National Rankings and Honors

In the college search process, bigger is not always better, and cheaper is not always the best value. The award-winning and nationally-recognized programs listed below are just a few of the reasons our most successful graduates consistently cite UNI as a major factor in preparing them for their achievements in life and in the workplace.

UNI is one of the best colleges and universities in the Midwest according to The Princeton Review.  The education services company selected the school as one of 158 institutions it profiles in its "Best in the Midwest" section of its website feature 2010 Best Colleges: Region by Region that posted July 27, 2009.

For the 13th consecutive year, the University of Northern Iowa is ranked second in the "Best Midwest Universities-Master's" category for public universities, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2010 "America's Best Colleges" guidebook.

The University of Northern Iowa was selected by G.I. Jobs Magazine as a Military Friendly School for 2010, an honor placing the university in the top 15 percent of schools nationwide doing the most to embrace America's veterans as students.

AACSB International is the "gold standard" of business accreditation. Fewer than one third of business schools achieve AACSB accreditation and the UNI College of Business Administration is in that select group.

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In a national report released in 2004 by the Education Trust, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that works for high academic achievement of all students at all levels, kindergarten through college, UNI has been cited for its "high performance" in graduation rates.
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The Carnegie Foundation granted the University of Northern Iowa a special designation in Community Engagement: Curricular Engagement and Outreach and Partnerships. This new designation reflects the foundation’s recognition of UNI’s strong commitment to community service on a local, regional, national and global level. UNI serves and shares its expertise with the larger community in a variety of ways, as well as involving students in this important process. Research shows that the more students participate in meaningful experiences inside and outside of the classroom, the more they gain from their education.

Comparing the UNI Jazz Studies program with other programs across the nation, Arts Midwest saluted the UNI program as "one of the best."