Iowa’s public universities are seeing increased incoming classes this fall, as well as some boosts to transfer and graduate students. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Iowa’s public universities each saw bumps to its incoming classes this fall, according to initial numbers released by the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa.
More than 13,000 students have enrolled in their first year at a state university this fall, taking their first steps into a new chapter in their lives in Ames, Cedar Falls or Iowa City from across the state, country and world. The universities have boasted record-breaking numbers and continued positive trends in their new and total enrollment, from new or transfer students to undergraduates, graduate or professional students.
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University of Iowa
Brent Gage, UI associate vice president for enrollment management, said in a news release the university received more than 31,000 first-year student applications ahead of the fall 2025 semester, a record-breaking number.
Of the 5,561 first-year students enrolled at the UI this fall — the university’s second-largest incoming class in its history — 2,879 are state residents and 1,260 come from rural areas. The university reported in the release new students are moving to Iowa City from 93 Iowa counties, 47 U.S. states and territories and 37 countries.
Around one-fifth of the population identified themselves as first-generation students, according to the release, and the class’s average grade-point average came in at 3.86.
Total enrollment at the UI for this fall is 31,563, including 23,407 undergraduates, 6,269 graduate students and 1,887 professional students. Nearly 3,140 medical residents and postdoctoral students call the UI home as well.
“Interest in attending the University of Iowa has never been greater, and this group of students represents talented students from Iowa, across the nation, and around the world,” Gage said in the release. “We are excited to welcome one of the largest first-year classes that we have ever had as they join the Hawkeye community this fall.”
Iowa State University
ISU total enrollment numbers have grown for the third straight year, according to a news release from the university, supported by the incoming class and high second-year retention. The university’s incoming class hit 6,160 this fall, its fifth year in a row of growing first-year cohorts and the largest class ISU has seen since 2016.
More than half of the incoming class are Iowans, according to the release, and all 99 Iowa counties and all 50 U.S. states are represented among new students, as well as 110 countries.
Just over 20% of new students are first-generation, 22% identified as Pell-eligible and 80% are receiving some form of financial aid through scholarships or grants. Nearly three-quarters of 26,346 undergraduate students are receiving financial aid.
The class of 2029 enrolled at ISU with an average ACT score of 25 and grade-point average of 3.76. More than half of the 1,351 transfer students attending ISU this fall came from state community colleges, the release stated.
Of the 31,105 students enrolled at ISU, 4,116 are graduate students and 643 are studying professional veterinary medicine.
“We are proud of the continued growth in enrollment,” said Katharine Johnson Suski, interim associate vice president for enrollment management and executive director of admissions and new student programs, in the release. “That growth reflects our commitment to serving the state with more students from Iowa high schools and community colleges choosing Iowa State.”
University of Northern Iowa
UNI’s sesquicentennial class totals 1,549 students, according to a news release, the third year in a row the university topped 1,500 with its incoming cohorts. Despite increases in new undergraduate and graduate students, bringing their totals to 7,800 and 1,404, respectively, its total enrollment of 9,204 fell short of last year’s total of 9,283.
More than 90% of incoming students are from Iowa, the release stated, representing all 99 counties. The new class also includes students from 42 U.S. states and 53 countries.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome our 150th class of UNI students to campus,” said UNI President Mark Nook in the release. “We are particularly encouraged that the numbers of our incoming freshmen, transfers and new graduate students have all increased compared to last year.”
Nearly 75% of new transfer students are coming to UNI from a community college through the UNI@IACC program, a partnership between the Cedar Falls university and Iowa community colleges to ease transfers between the institutions. According to the release, enrollment in the program has grown from 252 students after its launch in 2022 to 539 in 2025. Since its inception, the release stated 348 students have graduated from the program.
UNI also saw increased interest from states bordering Iowa this year, a result the release attributes to the college’s neighboring state tuition rate program, which offers in-state tuition to students applying from Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska, South Dakota and Missouri.