University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, Iowa · Public · 7,529 undergraduates · uni.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
93%
of 5,442 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1045 to 1264
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$25,370Est.Estimate
$38,850 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at University of Northern Iowa
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
93% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$38,850
a year in 2027-28, from a $38,850 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1160
Send your score
Your SAT is at or above the median of freshmen who sent scores (1160).
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Doesn't superscore: it uses the scores from one test date.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
- Reviews applications as they arrive, so applying early helps.
- CLT accepted (converted) for the Regent Admission Index pathway
Source: Freshmen | UNI Admissions · Checked October 17, 2026
Who gets in
93%
of applicants were admitted: 5,068 of 5,442 for fall 2025.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 2% of them sent SAT scores and 44% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1045 to 1264
Reading and Writing 540 to 580
Math 480 to 655
ACT composite 19 to 25
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 16004.6%
- 1200 to 139932%
- 1000 to 119945%
- 800 to 99918%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.61
- 4.017%
- 3.75 to 3.9929%
- 3.50 to 3.7421%
- 3.25 to 3.4914%
- 3.00 to 3.2411%
- 2.50 to 2.998%
- Below 2.501%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$25,370
a year, in state
$38,850
a year, out of state (tuition $23,070)
- Tuition (in state)$9,590
- Fees$1,540
- Food and housing$11,270
- Books and supplies$850
- Transportation and other$2,120
University of Northern Iowa published $23,959 in state for 2025-26. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$11,415
- $30,001 to $48,000$11,060
- $48,001 to $75,000$13,066
- $75,001 to $110,000$16,728
- Over $110,000$19,187
Financial aid
61%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$6,037
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
39%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $5,043 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: 1/15
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
After college
Graduate within 6 years
69%
Come back for a second year
82%
Typical earnings
$57,187
a year, 10 years after starting here
- University of Northern Iowa$47,743
- All colleges$48,512
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 39 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with University of Northern Iowa. The University of Northern Iowa logo is a trademark of the college.