Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education
Kirkland, Washington · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 44/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education, the adult-degree-completion and online arm of Northwest University (a Pentecostal Christian liberal-arts university in Kirkland, WA), scores 44 out of 100 - the Below Benchmark tier rating shaped by its specific niche. The metric profile is unusual: completion is exactly 50%, repayment rate is strong at 80%, debt-to-earnings ratio is moderate at 0.524, but the earnings premium is just 0.140 and payback period stretches to 14.2 years. Average earnings six years after entry are $39,900, climbing to a median $54,914 at year ten. Median debt is $20,891. The cost data shows an unusual pattern: tuition is listed at $14,652 but net price is $35,671 - meaningfully higher than tuition, suggesting that room/board and full-cost-of-attendance figures are inflating the net price for what may largely be commuter or online enrollment. Four-year total cost is $142,684. The program data shows real strength in nursing and business and a meaningful Theological/Ministerial Studies cohort - consistent with the institution's mission. Enrollment is just 405.
How Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education 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 Score44/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $14,652/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $14,652/yr |
| Average net price | $35,671/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $142,684 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $54,914 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $39,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,891 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $221 |
| Estimated payback period | 14.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 50.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 405 |
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: $14,652/year, which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $35,671/year, or roughly $142,684 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 $34,739/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $40,245/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,891, which works out to about $221 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($39,900) and comes to 0.52, 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 | $34,739 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $29,036 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $33,605 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $38,666 |
| $110,001+ | $40,245 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $34,739 net annually - the institution's aid is thin given its small size and limited endowment. Pell + state grant help, but the gap remains significant. Four-year exposure of about $139,000 against $39,900 average earnings is structurally tight.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays the lowest net price at $29,036 - the institutional-aid sweet spot. The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $33,605, and $75,001-$110,000 jumps to $38,666. Four-year cost runs $116,000-$155,000 across mid brackets. Even at the most-discounted middle-income tier, the price-to-outcome math is challenging.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $40,245 net per year - four-year cost approaches $161,000. Institutional aid is essentially absent. At this income level the program is in our view mainly a values/community/mission choice.
Earnings by Major
Top 6 most popular majors at Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | $52,385 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $72,343 | C+ |
| Psychology | $54,357 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $89,673 | B+ |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $56,136 | - |
| Teacher Education | $58,134 | C+ |
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.
Theological and Ministerial Studies
Theological and Ministerial Studies is the largest reporting program at 48 graduates: $41,139 first-year earnings, $52,385 by year four, $26,453 median debt, and a 0.643 debt-to-earnings ratio for a C grade. Earnings reflect ministry, chaplaincy, and church-leadership roles. The program's mission alignment is real; ROI math is workable for students entering with clear ministry callings.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business admin produces 40 graduates with $54,779 first-year earnings, $72,343 by year four, $25,000 median debt, and a 0.456 debt-to-earnings ratio for a C+ grade. Earnings reflect Pacific Northwest mid-career professional placement - adult learners are typically already in workforce roles when they complete. The strong year-one earnings signal that students are stepping into or continuing professional positions, which improves ROI math compared to traditional undergraduate cohorts.
Registered Nursing
Nursing produces 5 graduates - a tiny cohort, almost certainly an RN-BSN completion track for already-licensed nurses - with $84,504 first-year earnings rising to $89,673 by year four, $25,893 median debt, and a 0.306 ratio for a B+ grade. The high earnings reflect already-employed nurses upgrading their credentials. ROI math is excellent for working RNs targeting a BSN required for advancement.
Psychology
Psychology produces 29 graduates with $30,547 first-year earnings, $54,357 by year four, $25,000 median debt, and a 0.818 ratio for a D grade. Same structural ROI problem as bachelor's-only psychology nationwide. The year-four earnings ramp suggests students who continue to graduate-level licensure, which is the only path to strong returns in the field.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 76.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 80.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 72.5% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 80.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2015-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 405 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 18.4% |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, and SAT/ACT mid-ranges are also missing. The 50% completion rate aligns with the adult-learner population, where stop-out and part-time enrollment are common. Pell rate is 18.45%.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education (this school) | 44 | $35,671 | $54,914 |
| Gonzaga University | 81 | $35,119 | $78,892 |
| Sweet Briar College | 44 | $17,758 | $51,943 |
| College of Biblical Studies-Houston | 43 | $672 | $39,260 |
| Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary | 42 | $16,282 | $40,650 |
| Cornish College of the Arts | 17 | $40,062 | $33,696 |
Who Thrives Here
Pell rate of 18.45% reflects the working-adult demographic. Enrollment of 405 is small. Students drawn here typically have specific career or ministry goals; the structural ROI math reflects adult-learner dynamics where the value proposition is often degree completion rather than wage premium maximization.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education scores 44/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $35,671 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $54,914 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 14.2 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 to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 50.0% graduation rate, a long payback period.
Median debt of $20,891 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $39,900 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education: Common Questions
Is Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education scores 44/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $35,671 a year after aid against $54,914 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 14.2 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education 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 $35,671 a year, or roughly $142,684 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 University-Center for Online and Extended Education graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $54,914 ten years after enrolling, roughly $13,114 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 University-Center for Online and Extended Education?
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 14.2 years for Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,891, against average earnings of $39,900 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education?
The six-year graduation rate is 50.0%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (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.