UNI remains a top choice for Best Regional Public Universities in the Midwest

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The University of Northern Iowa has once again been ranked No. 2 among the Midwest's Top Public Schools by U.S. News & World Report, continuing a two-decade tradition of excellence.

The 2026 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings, announced today, evaluate more than 1,700 U.S. colleges and universities, using up to 17 factors to measure academic quality and graduate success. In addition to its top placement among public schools, UNI is ranked No. 10 overall for regional universities in the Midwest - up a position from the last year - and also achieved high marks for being military friendly, with a No. 4 ranking for Best Colleges for Veterans in the Midwest.

"These rankings annually reaffirm the many reasons why students across the Midwest are choosing UNI," said Pete Moris, director of University Relations. "Whether it's the high quality of our academic programs or the exceptional value we provide families, UNI continues to be recognized as one of the top public institutions in the Midwest."

Up from last year, UNI is ranked No. 53 for Best Value Schools among Regional Universities in the Midwest. UNI is known for providing students with a high-quality education at an affordable price, while prioritizing the needs of Iowa's economy. UNI recently announced its Neighboring State Rate, a bold initiative allowing new undergraduate students from Iowa's neighboring states to receive in-state tuition, saving those students approximately $12,000 a year. Not only does this initiative benefit students, it also benefits the Iowa workforce, as nearly 70% of UNI students take their first job in the state of Iowa after graduation.

UNI also made the U.S News list for undergraduate business, computer science and psychology programs.

The David W. Wilson College of Businesscontinues its long streak of being named a Best Business School by the Princeton Review for nearly two decades. The Wilson College of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, a distinction that can be boasted by fewer than 6% of business schools worldwide. This year UNI's accounting program also made Wilson College of Business the first business school in the world to undergo an accelerated path toward supplemental accounting accreditation.

UNI continues to be widely recognized for its esteemed reputation in teacher education. Nearly 11,000 active Iowa educators and administrators can trace their roots back to UNI, actively teaching in all 99 counties in Iowa and 99% of Iowa school districts. UNI is in the top 1% of public universities nationwide that offer bachelor's degrees in teacher education.

In addition to these signature programs, UNI is constantly expanding its offerings to match the demands of the workforce. In 2024, UNI launched a standalone Bachelor of Science in Nursingprogram to supply the Iowa workforce with more health care professionals. UNI's third nursing cohort, comprised of 62 students, recently began their studies, bringing the number of BSN students up to 107, exceeding initial projections and quadrupling since its inception.

UNI is also helping meet Iowa's need for more qualified engineers. Students enrolled in one of UNI's nine engineering-focused majorsget hands-on experience from UNI's newly-renovated Applied Engineering Building.

UNI's fall 2025 enrollment has remained strong, topping 9,200 students for the second year in a row. Nearly one in seven UNI students graduate in three years, resulting in thousands of dollars in savings. UNI has also boasted its three highest four-year graduation rates each of the past three years, a mark that stands nearly 20 percentage points above similar universities.