Regents roll out list of majors eligible for high-demand worker grants

IOWA CITY — Since the days Claire Haag sat behind a small desk in a colorful classroom and looked reverently toward her teacher for guidance and foundational learning skills, she knew one day she wanted to be standing in the front of her own class of young minds.

“I always loved going to school and my teachers, and I knew automatically that is what I wanted to do,” said Haag, a 19-year-old UI sophomore majoring in elementary education — among the most in-demand professions across Iowa and the country.

“I am a part of a family of educators,” said Haag, from North Liberty. “My sister is in her final year at Iowa to be an elementary educator, and she really inspired me to do it as well.”

So Haag needed no extra push to add to the teacher ranks in Iowa — which reports 1,825 elementary and special education teacher openings annually, according to State of Iowa 2020-30 occupational projections that rank professions by anticipated annual openings.

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In-demand jobs

Topping that list, produced by Iowa Workforce Development, is registered nurses, with 2,215 annual openings earning an entry salary of $53,452. Second to nurses are elementary school and special education teachers, with the 1,825 jobs making an entry wage of $40,029.

The state produced the list after lawmakers in the last legislative session created a new Iowa Workforce Grant and Incentive Program setting aside $6.5 million to motivate students across Iowa’s public universities to fill the state’s "high-wage and high-demand jobs.“

Through the program, eligible students at the UI, Iowa State University or the University of Northern Iowa can receive up to $2,000 a semester for up to four semesters if they pursue a path toward a job that, at a minimum: has an entry-level annual salary of $40,000; requires a bachelor’s degree or intern Iowa teaching license; and reports either projected annual job openings of 250 or more during the next five years or projected annual growth in job openings of 1 percent or higher.

Elementary and special-ed teaching jobs barely cleared the “high-wage” bar set for the program, reporting the lowest average entry salary on the list of $40,029 — just $29 above the $40,000 minimum.

Eligible students are those who show financial need and academic progress in an eligible program. After graduation, participating students could apply for another $2,000 — if they land a high-demand job in Iowa within six months of getting a degree.

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“The incentive payment shall be paid upon completion of 12 consecutive months of full-time employment in the aligned occupation in this state,” according to the legislation.

The Iowa Department of Education Bureau of College Aid will begin making awards for the program once administrative rule are effective, probably in late fall or early spring, department spokeswoman Heather Doe told The Gazette.

Students apply for the program through the FAFSA — the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Students have to reapply each year for the grant.

Haag said she doesn’t think she’ll apply for the grant — although she might look into it. And she already was planning to stay in Iowa, given this is where her family lives.

“But I wouldn't be opposed to moving around as I get older,” she said, indicating other factors could play a role in her decision of where to live and work. “We will see what comes in the coming years with education in Iowa.”

Although the Iowa Workforce Grant and Incentive Program aimed to incentivize students into “high-wage and high-demand” jobs, elementary and special ed teachers have the lowest starting pay of any on the state’s list of 120 high-demand jobs.

“I am not getting into education for the pay,” Haag said. “We all know we are going into a low-paying field, so I do not feel like that would make that big of a motivator to stay in Iowa.

“If I decide to leave, I will leave and not stay just for a little extra money.”

In-demand jobs

Over the summer, the Board of Regents approved a list of 176 academic majors and degree programs that match the list of high-wage, high-demand jobs approved for the grant and incentive program.

Iowa State majors on the list included many in agriculture, graphic design, engineering, horticulture, agronomy and the sciences of food, dairy, nutrition, data, Earth, and the environment — among many others.

UI majors on the list included a wide array of education majors, a variety of engineering programs, math and writing specialties, and nursing degrees.

UNI’s approved majors include teaching, public relations, art, engineering, mathematics and more.

Corresponding jobs Iowa needs to fill, according to state occupation projections, include teachers, nurses, accountants, software developers, financial managers, and computer system analysts.

