UNI’s spring 2024 graduates poised to impact Iowa and beyond
With Commencement last weekend, UNI’s class of spring 2024 can officially say they are alumni of the University of Northern Iowa. More than 1,400 students earned their degrees this semester.
Ninety percent of graduating students are Iowa residents, coming from 93 counties in the state. The spring 2024 graduating class proudly represents 27 states across the U.S. and 17 countries around the world. Nearly a third of this semester’s graduates identify as first-generation college students. Overall, four of five UNI graduates stay in Iowa to work after degree completion.
UNI alums consistently graduate with the skills they need to succeed in the workforce, especially in high-demand areas. An overwhelming 97% of UNI graduates report starting a new job, continuing their education or meeting their professional expectations within six months of graduation. In fact, the average UNI senior will accept their first full-time job offer three months prior to graduation. More than 1,000 unique employers, including Iowa’s 25 largest employers, recruit UNI grads annually. These jobs are competitive, with a mean starting salary of almost $53,000!
When you look at the hands-on experience UNI students get, it’s no wonder they are career-ready. More than 90% of UNI students acquire some kind of field experience before graduation, whether that’s student teaching, an internship or relevant work experience.
Graduation rates for UNI students stand at record levels for the third year in a row. The four-year graduation rate (51%) increased by four percentage points over last year and is more than 20 percentage points above UNI’s Carnegie peers across the country. One in 11 UNI students graduate in just three years, which is an increase from 1 in 12 last fall.
This increase in timely graduation contributes to UNI graduates holding the lowest average student loan debt of all public universities in Iowa.