10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$52,596at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
Iowa State University
Ames, IA · 88 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 85 · Federal debt reported for 68
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$52,596 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
12.6 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−21%Estimated return after 10 years
$65,176Observed earnings · year 5
$5,440Highest annual price before payoff reaches $0
The price benchmark would need to fall by $13,149 per year to reach it.
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $9,576 housing and food allowance plus $2,900 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$21,760
$8,000Annual price−$10,240
$16,000Annual price−$42,240
$19,000Current college-wide context−$54,240
$24,000Annual price−$74,240
$32,000Annual price−$106,240
$40,000Annual price−$138,240
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Online study is a meaningful part of the student experience.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Higher Learning Commission
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- City
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- Land-grant institution
DUAL-ENROLLMENT CONTEXT · 2024
98 high-school students took college courses.
IPEDS counts students enrolled in college credit while still in high school. A large dual-enrollment population can shape headline enrollment figures, especially at community colleges.
This is participation, not a college completion rate. It does not indicate how many students later enrolled after high school, earned a credential or entered the workforce.
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in Iowa run 12% below the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$18,589Average net price / year
$24,018Cost of attendance
$22,869Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$242/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$65,176Median earnings · year 5 after completion
75.3%Completion rate
88.7%Admission rate
1,204Average SAT score
25ACT midpoint
25,367Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about Iowa State University
What does Iowa State University cost?
Iowa State University reports an average annual net price of $18,589 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do Iowa State University graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $65,176 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do Iowa State University graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $22,869. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at Iowa State University worth the same?
No. The current release contains 88 field-and-degree records for Iowa State University; 85 report year-4 earnings and 68 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
32,301Students enrolled at any point
26,843Undergraduate students
5,458Graduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
67% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
2,667 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
73% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$58,795Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$61,085Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$67,621Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income63%
Middle income77%
Higher income81%
Undergraduate student composition
White75%
Black2%
Hispanic7%
Asian4%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
INDEPENDENT CENSUS EARNINGS VIEW
How earnings develop by field
Privacy-protected Census employment records follow graduate cohorts one, five and ten years after completion. This source is kept separate from College Scorecard because its population and methodology differ.
Field and credentialYear 1Year 5Year 10
Computer Programming.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 11
$126,300Year 1
$148,888Year 5
$221,868Year 10
Computer Programming.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$113,420Year 1
$171,456Year 5
$192,261Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 14
$102,825Year 1
$140,961Year 5
$166,117Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 14
$95,823Year 1
$120,087Year 5
$152,227Year 10
Anthropology.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 45
$89,458Year 1
$115,056Year 5
$138,999Year 10
Applied Mathematics.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 27
$92,521Year 1
$132,649Year 5
$138,294Year 10
Agricultural Business and Management.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 01
$86,016Year 1
$120,035Year 5
$133,464Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$81,671Year 1
$103,248Year 5
$133,214Year 10
Median annual earnings in 2023 dollars. Each time point may use a different pooled graduation cohort. Coverage is limited to institutions participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$50,667Year 1
$68,277Year 4
$65,176Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Industrial Engineering · Master's Degree$139,5902Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering · Master's Degree$136,1323Statistics · Master's Degree$130,1314Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$123,1095Plant Sciences · Master's Degree$116,1496Veterinary Medicine · First Professional Degree$111,7427Mechanical Engineering · Master's Degree$106,2458Computer Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$105,753Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1Plant SciencesMaster's Degree · $116,149 reported+64%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt2Rhetoric and Composition/Writing StudiesBachelor's Degree · $69,673 reported+44%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3Business/Managerial EconomicsBachelor's Degree · $93,379 reported+20%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt4Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's Degree · $123,109 reported+19%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt5Industrial EngineeringMaster's Degree · $139,590 reported+17%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt6Family and Consumer Economics and Related StudiesBachelor's Degree · $62,341 reported+17%vs same-degree national median$18,062federal debt
Comparable colleges in IA
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Iowa City, IA
University of Iowa
- Annual net price
- $22,531
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $66,310
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -21%
Northwest Iowa Community College
- Annual net price
- $14,800
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $56,526
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -52%
University of Northern Iowa
- Annual net price
- $15,901
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $52,258
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -70%
Iowa Western Community College
- Annual net price
- $14,629
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $49,011
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -83%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 88 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Engineering | Master's Degree | $139,590 | Not available | Not reported |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Master's Degree | $136,132 | Not available | Not reported |
| Statistics | Master's Degree | $130,131 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $123,109 | Not available | 7 |
| Plant Sciences | Master's Degree | $116,149 | Not available | 5 |
| Veterinary Medicine | First Professional Degree | $111,742 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Master's Degree | $106,245 | Not available | 1 |
| Computer Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $105,753 | $24,337 | Not reported |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $104,211 | $24,663 | Not reported |
| Construction Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $100,676 | $20,500 | Not reported |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $99,705 | $26,997 | Not reported |
| Civil Engineering | Master's Degree | $95,102 | Not available | Not reported |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $94,089 | $26,572 | Not reported |
| Business/Managerial Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $93,379 | Not available | Not reported |
| Industrial Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $92,914 | $23,750 | Not reported |
| Chemical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $92,773 | $20,188 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $92,050 | Not available | Not reported |
| Agricultural Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $88,576 | $21,500 | Not reported |
| Agricultural Engineering | Master's Degree | $87,824 | Not available | Not reported |
| Management Information Systems and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $87,413 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $85,938 | $23,500 | Not reported |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $85,427 | $25,250 | Not reported |
| Materials Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $83,416 | $23,125 | Not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $83,267 | $24,438 | Not reported |
| Engineering-Related Fields | Bachelor's Degree | $82,548 | $25,236 | Not reported |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | Master's Degree | $79,527 | Not available | Not reported |
| Agricultural Mechanization | Bachelor's Degree | $78,890 | $20,946 | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $78,304 | $22,250 | 5 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $75,360 | $21,750 | Not reported |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $75,355 | $23,414 | Not reported |
| Statistics | Bachelor's Degree | $72,581 | $23,625 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $70,706 | $23,250 | Not reported |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $69,673 | Not available | Not reported |
| Architecture | Bachelor's Degree | $69,310 | $31,000 | Not reported |
| Agricultural Business and Management | Bachelor's Degree | $67,529 | $16,972 | Not reported |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | Master's Degree | $66,778 | Not available | Not reported |
| Chemistry | Bachelor's Degree | $66,486 | $23,250 | Not reported |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $66,482 | $23,250 | Not reported |
| Food Science and Technology | Bachelor's Degree | $65,943 | $26,254 | Not reported |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | Bachelor's Degree | $65,204 | $26,250 | Not reported |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Search every Iowa State University program record →Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.