1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [University of Iowa](/school/university-of-iowa/) 4. / 5. Admissions & selectivity Admissions & selectivity Copy linkPrint brief # University of Iowa Acceptance Rate & Admissions Updated October 1, 2026 [Overview](/school/university-of-iowa/)[Cost & aid](/school/university-of-iowa/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/university-of-iowa/outcomes/)Admissions[Majors](/school/university-of-iowa/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/university-of-iowa/similar/) **On this page**+ ## What is the acceptance rate at University of Iowa? University of Iowa’s reported acceptance rate is 83.6%. **Acceptance rate · Fall 2024** 83.6% Source: College Scorecard · Fall 2024 admissions. Acceptance rates can change from year to year; this figure does not predict the current or next admission cycle. First-year applicants and admitted students · CDS 2025-26 **Applicants** 31,454 **Admitted** 25,131 Source: University of Iowa Common Data Set 2025-26, C1 · first-time, first-year students. How to interpret the acceptance rate The University of Iowa admits 83.6% of applicants, a rate that sits above the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 31,454 applicants, 25,131 admitted students, and 5,561 enrolled first-year students. ## What SAT and ACT scores do University of Iowa students report? At University of Iowa, enrolled students who submitted SAT scores span 1,130 to 1,330 on the middle half. The ACT middle half for enrolled submitters runs from 21 to 28. They reflect scores from enrolled students who submitted them, not a floor for admission. Applicants can weigh their own SAT against the 1,130 to 1,330 window and their ACT against the 21 to 28 window to see where they land among enrolled submitters. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported that 100% of enrolled first-year students with a reported class rank finished in the top half of their high school class. The ranges below describe enrolled students who submitted test scores at University of Iowa. Use them as academic context, then check the university’s current testing policy for your application cycle. SAT: approximate enrolled-student range **Approximate lower endpoint** 1130 **Approximate upper endpoint** 1330 Enrolled students who submitted scores. This range is not an admission cutoff. The endpoints add section percentiles; they are not verified composite-score percentiles. A separate SAT-equivalent average is not plotted as a median. Source: College Scorecard; sum of section 25th/75th percentiles; enrolled score-submitters. ACT: enrolled-student score range **25th percentile** 21 **75th percentile** 28 Enrolled students who submitted scores. This range is not an admission cutoff. Figures cover fall 2024. ## Who enrolls at University of Iowa? **Pell Grant recipients** 18.3% **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group** 17.5% **First-year retention** 90.4% Retention source: College Scorecard; full-time first-year retention. About these student measures The entering-student group includes part-time entrants as well as other attendance patterns. University of Iowa is a public university in Iowa City, Iowa, enrolling 22,264 undergraduates. The student body includes 18.4% who receive Pell Grants and an estimated 17.5% who arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the campus draws from more than one entry route. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 31,454 first-year applicants, 25,131 admitted, and 5,561 enrolled. Among enrolled first-year students with a reported class rank, 100% graduated in the top half of their high-school class. Pell-eligible applicants can use the cost calculator to estimate their own grant-adjusted price. Most first-year students at the University of Iowa return for a second year: the retention rate is 90.4%, well above the peer median of 83.1% for comparable institutions. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time, full-time cohort is 74.6%, also above the peer median of 65.0%. Pell Grant recipients complete at a rate of 61.4%, which sits below the overall rate by 13.2 percentage points. Students who qualify for the grant should plan to use the academic and financial resources the university offers from the first semester onward. Students who enroll can expect a university where most first-year students persist and where the entering class as a whole graduates at a rate that exceeds comparable institutions. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Admission rates describe past applicants, not an individual’s chance of admission; confirm requirements and deadlines with the institution. Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).