by our College Data Analytics TeamThis overview lays out the cost of attending University of Northern Iowa, including attendance costs, projected four- and two-year degree costs, average net price, debt outcomes, and how aid is distributed across income levels.
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The total cost of attendance at University of Northern Iowa ranged from $21,627.00 and up to $33,403.00 across residency tiers.
Residency made the difference: in-state students paid the lower rate and out-of-state students the higher rate: around $21,627.00 in-state, rising to $33,403.00 out of state.
The three scenarios below move from the full sticker price, to the net price after average aid, to the net price low-income students typically pay.
| Tuition and fees | $9,936.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $11,691.00 |
| Total cost | $21,627.00 |
| That is 12% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $21,627.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$6,377.00 |
| Net price | $15,250.00 |
| That is 21% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $21,627.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$11,415.00 |
| Net price | $10,212.00 |
| That is 47% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $21,712.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $11,691.00 |
| Total cost | $33,403.00 |
| That is 74% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $33,403.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$6,377.00 |
| Net price | $27,026.00 |
| That is 40% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $33,403.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$11,415.00 |
| Net price | $21,988.00 |
| That is 14% above the national average net price. | |
| For the full breakdown, see tuition and fees and living costs. |
The reported cost series has been increasing at about 3.2% annually, so the projections below total more than one year of attendance. The projections below run a full degree for a low-income aided student, an average-aid student, and the full sticker price. The repayment figures use a ten-year loan at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| Freshman year | $10,539.00 | $15,739.00 | $22,320.00 |
| Senior year | $11,586.00 | $17,302.00 | $24,536.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $44,228.00 | $66,048.00 | $93,667.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $16,849.00 | $25,162.00 | $35,684.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $509.00 | $760.00 | $1,078.00 |
| Total amount paid | $61,078.00 | $91,210.00 | $129,350.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| Freshman year | $10,539.00 | $15,739.00 | $22,320.00 |
| Senior year | $10,877.00 | $16,243.00 | $23,036.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $21,417.00 | $31,982.00 | $45,356.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $8,159.00 | $12,184.00 | $17,279.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $246.00 | $368.00 | $522.00 |
| Total amount paid | $29,576.00 | $44,166.00 | $62,635.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| Freshman year | $22,693.00 | $27,892.00 | $34,474.00 |
| Senior year | $24,946.00 | $30,662.00 | $37,897.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $95,230.00 | $117,050.00 | $144,669.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $36,279.00 | $44,592.00 | $55,114.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $1,096.00 | $1,347.00 | $1,665.00 |
| Total amount paid | $131,510.00 | $161,642.00 | $199,782.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| Freshman year | $22,693.00 | $27,892.00 | $34,474.00 |
| Senior year | $23,420.00 | $28,787.00 | $35,579.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $46,113.00 | $56,679.00 | $70,053.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $17,567.00 | $21,593.00 | $26,688.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $531.00 | $652.00 | $806.00 |
| Total amount paid | $63,681.00 | $78,272.00 | $96,740.00 |
See the full net-price breakdown in the net price section below.
Net price strips out grant and scholarship aid to show what families really pay. This is the more honest cost figure for most families, since it accounts for institutional and federal aid.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $15,901.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $14,609.00 |
Net price varies sharply by family income, dropping as need-based aid grows. Here is the average net price for each family-income range:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $10,170.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $11,136.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $13,872.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $16,058.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $16,396.00 |
Use University of Northern Iowa Net Price Calculator, or check with the financial aid office.
Dig into how aid is awarded on the grants & scholarships detail.
The typical debt load for borrowers leaving University of Northern Iowa works out to $16,486.00, which federal data classifies as a Low ($10-20k) burden tier.
Across borrowers, debt at graduation distributes like this:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $3,750.00 |
| 25th | $7,500.00 |
| Median (50th) | $16,486.00 |
| 75th | $25,000.00 |
| 90th | $31,000.00 |
The spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles reflects how variable debt outcomes are at this school.
Explore borrowing, repayment, and default in detail on the student loan debt page.
Debt outcomes vary substantially with family income. The breakdown below segments borrowers by family income at entry:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $15,131.00 |
| Middle income | $16,667.00 |
| High income | $16,721.00 |
Debt at graduation often differs for first-generation students.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $16,750.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $15,782.00 |
First-generation graduates from University of Northern Iowa leave with $968.00 more debt than continuing-generation students.
Pell Grants are the federal government’s primary need-based undergraduate aid program. Contrasting Pell and non-Pell borrowers shows how need shapes debt.
The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap at University of Northern Iowa works out to $1,707.00. This school is flagged by the Department of Education for Pell-related debt inequity.
The default-rate category at University of Northern Iowa is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 4.5% |
For context on the loan portfolio, Stafford disbursements at University of Northern Iowa come to $673,786,853.00 spread across 37,900 borrowers.
Veterans and active-duty service members may qualify for substantial federal education benefits like the Post-9/11 GI Bill and DoD tuition assistance.
| GI Bill recipients | 81 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $8,198.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 49 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $3,847.00 |
For the full rundown of veteran and military benefits, see the veterans benefits detail.
Beyond the data above, it helps to ask a few questions when weighing University of Northern Iowa, consider the following:
For a closer look at any of these topics, follow the links below:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.