CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa celebrates the more than 1,400 students who will be earning degrees during commencement ceremonies this weekend. 

90% of graduating students are Iowa residents, representing 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 is excited to welcome friends and family to celebrate the graduates at three Commencement ceremonies in the McLeod Center. Each will be available via livestream:

Friday, May 10th at 7 p.m.
College of Humanities, Arts & Sciences 

Saturday, May 11th at 10 a.m.
College of Social & Behavioral Sciences 
Division of Online Education & Individual Studies

Saturday, May 11th at 2 p.m.
College of Education 
Wilson College of Business

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.