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Iowa State University

The student guide to Ames, Iowa: where to eat, live and get help, what a year really costs, and the free stuff most students miss.

Iowa State at a glance

25,367
undergrads
89%
of applicants admitted
88%
come back for year 2
74%
graduate
18 : 1
students per teacher
$67,568
typical pay 10 years in

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard.

What a year really costs

After grants and scholarships, by family income. Average: $18,517.

Under $30k $11,957
$30k–$48k $12,869
$48k–$75k $14,013
$75k–$110k $19,173
Over $110k $22,905
Tuition, in state
$11,092
Tuition, out of state
$30,140
Typical debt at graduation
$21,250
23% of students get a Pell Grant

Free stuff most students miss

Academics & admin

Office of Student Financial Success

Provides free financial coaching, budgeting workshops, and loan debt reduction strategies to help ISU students build smart money habits.

Getting around

CyRide

Free bus system for ISU students operating 13 fixed routes across campus and Ames, plus Moonlight Express late-night service and Dial-A-Ride for…

Health & safety

Student Counseling Services

Free confidential counseling for ISU students offering individual therapy, group sessions, crisis intervention, and career counseling.

Health & safety

Recreation Services - Outdoor Recreation

Outdoor adventure programs offering equipment rentals, guided trips, free bike tune-ups, and wellness activities for ISU students.

Eat

Dining halls, quick bites and coffee on campus.

13 places
Seasons Marketplace
Seasons Marketplace
Dining center

All-you-care-to-eat dining center in Maple-Willow-Larch Commons featuring rotating global cuisine stations, salad bar, grill, and dessert options.

122 University Village
Union Drive Marketplace
Union Drive Marketplace
Dining center

All-you-care-to-eat dining center in the Union Drive Community Center serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with diverse food stations.

126 Union Drive Community Center
Conversations Dining
Conversations Dining
Dining center

All-you-care-to-eat dining center located in Oak-Elm Hall on the east side of campus, offering home-style meals and comfort food.

2338 Union Drive
Friley Windows
Friley Windows
Dining center

Casual dining venue inside Friley Hall offering grab-and-go meals, snacks, and beverages with a convenient location for west campus residents.

212 Beyer Court
East Side Market
East Side Market
Markets & convenience

Convenience market in Maple-Willow-Larch Commons stocked with grab-and-go meals, snacks, beverages, and grocery essentials for east campus students.

122 University Village
West Side Market
West Side Market
Markets & convenience

Convenience market in the Union Drive Community Center offering snacks, drinks, frozen meals, and essential grocery items for west campus residents.

126 Union Drive Community Center

Where to live

Residence halls, apartments and help finding a place.

6 places

Get around

Shuttles, parking and accessible rides.

4 ways

Majors that pay most at Iowa State

Typical pay 4 years after graduating. Top 6 of 70 bachelor's majors with published pay.

Computer Engineering $105,753
Computer Science $104,211
Construction Engineering $100,676
Electrical Engineering $99,705
Aerospace $94,089
Business/Managerial Economics $93,379

Source: College Scorecard, field-of-study data.

Your Iowa State checklist

5 things worth doing early

When you need help

5 things Iowa State freshmen figure out too late

Watch the video
  1. 1 Skip the first class and you can lose your seat

    "To validate their enrollment in each course at the beginning of the semester, students must attend the first or second meeting (first meeting if the class meets only once a week)." If you do not, "the instructor has the option to offer a registered place in the course to another student." The trap: losing the seat does not drop you. "Students who do not validate their enrollment must drop or withdraw from the course or they will receive an F grade." Go to the first meeting, or tell the instructor beforehand.

  2. 2 Everyone takes a library class

    Iowa State's university-wide graduation requirements include "LIB 1600 Introduction to College Level Research," along with Communication Proficiency, U.S. Cultures & Communities, International Perspectives, 120 credits and a 2.00 GPA. Take it early, while research papers are new.

  3. 3 Register late and you pay a fee

    "A late registration fee is assessed for registration initiated on or after the first day of classes for fall and spring terms." And "if registration is not initiated by the end of the fifth day of classes, students must obtain permission from the instructors for the courses they plan to take, their advisor, and in some cases, approval from the dean." Register during your assigned window.

  4. 4 Every drop after day five stays on your record

    "Undergraduate students are not limited in the number of courses they may drop during their academic career. Drops (course withdrawals) processed after the fifth day of classes of each semester will appear on the permanent record." Changes in the first five days need no advisor approval and leave no trace. Use that week to settle your schedule.

  5. 5 Record the lecture — Gus makes the notes, flashcards and quiz

    Gus is an AI college companion built around your actual classes. Record a lecture and it writes the notes, pulls out the key topics, builds a flashcard deck, and makes a practice quiz from what was actually said. The flashcards come back on a spaced-review schedule, so the thing you missed shows up again right before you would have forgotten it. It is free to try.

Gus is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Iowa State University. Tips checked against Iowa State's own pages in September 2026. Campus info last updated April 2026. Stats from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Something out of date? hello@meetgus.app · All campus guides