10-yr median earnings
$55,177
Federal aid recipients only
Public · Cedar Falls, Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa is a public institution in Cedar Falls, Iowa. as a public institution, published Scorecard outcomes are the federal Title-IV cohort view of former students — not every graduate and not a guarantee for any one enrollee.
- $15,901
- Avg net price / yr
- $55,177
- 10-yr median earnings
- 68.5%
- 150%-time completion
- 92.7%
- Acceptance rate
The verdict
University of Northern Iowa pairs top-quartile former-student earnings with open admission.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
- Top 21%
- former-student earnings, US
- 92.7%
- acceptance rate
- 68.5%
- 150%-time completion
- +17%
- earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Small
Carnegie: Master's (L)
Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.
How to read this University of Northern Iowa profile
Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.
Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.
Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.
College Value Score
C+
College Value Score
64/100
University of Northern Iowa
A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.
Earnings B+
$55,177
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price C-
$15,901
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate B-
68.5%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$19,691
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment A
81.4%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention B-
81.7%
First-year students returning for year two
Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.
Avg net price
$15,901
After grants and scholarships
150%-time completion
68.5%
Full-time, first-time cohort
150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 68.5%
Four-year-institution cohort
College ROI Quadrant - University of Northern Iowa vs peers
Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.
How University of Northern Iowa ranks nationally
Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.
University of Northern Iowa: former-student earnings vs. every US college
10-year median earnings, College Scorecard
$55,177 Top 21% higher than 79% of 5,103 US colleges
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
| Metric | University of Northern Iowa | National rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $55,177 | #1088 of 5103 | 79th |
| Average net price | $15,901 | #2261 of 5020 | 55th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 68.5% | #1543 of 4858 | 68th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 7,529 | #494 of 5462 | 91st |
National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.
Quick Facts
7,529
Undergraduate enrollment
92.7%
Acceptance rate
1,122
SAT average
68.5%
150%-time completion
$55,177
10-yr median earnings
81.7%
First-year retention
How University of Northern Iowa ranks in Iowa
State rank among 69 reporting Iowa colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.
| Metric | University of Northern Iowa | State rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $55,177 | #18 of 69 | 74th |
| Average net price | $15,901 | #29 of 68 | 57th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 68.5% | #19 of 63 | 70th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 7,529 | #5 of 73 | 93rd |
Highest former-student earnings in Iowa
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drake University | $71,901 | $29,127 |
| 2 | Allen College | $71,261 | - |
| 3 | University of Iowa | $64,762 | $22,531 |
| 4 | Iowa State University | $63,386 | $18,589 |
| 5 | Grinnell College | $62,830 | $17,648 |
| 6 | Mercy College of Health Sciences | $62,234 | $26,924 |
| 7 | St Luke's College | $61,033 | $19,820 |
| 8 | Mount Mercy University | $60,787 | $20,168 |
| 9 | Luther College | $59,850 | $23,097 |
| 10 | Saint Ambrose University | $59,531 | $24,691 |
| 11 | Palmer College of Chiropractic | $59,483 | - |
| 12 | Simpson College | $59,274 | $21,936 |
| 18 | University of Northern IowaThis school | $55,177 | $15,901 |
Admissions
| Admission Rate | 92.7% |
| SAT Average | 1,122 |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 500 – 630 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 520 – 650 |
| ACT Average | 23 |
| ACT (25th-75th) | 19 – 26 |
Costs & Financial Aid
Net price by family income at University of Northern Iowa
Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket
- $0 – $30k
$0 – $30k
$10,863 net price / yr
- $30k – $48k
$30k – $48k
$11,751 net price / yr
- $48k – $75k
$48k – $75k
$14,099 net price / yr
- $110k+
$110k+
$18,706 net price / yr
What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at University of Northern Iowa - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.
Tuition & Net Price
| In-State Tuition | $9,936 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $21,712 |
| Average Net Price | $15,901 |
27.4%
Pell Grant Rate
46.4%
Federal Loan Rate
$19,691
Median Debt
$209/mo
Monthly Payment
Net price at University of Northern Iowa swings rather than trends
Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $14,017 to $16,496 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as -3.9%, but the years in between do not follow that line, so the honest summary is the range rather than a trend. Budget against the upper end, not the average.
Lowest year
$14,017
Highest year
$16,496
Most recent (2023)
$14,609
11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
2013 · $15,2072023 · $14,609
Over the same years, enrollment went -25.3% (10,170 → 7,599 students).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.
