Registered nurses are in high demand in Iowa, and the University of Northern Iowa’s new nursing programs are expected to help fill some of that need.
Nancy Kertz, UNI’s chief academic nursing administrator, says the first graduates from the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program will graduate in spring 2027. About 140 students are currently in the program, and that number is projected to grow to about 200 by this fall.
Kertz says there are 1,200 openings for nurses statewide.
UNI also plans to launch an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in a few months. Kertz says the 12-month program will run from August to August, and students can expect to pay about half the cost of similar programs offered by regional competitors.
