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 |
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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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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.
See a full list of colleges in Iowa and save your favorites to your college list.
First-Year Applications are Due
Transfer Applications are Due
The deadline for Fall first-year applications to Northern Iowa is Continuous processing.
The deadline for Fall transfer applications to Northern Iowa is Continuous processing.
Check the school website for more information about deadlines for specific programs or special admissions programs
ACT Range
Composite SAT Range
Math SAT Range
Reading SAT Range
Tuition & Fees
$19,013
In State$29,713
Out-of-StateWondering what life at Northern Iowa is like? There are approximately 1,250 students enrolled at Northern Iowa, including 7,981 undergraduate students and -6,731 graduate students. 91% percent of students attend school full-time, 93% percent are from IA and 7% percent of students are from other states.
91%
Full Time9%
Part Time93%
In State7%
Out-of-StateData Source: IPEDs and Peterson's Databases © 2022 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved
Total Enrollment
Campus Setting
Acceptance Rate
Tuition and Fees
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