Finance and Financial Management Services at Upper Iowa University

Upper Iowa University's finance program produces graduates earning $48,860 in their first year—below both the national median ($53,590) and Iowa's median ($52,759) for finance degrees. Within Iowa's finance programs, this ranks at just the 40th percentile, trailing flagship schools like Iowa and Iowa State by $8,000-$11,000 annually. That gap persists even four years out, when UIU graduates earn $55,214 compared to the state median around $58,000.

The upside here is manageable debt. At $26,000, graduates borrow slightly more than typical Iowa finance students ($24,538), yielding a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53—reasonable by any standard. Earnings do grow 13% over four years, suggesting career progression isn't stalled. For context, UIU serves a broader population than Iowa's selective programs (93% admission rate, 33% Pell recipients), which may partly explain the earnings difference.

This program works for students who need accessible admissions and can't afford to relocate or pay higher tuition. But families should recognize the tradeoff: you're starting $5,000-$10,000 behind graduates from Iowa's stronger finance programs. That's roughly $40,000-$80,000 in lost earnings over a decade. If your student can gain admission to Drake, Iowa, or Iowa State—and the net cost is comparable after financial aid—those programs deliver substantially better returns.