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Academics

The University of Iowa
Academics

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How strong are the academics at The University of Iowa?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

12:1
Student to faculty ratio
28
Average class size
57%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

Iowa has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 12:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
526
10-19
883
20-29
660
30-39
223
40-49
122
50-99
224
100+
149

Honors Programs

The University of Iowa has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on Iowa's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at The University of Iowa:

89%
First-year retention rate
57%
4-year grad rate
1%
6-year grad rate

The average base annual salary of students who were employed within six months of graduation is $42,892. This is less than the national average of $48,300.

$42,892
$48,300 (National Average)

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are The University of Iowa's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Exercise Science and Kinesiology
Finance, General
Behavioral Sciences
Marketing/Marketing Management, General
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
196.2
235.56
274.92
314.28
353.64
393

The Full List

Major Graduates
Area
  • Asian Studies/Civilization 9
  • Women's Studies 5
  • African-American/Black Studies 2
  • American/United States Studies/Civilization 1
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 84
  • Neuroscience 67
  • Biochemistry 35
  • Biomedical Sciences, General 23
  • Microbiology, General 23
Business
  • Finance, General 344
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 262
  • Organizational Leadership 195
  • Labor and Industrial Relations 159
  • Accounting 143
  • Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other 90
  • Actuarial Science 13
  • Business/Commerce, General 0
  • Insurance 0
Communication
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 156
  • Journalism 89
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer Science 102
  • Informatics 20
Education
  • Elementary Education and Teaching 154
  • Music Teacher Education 13
  • Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education 6
  • Art Teacher Education 2
  • English/Language Arts Teacher Education 1
  • Foreign Language Teacher Education 0
  • Mathematics Teacher Education 0
  • Social Studies Teacher Education 0
Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering 100
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 99
  • Computer Engineering, General 57
  • Civil Engineering, General 45
  • Chemical Engineering 39
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 37
  • Industrial Engineering 33
  • Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering 17
  • Engineering, General 0
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature/Letters, Other 113
  • English Language and Literature, General 56
Foreign Languages
  • Spanish Language and Literature 27
  • Linguistics 12
  • French Language and Literature 7
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 5
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 5
  • Italian Language and Literature 4
  • Russian Language and Literature 2
  • German Language and Literature 1
  • Language Interpretation and Translation 0
  • Comparative Literature 0
  • Portuguese Language and Literature 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 229
  • Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist 66
  • Public Health, General 57
  • Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer 42
  • Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy 7
  • Nuclear Medical Technology/Technologist 5
  • Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist 1
History
  • History, General 51
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 184
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 78
  • Statistics, General 16
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Behavioral Sciences 318
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 79
  • MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES 30
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 30
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 30
  • International/Globalization Studies 16
  • Systems Science and Theory 9
  • Data Science, General 6
  • Ancient Studies/Civilization 4
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Science 35
  • Environmental Studies 17
Parks
  • Exercise Science and Kinesiology 393
  • Sport and Fitness Administration/Management 127
  • Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies 43
  • Sports Studies 2
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 19
  • Religion/Religious Studies 3
Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry, General 43
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 15
  • Physics, General 9
  • Astronomy 4
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 0
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Social Work 35
Social Sciences
  • Political Science and Government, General 104
  • Economics, General 99
  • Criminology 70
  • Sociology, General 30
  • Anthropology, General 28
  • International Relations and Affairs 16
  • Geography 6
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Art/Art Studies, General 84
  • Film/Cinema/Media Studies 50
  • Music, General 47
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 21
  • Dance, General 13
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 7
  • Playwriting and Screenwriting 6
  • Musical Theatre 4

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