Upper Iowa University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Fayette, Iowa. It enrolls 1,994 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Fair
50/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes11
Value43
Affordability47
Selectivity15
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Upper Iowa University admits 96.5% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
96.5%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
17 – 23
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Upper Iowa University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
42.1 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $20,942 a year on average, it sits in line with what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$19,475
Room & Board (on-campus)
$10,121
Room & Board (off-campus)
$10,121
Books & Supplies
$1,025
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,512
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,512
Total Cost of Attendance
$34,022
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$17,715
$30,001 – $48,000
$22,774
$48,001 – $75,000
$18,720
$75,001 – $110,000
$20,041
Over $110,000
$23,805
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,75010%percentile
$6,25025%percentile
$25,000Medianpercentile
$27,68775%percentile
$37,35090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $19,500
↓ $5,500
No Pell $13,897
↓ $11,103
Dependent students $12,450
↓ $12,550
Independent students $20,860
↓ $4,140
Female students $19,107
↓ $5,893
Male students $14,750
↓ $10,250
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $10,500, less than completers ($25,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
32% of students who start here finish within six years, and 63% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
32%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
63%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $52,766 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$52,766
Earning > $25K
79%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$41,800
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$52,300
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$35,900
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$49,200
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$54,100
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $10,500, about 20% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
22.8 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 82% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,994 students, a mid-sized community. Worth knowing: 45% are the first in their family to go to college, and 45% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.
Total Enrolled
1,994
Part-Time
45%
First-Generation
45%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 59.2%1,180
Black 18.1%360
Hispanic 9.3%186
Other 4.6%92
International 3.9%77
Asian 1.5%30
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Upper Iowa University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Upper Iowa University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
53 distinct programs across
19 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 22 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.
Student : Faculty
22:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$25M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$57,927
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
35 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
9
26%
$68,808
Associate Professors
10
29%
$58,417
Assistant Professors
12
34%
$53,523
Lecturers
4
11%
$45,438
Pros & Cons of Upper Iowa University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Upper Iowa University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Best for:
Based on the data, Upper Iowa University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Upper Iowa University
The questions families ask most about Upper Iowa University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Upper Iowa University hard to get into?
Not especially. Upper Iowa University admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 96.5%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Upper Iowa University?
96.5% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Upper Iowa University?
Aim for 23 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 17 and 23 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Upper Iowa University cost?
Budget around $20,942 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Upper Iowa University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $52,766 a year against a net price of $20,942, about 2.5 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Upper Iowa University known for?
Mostly Business Administration, Psychology, Teacher Education (K-12). Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Upper Iowa University graduates earn?
About $52,766 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Upper Iowa University accredited?
Yes. Upper Iowa University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Upper Iowa University?
1,994 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Upper Iowa University?
32% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Upper Iowa University a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Upper Iowa University located?
Upper Iowa University is located in Fayette, Iowa.
What programs does Upper Iowa University offer?
53 different programs, most commonly Business Administration, Psychology, Teacher Education (K-12). If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Upper Iowa University?
22 students per instructor. On the high side, so expect big classes and to seek out contact time yourself. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Iowa
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