UNI prepares students for successful careers in Iowa
With spring commencement fast approaching, it’s nearly time for Panther seniors to walk across the stage and start the next chapter of their lives. It’s exciting to see the many unique ways that students contribute to society and the state of Iowa in particular. After all, historically, seven out of 10 graduates remain in Iowa after leaving UNI.
"I love the fact that UNI is preparing our students holistically both in and out of the classroom,” said Robert Frederick, director of Career Services at UNI. “Many of this year's seniors are applying for jobs that did not exist when they were freshmen. Literally, every program of study incorporates the core competencies that our employers are seeking including problem-solving, analytics, teamwork, leadership, communication, organization and time management. Our alumni are successful and proud Panthers.”
Since students are set up to succeed in high-demand jobs, it’s no surprise that UNI seniors, on average, accept their first job three months prior to graduation. Within six months of graduation, 97% of UNI graduates report starting a new job, continuing their education or meeting their professional expectations. Students are also set up to receive lucrative job offers — the mean starting salary for UNI graduates is nearly $53,000!
Iowa’s 25 largest employers, and more than 1,000 unique employers total, hire UNI students each year. UNI’s education students are also hired by more than 200 community school districts each year, making it easy to see how UNI-educated teachers work in all 99 counties and 99% of school districts.
UNI students are career-ready. Ninety-two percent of UNI students graduate with experience in their field thanks to UNI’s robust internship program, field experiences and pre-professional part-time jobs. The strength of UNI’s field experiences for education students is unmatched. Students acquire more than 700 hours of real classroom experience by the time they graduate.