Northwest Nazarene University
Nampa, Idaho · Private Nonprofit · 64.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 41/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Northwest Nazarene University scores 41 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. Median debt of $23,750 yields a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.679. The problem is cost, not completion. Religion/Religious Studies (9 graduates, F grade, debt-to-earnings 1.160) and Liberal Arts and Sciences (14 graduates, F grade, debt-to-earnings 1.042) represent the institution's worst financial outcomes. Engineering (10 graduates, $85,643 at year four) is the strongest earner on the list, but year-one data and debt metrics are not reported by Scorecard. NNU's Nazarene Christian mission shapes its programming; students here are choosing a faith-community context, and the financial outcomes reflect a price structure that exceeds what most of its graduates can comfortably service.
How Northwest Nazarene University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score41/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period15.5 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Northwest Nazarene University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $40,794/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $40,794/yr |
| Average net price | $29,580/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $118,320 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $51,719 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $35,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,750 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $252 |
| Estimated payback period | 15.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 70.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,024 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $40,794/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $29,580/year, or roughly $118,320 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $28,732/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $34,800/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,750, which works out to about $252 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($35,000) and comes to 0.68, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $28,732 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $30,626 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $35,166 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $33,413 |
| $110,001+ | $34,800 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $28,732 per year at NNU - nearly the same as the $29,580 average net price. This is unusually high for a low-income student, suggesting NNU's aid model does not substantially discount for families with incomes below $30,000. The 30001-48000 bracket actually increases to $30,626. For low-income students, NNU represents a financially strained choice at nearly $115,000 over four years against $35,000 average earnings. The Pell grant clearly is not offsetting the full cost at this institution.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $35,166 - the highest on the income schedule, representing near full price for many middle-income families. The 75001-110000 bracket drops to $33,413. The income schedule is nearly flat and high across all brackets, indicating NNU's institutional aid does not meaningfully differentiate by income. Middle-income families at any point on this schedule are paying near sticker price, which requires a specific faith-community rationale to justify given the earnings outcomes.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The 110001-plus bracket pays $34,800 - virtually the same as middle-income families. NNU's aid model provides minimal price variation across the income spectrum. Higher-income families are not penalized but also not rewarded with substantially lower prices. At $34,800 per year and $35,000 average six-year earnings, the financial case is negative - the institution's value is primarily non-financial for families at this income level.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Northwest Nazarene University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $76,250 | C+ |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $49,132 | - |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $70,953 | C+ |
| Social Work | $44,782 | - |
| Teacher Education | $45,537 | C |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $33,265 | F |
| Accounting | $70,899 | C |
| Engineering, General | $85,643 | - |
| Religion/Religious Studies | $23,836 | F |
| Biology | $33,875 | D |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing is NNU's largest program at 56 graduates, with $75,383 year-one and $76,250 at year four. The C+ grade reflects a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.497 against $37,500 median debt - the highest debt load of any program at NNU, reflecting the cost of the nursing curriculum. Monthly payments on $37,500 debt run roughly $398. Against a $75k first-year salary, this is serviceable but not comfortable.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (14 graduates) earns $46,499 year-one and $70,953 at year four, with a C+ grade and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.503. Median debt of $23,375 is moderate. At NNU's $29,580 net price, Business produces adequate returns for students who build careers in the Nampa/Boise regional economy. The four-year jump to $70k is the more meaningful signal - students who stay in business careers through the first several years post-graduation reach manageable financial outcomes.
Religion/Religious Studies
Religion/Religious Studies earns an F ROI grade: 9 graduates, $23,836 year-one, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.160 against $27,650 median debt. Graduates owe more than an entire year of earnings in student loans. Students who enter ministry, chaplaincy, or church careers typically do so with the understanding that compensation is below market. NNU's students in this program should carry eyes open into the financial trade-off - the F grade is a financial signal, not a moral one.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 68.2% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 74.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 73.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 80.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Northwest Nazarene University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 64.7% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 490-610 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 515-630 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 22-27 |
| Enrollment | 1,024 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 29.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,760 |
At 64.7%, NNU is moderately selective. ACT 22-27 composite is the parallel signal. The faith mission and Nazarene affiliation mean admissions weighs character and community fit alongside academics.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Northwest Nazarene (ROI 41) sits in the Below Benchmark tier.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Nazarene University (this school) | 41 | $29,580 | $51,719 |
| Westminster College | 41 | $24,314 | $52,199 |
| Southwestern Adventist University | 41 | $22,778 | $52,946 |
| Eastern Nazarene College | 40 | $25,381 | $54,727 |
| Clear Creek Baptist Bible College | 31 | $10,949 | $41,623 |
| Hobe Sound Bible College | 30 | $12,074 | $39,863 |
Who Thrives Here
Northwest Nazarene admits 64.7% of applicants. SAT mid-ranges are 490-610 Math and 515-630 Reading; ACT composite 22-27 - solidly average preparation. Enrollment is 1,024 undergraduates in Nampa, Idaho. Pell grant rate of 29.8% reflects a mixed-income student body, leaning toward working-class and lower-middle-income families connected to the Nazarene Church community. Students at NNU are primarily motivated by the faith environment, not ROI maximization - but they should be clear-eyed that $29,580 in net annual price creates financial strain when average six-year earnings are $35,000.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Northwest Nazarene University scores 41/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $29,580 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $51,719 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 15.5 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What it has going for it: its 70.8% graduation rate. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $23,750 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $35,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Northwest Nazarene University: Common Questions
Is Northwest Nazarene University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Northwest Nazarene University scores 41/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $29,580 a year after aid against $51,719 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 15.5 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Northwest Nazarene University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $29,580 a year, or roughly $118,320 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Northwest Nazarene University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $51,719 ten years after enrolling, roughly $9,919 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Northwest Nazarene University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 15.5 years for Northwest Nazarene University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Northwest Nazarene University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,750, against average earnings of $35,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Northwest Nazarene University?
The six-year graduation rate is 70.8%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.