UNI’s enrollment increases for second straight year to 9,283 students

The University of Northern Iowa’s total fall enrollment for 2024 is 9,283 students, marking the first time that UNI has registered an enrollment increase in consecutive years since 2009 and 2010. UNI’s overall enrollment for 2024 is up by 2.9% compared to 2023 and has increased 3.7% from 2022. 

UNI’s student body has been bolstered by an incoming freshman class of 1,546, a 7.7% increase over 2022. Over a third of the institution’s incoming freshmen are first-generation college students (34.1%). Exactly 90% of UNI’s overall student population hails from the state of Iowa, including 1,377 Iowans enrolled in UNI’s freshman class.

The university has also enjoyed a substantial increase in graduate students with a total of 1,567 enrolled in 2024, a 22.5% increase from just a year ago. That figure marks the institution’s highest graduate population since 2018.

In total, UNI’s overall student population represents all 99 of Iowa’s counties, 42 U.S. states and 47 countries from around the world. UNI’s international population stands at 202 students, UNI’s highest total since 2020. 

The University of Northern Iowa continues to be a destination of choice for community college students seeking a four-year degree with 75.2% of new UNI transfer students (585 of 778) coming from one of Iowa’s community colleges. Enrollment in UNI’s partnership with Iowa community colleges, known as UNI@IACC, has nearly doubled over the past two years with 484 students enrolled in 2024 after 252 students took advantage of the program in its initial year of 2022. 

The university’s new academic programs in the School of Health and Human Sciences, which includes nursing and other health-related programs, as well as UNI’s new applied engineering programs have been significant contributors to the institution’s enrollment increase. 

Another encouraging signal that students are finding a sense of community on campus in Cedar Falls is the continued uptick in housing numbers. A total of 3,193 students have signed housing contracts for the 2024-25 academic year, a 10.3% increase compared to 2022-23 when 2,896 students signed on-campus housing contracts and a 2.5% increase over 2023-24. 

“Our enrollment and housing numbers speak to the high level of student satisfaction that we strive to provide at UNI,” said UNI President Mark Nook. “Our faculty and staff are implementing innovative ideas that are improving the quality of our student experience. Whether it’s offering new academic programs, delivering unique hands-on learning opportunities or serving the best farm-fresh campus food in Iowa, the University of Northern Iowa continues evolving to meet the needs of our students, as well as Iowa’s economy and the workforce in our state.” 

The University of Northern Iowa continues to serve as an important recruiter for the Iowa workforce. A total of 528 students from states adjacent to Iowa are enrolled at UNI in 2024, an increase from 2023. Approximately 40% of graduates from adjacent states take their first job and stay in the state of Iowa, while nearly 80% of in-state UNI graduates take their initial job in the state. 

UNI boasts its two highest four-year graduation rates in each of the past two years, a mark that stands nearly 20 percentage points above similar universities. One in nine UNI students graduates in only three years, marking the highest percentage in school history.