Upper Iowa University
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and students who want small classes and close faculty access. graduation rate is below 40%. a private nonprofit school with 1,994 students.
About This School
Upper Iowa University is a private nonprofit institution located in Fayette, Iowa with approximately 1,994 undergraduate students enrolled. Upper Iowa University has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 96%. The average net price after financial aid is $20,942 per year. The graduation rate is 34%, and the typical graduate earns $45,500 within 10 years of enrollment.
Upper Iowa University (UIU) is a private university in Fayette, Iowa, United States. It enrolls around 3,000 students and offers distance education programs that include centers in the U.S., an online program, an independent study program, and formerly had centers in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.
The numbers tell a mixed story here — a 41% graduation rate and 59% freshman retention rate suggest many students don't finish, which is a real red flag worth discussing before enrolling. On the plus side, median debt at graduation is a relatively manageable $18,000, and the school's flexible distance education options make it a practical choice for working adults or non-traditional students who need that kind of accessibility. If you're a traditional 18-year-old expecting a typical campus experience in Fayette, look carefully at why so many students leave — but if you need flexibility and affordability, it may fit your situation.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 21% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
Upper Iowa University graduates earn most above the national rate in Social Sciences, General ($57,430 vs $53,366 nationally), and most below it in Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($76,345 vs $88,910).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 142 | $65,858 | $68,257 | −$2,399 |
| Psychology, General | 88 | $50,877 | $50,706 | +$171 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 74 | $45,945 | $47,382 | −$1,437 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 55 | $76,345 | $88,910 | −$12,565 |
| Human Services, General | 44 | $48,461 | $48,597 | −$136 |
| Criminology | 44 | $56,767 | $55,556 | +$1,211 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 39 | $47,790 | $51,389 | −$3,599 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 35 | $63,645 | $76,194 | −$12,549 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 30 | $64,706 | $68,069 | −$3,363 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 23 | $41,109 | $51,490 | −$10,381 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 20 | $49,002 | $54,562 | −$5,560 |
| Social Sciences, General | 18 | $57,430 | $53,366 | +$4,064 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing a bachelor's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (1,994 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
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See How Colleges Compare
Upper Iowa University is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Upper Iowa University?
Upper Iowa University has an acceptance rate of 96%, based on the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Upper Iowa University hard to get into?
Not especially. Upper Iowa University has an acceptance rate of 96%, so admissions are relatively accessible for applicants who meet the requirements.
How much does Upper Iowa University cost?
The average net price at Upper Iowa University is about $20,942 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at Upper Iowa University?
Upper Iowa University has a graduation rate of 34%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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