University of Iowa: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

The University of Iowa is a public research university with an acceptance rate of 83%. U of I straddles the Iowa River in Iowa City. The university is made up of 8 different colleges and has highly-ranked programs in nursing, creative writing, and art. The university's strengths in the liberal arts and sciences earned it a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. The Iowa Hawkeyes compete in the NCAA Division I Big Ten Conference.

Considering applying to University of Iowa? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, University of Iowa had an acceptance rate of 83%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 83 students were admitted, making U of I's admissions process somewhat competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

The University of Iowa requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 29% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of U of I's admitted students fall within the top 35% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to University of Iowa scored between 560 and 660, while 25% scored below 560 and 25% scored above 660. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 570 and 680, while 25% scored below 570 and 25% scored above 680. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1340 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at U of I.

Requirements

The University of Iowa does not require the SAT writing section for admission. Note that U of I does not superscore the SAT; the admissions office will consider your highest composite score from a single sitting.

ACT Scores and Requirements

U of I requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 87% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of U of I's admitted students fall within the top 36% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to University of Iowa received a composite ACT score between 22 and 29, while 25% scored above 29 and 25% scored below 22.

Requirements

Note that University of Iowa does not superscore ACT results; your highest composite ACT score will be considered. U of I does not require the ACT writing section.

GPA

In 2019, the average high school GPA of University of Iowa's incoming freshmen class was 3.76, and over 54% of incoming students had average GPAs of 3.75 and above. These results suggest that most successful applicants to U of I have primarily A grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to University of Iowa. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

The University of Iowa, which accepts over three-quarters of applicants, has a somewhat selective admissions process. If your SAT/ACT scores and GPA fall within the school's average ranges, you have a strong chance of being accepted. U of I also requires that applicants complete a core high school curriculum. Note that some programs at University of Iowa are more selective than others, and curriculum requirements vary depending on intended program of study. The admission bar for the College of Nursing and Tippie College of Business is higher than that for the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. While U of I does not require a personal statement, applicants may choose to submit one if they believe it will add to their application.

In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. You can see that the majority of successful applicants had high school grades in the "A" or "B" range, ACT composite scores of 20 or higher, and combined SAT scores of 1000 or better. The higher those grades and test scores, the better your chances are of receiving an acceptance letter from U of I.

If You Like the University of Iowa, You May Also Like These Schools

• Purdue University
• Indiana University
• Illinois State University
• Ohio State University
• University of Chicago
• Arizona State University

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and the University of Iowa Undergraduate Admissions Office.