University of Northern Iowa

University of Northern Iowa Overview

University of Northern Iowa is a public, state school in the suburban setting of Cedar Falls, Iowa. Northern Iowa was founded in 1876 and the school currently enrolls around 9,231 students per year, which includes 7,981 undergraduate students. Northern Iowa ensures on-campus housing for up to 4,356 students. The majority of students live on campus but first-year students are not required to live in the dorms. On the weekends, about 63% of students stay on-campus and participate in campus events and social life.

Student Activities at Northern Iowa

Are you interested in music or performing? Join a campus band, sing in a chorus, or perform with one of the school's theater groups.

Interested in journalism or communications? Northern Iowa students can write for the campus newspaper, host a radio show or be a producer for the student-run television channel.

Interested in joining a fraternity or sorority? Northern Iowa has both fraternities and sororities.

Planning to play sports? Northern Iowa has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at Northern Iowa on the Student Life page.

2022 Northern Iowa Facts At-A-Glance
Academic Calendar	Semester
Overall Acceptance Rate	86%
Early Decision Acceptance Rate	ED not offered
Early Action Acceptance Rate	EA not offered
Average GPA	3.6
In-State Tuition	$8,111
Out-of-State	$19,265
Percent of Need Met	68.7%
Average First-Year Financial Aid Package	$8,513

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Is Northern Iowa a Good School?

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Different people have different ideas about what makes a "good" school. Admissions criteria, acceptance rate and average GPA are good indicators of how competitive an institution is.

Let's take a closer look at these areas to get a clearer view of what Northern Iowa offers and if the school could be a good fit for you.

2022 Acceptance Rate for University of Northern Iowa

Northern Iowa is moderately difficult to get into. Around 86% of applicants get into Northern Iowa each year. Out of 4,772 applications received in 2022, 4,094 students were offered admission.

Retention and Graduation Rates at Northern Iowa

Retention refers to the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. It is a way to measure how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.

Out of all the first-year, full-time undergrads who start at Northern Iowa, around 80% return for their sophomore year. 69% of Northern Iowa undergrads graduate within six years. The average six-year graduation rate for U.S. colleges and universities is 61% for public schools, and 67% for private, non-profit schools.

Job Outcomes for Northern Iowa Grads

Job placement statistics for recent graduates can give you a sense of the return on investment a school offers. Within six months of graduating, 82% of graduates receive at least one full-time job offer.

The average starting salary for recent Northern Iowa grads is $42,000 a year. Average starting salaries vary by discipline, but the average starting salary for all 2021 graduates was around $60,000 a year.

University of Northern Iowa's Endowment

An endowment is the total value of a school's investments, donations, and assets. Endowment is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of a school, but it can give you a sense of how much money a college can afford to invest in expanding programs, improving facilities, and support students.

Northern Iowa's endowment was valued at $194.9 million in 2022, compared to a national average of $905 million. For each full-time student, Northern Iowa spends about $18,694 a year.

Tuition and Financial Aid at Northern Iowa

Cost is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need.

Northern Iowa meets 68.7% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. The average financial aid package for a full-time, first-year student is around $8,513 a year.

The average student debt for graduates in the class of 2022 was around $24,593 per student, not including those with no debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

The 2023-2024 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2022

Some financial aid is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA early. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! No one should ever pay to fill out the FREE Application for Federal Student Aid, (FAFSA), so be very wary of anyone asking you for money.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at Northern Iowa.

Based on this information, does Northern Iowa seem like a good fit? Remember, the best school for one person may be a terrible fit for another! So ask yourself: Is Northern Iowa a good school for you?

If University of Northern Iowa seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.

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Still Researching Schools?

Choose one of the options below to learn more about Northern Iowa:

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Then use the college admissions predictor to take a data science look at your chances of getting admitted to some of the most selective colleges and universities in the U.S.

Where is University of Northern Iowa Located?

Northern Iowa is located in the suburban setting of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

If you are interested in seeing Northern Iowa for yourself, be sure to plan a visit! The best way to reach campus is to take Interstate 380 and U.S. Highway 20 to Cedar Falls, or book a flight to the nearest airport, Waterloo Regional.

You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what Northern Iowa and Cedar Falls are like without leaving home.

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