Iowa is one of the best states to be a college student, according to a new study which ranks the value of state public university systems by median return on investment. The state of Iowa comes in at no. 3, with ROI defined as the amount a student can expect to gain financially from each individual degree.

“ROI is the most comprehensive measure of the net financial value that a student can expect from pursuing a degree or certificate,” says the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, a non-partisan think-tank which authored the report. “While maximizing ROI is not the only goal of higher education, students consistently report that their primary reasons for attending college are getting a better job and increasing their earnings potential.”

The University of Northern Iowa has a number of high value majors, and has also launched several new programs to support Iowa. Its signature programs in education, business, accounting and management align with nine out of ten of Iowa’s most in-demand careers.

The need for Registered Nurses is at the top of the list of needs for the state, with the largest number of total annual openings in Iowa, according to Iowa Workforce Development. UNI recently announced the launch of a BSN degree to help meet the shortage of nurses in health-related fields. The first students in the program are expected on campus in Fall 2024.

Teaching positions occupy four out of Iowa’s top ten most in-demand jobs. The University of Northern Iowa is in the top 1% of public institutions nationally for the number of students who graduate with a bachelor's degree in education. About one in four UNI students are education majors – with UNI-educated teachers employed in all of Iowa’s 99 counties and in 99% of the state’s school districts.