Student Demographics
Race & ethnicity
Student body at a glance
59.5%
Female
22.5%
First Generation
Outcomes
81.7%
Retention Rate
$47,222
Median Earnings (6yr)
77.4%
Earning Over $25K
81.4%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)
Outcomes & debt snapshot
| Measure | Cohort / horizon | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Completion within 150% of normal time | First-time, full-time | 68.5% |
| First-year retention | First-time, full-time freshmen | 81.7% |
| Median earnings | 6 years after entry | $47,222 |
| Median earnings | 10 years after entry | $55,177 |
| Share earning over $25,000 | Working, not enrolled | 77.4% |
| Loan repayment rate | Completers, 3 years after leaving | 81.4% |
| Median federal student debt | At completion | $19,691 |
| Estimated monthly payment | Standard 10-year plan | $209/mo |
Programs & Earnings
Field-of-study summary by credential
| Credential | Programs | Award count | Avg earnings | Top earnings | Avg debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 50 | 2,016 | $57,737 | $89,305 | $19,905 |
| Master's | 16 | 388 | $65,584 | $87,003 | $27,611 |
Top programs at University of Northern Iowa by completer earnings
Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file
- Computer Science
Computer Science
$89,305 median earnings
- Industrial Production Tech…
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
$87,580 median earnings
- Business Administration, M…
Business Administration, Management and Operations
$87,003 median earnings
- Construction Management
Construction Management
$85,688 median earnings
- Real Estate
Real Estate
$83,592 median earnings
- Accounting and Related Ser…
Accounting and Related Services
$82,641 median earnings
- Finance and Financial Mana…
Finance and Financial Management Services
$81,172 median earnings
- Educational Administration…
Educational Administration and Supervision
$81,109 median earnings
What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.
Explore Data-Matched Colleges
Matches use Scorecard measures among reporting colleges — not state-system recommendations or geographic proximity.
Similar Enrollment and Sector
Other Public institutions closest in reported enrollment, preferring the same Carnegie classification.
Similar Reported Net Price
Other Public institutions with the nearest reported average net price.
SUNY at Fredonia
Fredonia, NY
$15,897 net price · $4 apart
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Morristown
Morristown, TN
$15,910 net price · $9 apart
Black Hills State University
Spearfish, SD
$15,911 net price · $10 apart
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, MO
$15,882 net price · $19 apart
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at University of Northern Iowa? ▼
University of Northern Iowa is a public institution in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The acceptance rate is 92.7%. The average SAT score is 1,122. Undergraduate enrollment is 7,529 students.
How much do University of Northern Iowa former students earn? ▼
Federally aided former students at University of Northern Iowa who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $55,177 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $47,222.
How much does University of Northern Iowa cost? ▼
The average net price at University of Northern Iowa is $15,901. In-state tuition is $9,936 and out-of-state tuition is $21,712. Median student debt at graduation is $19,691.
What is the graduation rate at University of Northern Iowa? ▼
University of Northern Iowa has a 68.5% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 81.7%.
Is University of Northern Iowa worth the student debt? ▼
The median student debt at University of Northern Iowa is $19,691, while former students earn a median of $55,177 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 36% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 81.4% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $209.
Sources & methodology
Public-college profiles lean on IPEDS enrollment and Scorecard Title-IV outcomes. State appropriations are outside this page; the figures below are the federal cohort measures only.
Every number is read live from the Mar–Jul 2026 Scorecard/IPEDS retrievals. Public institutions often enroll large Title-IV cohorts, so medians can be stable — still cohort averages, never a personal forecast. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education - former-student earnings, cost & completion (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics - enrollment, admissions, Carnegie class & demographics (nces.ed.gov/ipeds).
- U.S. Treasury / IRS earnings linkage - median earnings 6 & 10 years after enrollment for federal-aid recipients (irs.gov).
- College Scorecard, Field of Study - program-level (credential) earnings & debt (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- Federal Student Aid (Title IV / NSLDS) - U.S. Department of Education - net price, student debt & aid-recipient repayment outcomes (studentaid.gov).
Where to go next from University of Northern Iowa
- Compare University of Northern Iowa against schools with similar outcomes at a lower average net price.Find similar schools that cost less
- Browse every reporting college in Iowa side by side.Browse Iowa
- See how fields of study differ on former-student earnings and debt.Explore programs
Public-college Scorecard figures are historical Title-IV cohort averages — confirm current tuition, aid, and admissions rules with the institution before deciding.
Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Public-institution profiles compile Scorecard Title-IV earnings, IPEDS enrollment/admissions, and Treasury linkage fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.