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Iowa State University

⌖ Ames, IA · 88 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$52,596 over 10 years

Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

12.6 yrsModeled economic break-even
−21%Modeled 10-year ROI
$65,176Observed earnings · year 5
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK

Estimated payoff over ten years.

The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.

10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$52,596at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$254,3560
2
4
6
8
−$52,59610
Years after graduationBreak-even: 12.6 years
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 in-state tuition$10,787
Sticker price
Published out-of-state tuition$28,881
Sticker price
Average net price$18,589
Title IV student average
Cost of attendance$24,018
Tuition + living budget
PRICE SOURCECollege reported · annual amount · federal dataset
OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$18,589Average net price / year
$24,018Cost of attendance
$65,176Median earnings · year 5 after completion
75.3%Completion rate
88.7%Admission rate
25,367Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

86thEarnings percentile
75thCompletion percentile
EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$50,667Year 1
$68,277Year 4
$65,176Year 5

Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.

PROGRAM PAYOFF SPREAD

The college average is not the whole story.

Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.

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$105,753

Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

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%
Open college profile →Sheldon, IA

Northwest Iowa Community College

Annual net price
$14,800
Observed earnings · year 5
$56,526
Modeled 10-year ROI
-52%
Open college profile →Cedar Falls, IA

University of Northern Iowa

Annual net price
$15,901
Observed earnings · year 5
$52,258
Modeled 10-year ROI
-70%
Open college profile →Council Bluffs, IA

Iowa Western Community College

Annual net price
$14,629
Observed earnings · year 5
$49,011
Modeled 10-year ROI
-83%
Open college profile →
ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal fieldCredentialEarnings, year 4Federal debt
Industrial EngineeringMaster's Degree$139,590Not available
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications EngineeringMaster's Degree$136,132Not available
StatisticsMaster's Degree$130,131Not available
Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's Degree$123,109Not available
Plant SciencesMaster's Degree$116,149Not available
Veterinary MedicineFirst Professional Degree$111,742Not available
Mechanical EngineeringMaster's Degree$106,245Not available
Computer EngineeringBachelor's Degree$105,753$24,337
Computer ScienceBachelor's Degree$104,211$24,663
Construction EngineeringBachelor's Degree$100,676$20,500
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications EngineeringBachelor's Degree$99,705$26,997
Civil EngineeringMaster's Degree$95,102Not available
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space EngineeringBachelor's Degree$94,089$26,572
Business/Managerial EconomicsBachelor's Degree$93,379Not available
Industrial EngineeringBachelor's Degree$92,914$23,750
Chemical EngineeringBachelor's Degree$92,773$20,188
Accounting and Related ServicesMaster's Degree$92,050Not available
Agricultural EngineeringBachelor's Degree$88,576$21,500
Agricultural EngineeringMaster's Degree$87,824Not available
Management Information Systems and ServicesBachelor's Degree$87,413Not available
Mechanical EngineeringBachelor's Degree$85,938$23,500
Civil EngineeringBachelor's Degree$85,427$25,250
Materials EngineeringBachelor's Degree$83,416$23,125
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralBachelor's Degree$83,267$24,438
Engineering-Related FieldsBachelor's Degree$82,548$25,236
City/Urban, Community, and Regional PlanningMaster's Degree$79,527Not available
Agricultural MechanizationBachelor's Degree$78,890$20,946
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's Degree$78,304$22,250
Finance and Financial Management ServicesBachelor's Degree$75,360$21,750
EconomicsBachelor's Degree$75,355$23,414
StatisticsBachelor's Degree$72,581$23,625
Accounting and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree$70,706$23,250
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing StudiesBachelor's Degree$69,673Not available
ArchitectureBachelor's Degree$69,310$31,000
Agricultural Business and ManagementBachelor's Degree$67,529$16,972
Architectural Sciences and TechnologyMaster's Degree$66,778Not available
ChemistryBachelor's Degree$66,486$23,250
MarketingBachelor's Degree$66,482$23,250
Food Science and TechnologyBachelor's Degree$65,943$26,254
Geological and Earth Sciences/GeosciencesBachelor's Degree$65,204$26,250
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular BiologyBachelor's Degree$63,026$19,477
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationBachelor's Degree$62,965$24,750
Family and Consumer Economics and Related StudiesBachelor's Degree$62,341$18,062
MathematicsBachelor's Degree$62,261$22,942
Area StudiesBachelor's Degree$61,860Not available
Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsBachelor's Degree$61,697$23,748
Landscape ArchitectureBachelor's Degree$61,364$29,750
City/Urban, Community, and Regional PlanningBachelor's Degree$61,173$27,000
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsBachelor's Degree$61,166$23,250
Plant SciencesBachelor's Degree$60,997$20,500
Agricultural Public ServicesMaster's Degree$60,737Not available
Education, GeneralMaster's Degree$60,708Not available
Apparel and TextilesBachelor's Degree$60,349$23,204
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessBachelor's Degree$60,059$25,425
Political Science and GovernmentBachelor's Degree$57,752$23,250
Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's Degree$57,110$19,425
International AgricultureBachelor's Degree$56,405$22,250
SociologyBachelor's Degree$55,714$21,935
Hospitality Administration/ManagementBachelor's Degree$55,491$20,998
GeneticsBachelor's Degree$55,037$21,631
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesBachelor's Degree$54,889$28,623
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition ServicesBachelor's Degree$54,391$21,000
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherBachelor's Degree$54,064$25,687
Nutrition SciencesBachelor's Degree$53,933$16,474
JournalismBachelor's Degree$53,633$23,250
Biology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$53,447$24,614
HistoryBachelor's Degree$52,934$26,007
Atmospheric Sciences and MeteorologyBachelor's Degree$52,786Not available
Design and Applied ArtsBachelor's Degree$52,671$27,000
ForestryBachelor's Degree$52,650$19,437
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasBachelor's Degree$52,622$19,000
Animal SciencesBachelor's Degree$51,644$21,500
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, GeneralBachelor's Degree$51,531$23,250
Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchBachelor's Degree$51,387$22,227
Microbiological Sciences and ImmunologyBachelor's Degree$49,875$22,500
English Language and Literature, GeneralBachelor's Degree$49,626$24,000
Medical Illustration and InformaticsBachelor's Degree$49,493$22,059
Psychology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$49,286$23,121
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsBachelor's Degree$47,462$25,000
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree$46,253$24,958
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsBachelor's Degree$44,892$27,000
AnthropologyBachelor's Degree$43,443$27,607
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and ServicesBachelor's Degree$40,726$24,793
Visual and Performing Arts, GeneralBachelor's Degree$39,403Not available
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population BiologyBachelor's Degree$39,143$24,347
Architectural Sciences and TechnologyBachelor's DegreeNot available$31,000
PhilosophyBachelor's DegreeNot available$21,906
Entrepreneurial and Small Business OperationsBachelor's DegreeNot available$21,500

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.