Iowa State University has earned strong rankings in both global and national categories for 2025, reflecting its excellence in education and research. With a #470 global ranking by QS and #121 in the US News National University Ranking, the university stands out for its commitment to providing quality education. It is particularly well-regarded for its efforts in sustainability, ranked #401 by QS, and its solid presence among public universities, ranked #61 by US News.

The university is especially popular for its STEM courses, with 60.6% of students enrolled in these programs. Subjects like Veterinary Science and Agricultural and Biological Engineering are highly ranked, both sitting at #12 globally. While some subjects like Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science fall into mid-range rankings, Iowa State continues to provide a well-rounded academic experience, with many strong programs across various fields.

Also Check: Iowa State University [Iowa State] Admissions


QS and US News & World Report Rankings, 2025

Here is a summary of the rankings for Iowa State University as per QS and US News & World Report, 2025:

Ranking Body 2025 Rankings
QS World University Ranking #470 out of 1503 universities
QS World University Sustainability Ranking #401 out of 1743 universities
US News National University Ranking #121 out of 436 universities
US News Top Public Schools #61 out of 225 universities
US News Best Value School #125 out of 206 universities

Based on the rankings above, Iowa State University holds a solid position globally and nationally, with #470 globally by QS World University Ranking and #121 by US News National University Ranking. It also ranks #401 in sustainability by QS showing its efforts towards the environment, and #61 among public universities by US News, reflecting its strength in offering quality education. Additionally, its #125 ranking in Best Value Schools by US News highlights its affordability while maintaining a good reputation.


QS University World University Subject Wise Ranking, 2025

The table below highlights the subjects ranked by the QS World University Rankings 2025, providing international students with valuable insights into their field of interest:

Subject QS Subject-wise Ranking
Veterinary Science #12
Agriculture and Forestry #12
Statistics and Operational Research 101-150
Geology 151-200
Geophysics 151-200
Hospitality and Leisure Management 151-175
Engineering - Mechanical #201-250
Computer Science and Information Systems #351-400
Environmental Science 151-200
Education and Training 151-200
Linguistics #201-250
Biological Science #201-250
Engineering - Chemical #201-250
Materials Science #201-250
Earth and Marine Science #201-275
Engineering - Civil and Structural #201-275
Life Science and Medicine #234
Mathematics #251-300
Chemistry #251-300
Natural Science #286
Physics and Astronomy #301-350
Psychology #301-350
Engineering - Electronic and Electrical #351-400
Economics and Econometrics #351-400
Business and Management Studies #551-600

From the above we can conclude Iowa State University ranks highly in several fields, with Veterinary Science and Agriculture and Forestry both ranked at #12. The university also excels in areas like Statistics and Operational Research (#101-150), Geology (#151-200), and Mechanical Engineering (#201-250). While some subjects like Physics and Astronomy and Psychology are ranked in the #301-350 range, the university offers a broad range of strong academic programs for international students.


US News & World Report Subject wise Rankings, 2024-25

Some of the subjects ranked by US News & World Report are tabulated below:

Subject US News Subject-wise Ranking
Agricultural and Biological Engineering #12
Mechanical Engineering #201-250
Computer Science and Information Systems #351-400

These rankings reflect Iowa State University's strong performance in key fields like Agricultural and Biological Engineering, which is ranked #12. While some other programs like Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science and Information Systems are ranked lower, the university continues to offer a solid education across STEM courses.