The listed jobs with the highest entry pay are nurse anesthetists — with a starting wage of $148,874 — and physicians, paid an anticipated starting wage of $132,073.

The Iowa Workforce Development Board approved the same list of 176 degree programs as the Board of Regents on June 29, Department of Education spokeswoman Doe said.

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‘Unique’ job market

Mike Gaul, director of career services for the ISU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, said the workforce grants represent a “pretty nice chunk of change” for students.

“Especially if you're looking at low-income or first-gen college grads,” he said. “That could be impactful, especially if you're looking at coming out of school with a lot of debt.”

He noted, however, that today’s college graduates are entering the workforce at an advantageous time.

“This is really one of the most unique labor markets that I've seen in my 25 years here — it’s probably the most unique I’ll see in my lifetime, and I just truly hope our students realize how good it is right now,” he said. “Supply and demand is definitely favoring our students in the industry.”

So while some incentive might get them to head down a certain career path, many will have the opportunity to land good-paying jobs wherever they want to go.

Will the program’s $2,000 incentive help persuade more college graduates in high-demand careers to stay in Iowa?

“A lot of these salaries going on are so dang good right now that for some it may not,” Gaul said. “Plus, a lot of these companies are dangling signing bonuses. too. It's not uncommon to get a $3,000 to $5,000 signing bonus from a company that may pull them in another direction.”

Finding more nurses

Julie Zerwic, the dean of the UI College of Nursing, said she’s thankful for any program that might lighten the financial load on prospective nursing students.

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“I work very hard now to provide students with scholarships,” she said. "This program will continue to ease the financial burden associated with pursuing an education in nursing.“

But the UI College of Nursing of late — even before the state incentive program — has seen “significant interest” in its bachelor’s of science in nursing program, graduating 160 a year and receiving “more applications than we have spots.”

“We are planning on growing to 168 for our BSN program,” Zerwic said, highlighting a new program admitting students with a first degree in another field — like business or education.

That new “master’s entry into practice program” will add another 48.

“So, in the next few years, we will see 216 new nurses entering into the workforce every year,” she said.

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Still, Iowa’s nursing shortage is significant, in part, Zerwic said, because the demand for nurses is growing through the addition of nurses in outpatient settings, long-term care facilities, industry and health care businesses — pulling them out of hospital settings.

Some nurses also are retiring or going back to school to become nurse practitioners.

And, outside the UI College of Nursing, nursing programs in Iowa have open spots and not enough applicants to fill them, Zerwic said. Collaboration, she said, might be the best answer to that problem.

“When students apply to nursing programs, they are encouraged to apply to more than one in order to have options,” she said. “But we would like to be more intentional and try to direct students to programs that have openings.”

Finding more teachers

Likewise, the UI College of Education has seen an uptick in interest and enthusiasm among prospective teachers, said Mark McDermott, the college’s associate dean for teacher education and student services.

“Our numbers have actually increased overall over the course of the last five years or so,” McDermott said. “We have been fortunate in the growth we have seen in our teacher preparation program, and we are hopeful that this will continue to help counter ongoing shortages.”

Five years ago, for the 2018-2019 academic year — pre-COVID — UI reported 118 College of Education graduates. Last year, that number had more than doubled to 263 education graduates, including 154 earning elementary education degrees.

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UNI had 552 teacher education graduates in the 2022-23 academic year, the highest total in more than a decade and up from 451 graduates in 2018-19.

Iowa State reported 358 graduates in its teacher preparation program last year, with 331 licensed in Iowa. The program had 372 graduates in 2018-19, with 357 licensed in Iowa.

McDermott said his department is working to ensure the UI isn’t just churning out graduates who’ve met all their requirements.

“But rather we are helping prepare teachers who will have the skills and understanding to help them persist in an educational career and who will continue to grow and develop over their career,” he said.

And, he added, financial incentives never hurt.

“I think any program that will provide financial support for pre-service or in-service teachers is beneficial,” he said.

Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.

Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.com