applicants, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.
Use this page to see what University of Iowa weighs, where it ranks among Iowa schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1330, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at University of Iowa?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into University of Iowa?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into University of Iowa, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into University of Iowa?
University of Iowa admits most qualified applicants (around 84%), but that overall rate is not your personal chance. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for University of Iowa in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is University of Iowa hard to get into?
University of Iowa is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 84% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into University of Iowa?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at University of Iowa, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. University of Iowa reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at University of Iowa by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at University of Iowa for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at University of Iowa with a 3.1 GPA and a 1230 SAT?
About 97% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1230 SAT, the middle of University of Iowa's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1330 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/university-of-iowa.
How to get into University of Iowa
Built from University of Iowa's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
Here is how to get into University of Iowa, built from what its admitted class actually looks like and what the school says it weighs.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at University of Iowa carries about a 3.08 core GPA and a 1280 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 1130 to 1330 SAT (21 to 28 ACT). Submit a score at 1230 or higher; below 1130, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
University of Iowa rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by University of Iowa's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at uiowa.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to University of Iowa, and how many get in?
For the fall 2023 entering class, University of Iowa received 25,682 applications and admitted 21,746, an acceptance rate of 84.7%. 5,064 enrolled. Only about 23% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. University of Iowa enrolls about 22,264 undergraduates in total, 57% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 16 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for University of Iowa?
The middle 50% of admitted students at University of Iowa scored between 1130 and 1330 on the SAT (average 1200). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 21 to 28. A score above 1330 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1130 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. University of Iowa is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What University of Iowa looks for
What University of Iowa weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
In its review, University of Iowa leans most on rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from University of Iowa's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at University of Iowa
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does University of Iowa cost after financial aid?
University of Iowa's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $28,596 per year. Tuition and fees are $11,283 for IA residents and $33,371 for out-of-state students, a $22,088 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $22,531 a year, and it ranges from $15,316 for families earning under $30,000 to $26,266 for families earning over $110,000. 18% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do University of Iowa graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of Iowa student who received federal aid earns $64,762 a year, up from $52,696 at six years. 75% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 90% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $22,500; 42% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How University of Iowa compares in Iowa
University of Iowa ranks #16 most selective of 21 schools in Iowa in our database.
Among the 21 Iowa schools we track, University of Iowa ranks #16 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Grinnell College (15%) and William Penn University (52%) sit nearby, which makes Iowa a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.
Similar to University of Iowa
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Build around University of Iowa with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as Purdue University Fort Wayne, Youngstown State University, and Northern Michigan University. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is University of Iowa's acceptance rate?
University of Iowa admitted 21,746 of 25,682 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 84.7% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 23% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for University of Iowa?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1130 to 1330 on the SAT and 21 to 28 on the ACT. A score above 1330 is in the top quarter of admits. University of Iowa is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is University of Iowa test-optional?
Yes. University of Iowa reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does University of Iowa cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Iowa, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $22,531 a year against a sticker price of about $28,596. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $15,316 on average.
What do University of Iowa graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering University of Iowa are $64,762 a year among students who received federal aid, and 75% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does University of Iowa value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, University of Iowa weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does University of Iowa favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, University of Iowa generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.
How can I improve my chances at University of Iowa?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at University of Iowa specifically.
How does residency affect admission to University of Iowa?
As a public university, University of Iowa typically admits in-state students at a higher rate, and tuition differs sharply by residency. Select your home state in the calculator to fold the in-state effect into your estimate.
What are the admission requirements for University of Iowa?
University of Iowa reviews GPA, course rigor, test scores (where submitted), activities, and essays. With a more accessible acceptance rate, meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.