diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f14ce7c8d..bf2134756 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 - Updated `TermSetWrapper` to support validating a single field within a compound array. @mavaylon1 [#1061](https://github.com/hdmf-dev/hdmf/pull/1061)
 - Updated testing to not install in editable mode and not run `coverage` by default. @rly [#1107](https://github.com/hdmf-dev/hdmf/pull/1107)
 - Add `post_init_method` parameter when generating classes to perform post-init functionality, i.e., validation. @mavaylon1 [#1089](https://github.com/hdmf-dev/hdmf/pull/1089)
+- Exposed `progress_bar_class` to the `GenericDataChunkIterator` for more custom control over display of progress while iterating. @codycbakerphd [#1110](https://github.com/hdmf-dev/hdmf/pull/1110)
 - Updated loading, unloading, and getting the `TypeConfigurator` to support a `TypeMap` parameter. @mavaylon1 [#1117](https://github.com/hdmf-dev/hdmf/pull/1117)
 
 ### Bug Fixes
diff --git a/src/hdmf/data_utils.py b/src/hdmf/data_utils.py
index 23f0b4019..0e83bde2d 100644
--- a/src/hdmf/data_utils.py
+++ b/src/hdmf/data_utils.py
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 import copy
 import math
 from abc import ABCMeta, abstractmethod
-from collections.abc import Iterable
+from collections.abc import Iterable, Callable
 from warnings import warn
-from typing import Tuple, Callable
+from typing import Tuple
 from itertools import product, chain
 
 import h5py
@@ -179,9 +179,15 @@ class GenericDataChunkIterator(AbstractDataChunkIterator):
             doc="Display a progress bar with iteration rate and estimated completion time.",
             default=False,
         ),
+        dict(
+            name="progress_bar_class",
+            type=Callable,
+            doc="The progress bar class to use. Defaults to tqdm.tqdm if the TQDM package is installed.",
+            default=None,
+        ),
         dict(
             name="progress_bar_options",
-            type=None,
+            type=dict,
             doc="Dictionary of keyword arguments to be passed directly to tqdm.",
             default=None,
         ),
@@ -199,8 +205,23 @@ def __init__(self, **kwargs):
         HDF5 recommends chunk size in the range of 2 to 16 MB for optimal cloud performance.
         https://youtu.be/rcS5vt-mKok?t=621
         """
-        buffer_gb, buffer_shape, chunk_mb, chunk_shape, self.display_progress, progress_bar_options = getargs(
-            "buffer_gb", "buffer_shape", "chunk_mb", "chunk_shape", "display_progress", "progress_bar_options", kwargs
+        (
+            buffer_gb,
+            buffer_shape,
+            chunk_mb,
+            chunk_shape,
+            self.display_progress,
+            progress_bar_class,
+            progress_bar_options,
+        ) = getargs(
+            "buffer_gb",
+            "buffer_shape",
+            "chunk_mb",
+            "chunk_shape",
+            "display_progress",
+            "progress_bar_class",
+            "progress_bar_options",
+            kwargs,
         )
         self.progress_bar_options = progress_bar_options or dict()
 
@@ -277,11 +298,13 @@ def __init__(self, **kwargs):
             try:
                 from tqdm import tqdm
 
+                progress_bar_class = progress_bar_class or tqdm
+
                 if "total" in self.progress_bar_options:
                     warn("Option 'total' in 'progress_bar_options' is not allowed to be over-written! Ignoring.")
                     self.progress_bar_options.pop("total")
 
-                self.progress_bar = tqdm(total=self.num_buffers, **self.progress_bar_options)
+                self.progress_bar = progress_bar_class(total=self.num_buffers, **self.progress_bar_options)
             except ImportError:
                 warn(
                     "You must install tqdm to use the progress bar feature (pip install tqdm)! "
diff --git a/tests/unit/utils_test/test_core_GenericDataChunkIterator.py b/tests/unit/utils_test/test_core_GenericDataChunkIterator.py
index debac9cab..2117eb6d0 100644
--- a/tests/unit/utils_test/test_core_GenericDataChunkIterator.py
+++ b/tests/unit/utils_test/test_core_GenericDataChunkIterator.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from tempfile import mkdtemp
 from shutil import rmtree
-from typing import Tuple, Iterable, Callable
+from typing import Tuple, Iterable, Callable, Union
 from sys import version_info
 
 import h5py
@@ -408,6 +408,33 @@ def test_progress_bar(self):
             first_line = file.read()
             self.assertIn(member=desc, container=first_line)
 
+    @unittest.skipIf(not TQDM_INSTALLED, "optional tqdm module is not installed")
+    def test_progress_bar_class(self):
+        import tqdm
+
+        class MyCustomProgressBar(tqdm.tqdm):
+            def update(self, n: int = 1) -> Union[bool, None]:
+                displayed = super().update(n)
+                print(f"Custom injection on step {n}") # noqa: T201
+
+                return displayed
+
+        out_text_file = self.test_dir / "test_progress_bar_class.txt"
+        desc = "Testing progress bar..."
+        with open(file=out_text_file, mode="w") as file:
+            iterator = self.TestNumpyArrayDataChunkIterator(
+                array=self.test_array,
+                display_progress=True,
+                progress_bar_class=MyCustomProgressBar,
+                progress_bar_options=dict(file=file, desc=desc),
+            )
+            j = 0
+            for buffer in iterator:
+                j += 1  # dummy operation; must be silent for proper updating of bar
+        with open(file=out_text_file, mode="r") as file:
+            first_line = file.read()
+            self.assertIn(member=desc, container=first_line)
+
     @unittest.skipIf(not TQDM_INSTALLED, "optional tqdm module is installed")
     def test_progress_bar_no_options(self):
         dci = self.TestNumpyArrayDataChunkIterator(array=self.test_array, display_progress=True)