Doctoral/ProfessionalPrivate nonprofitHSI

National Louis University

Chicago, Illinois·Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above·Great Lakes·nl.edu
6-yr Graduation
30%
-27.0pp vs Doctoral/Professional
Total enrollment
8,915
peer median 4,770
Avg net price
$12,641
-$6.2k vs Doctoral/Professional
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AboutAdmissionsOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR OfficeDocumentsGrantsAlumni

About

National Louis University (NLU) is a private university with its main campus in Chicago, Illinois, United States. NLU enrolls undergraduate and graduate students in more than 60 programs across its four colleges. It has locations throughout the Chicago metropolitan area as well as a regional campus in Tampa, Florida, where it serves students from 13 counties in that state's central region.

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

IPEDS
Applied
4,063
4,063 candidates competed
Admitted
3,862
95.1% acceptance rate
Enrolled
711
18.4% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
30%-27.0pp vs Doctoral/Professional
4-year graduation
24%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
30%
Full-time retention
50%

Pell equity

6.7pp gap
Pell recipients
29%135 of 469
Non-Pell (all)
36%41 of 115
Subsidized loan, no Pell
0%0 of 3
No Federal Aid
37%41 of 112

Non-Pell students graduate at a 6.7-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 72 Title IV programs, 23 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 49 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
72
Passing
23
31.9% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

72programs
  • Passing23 · 31.9%
  • No Data49 · 68.1%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
3
Safe
20
No data
49

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

23
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
Master's Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
+13.1%
$55,948 vs $49,483
Psychology General
Master's Degree · Psychology
+15.7%
$56,286 vs $48,653
Clinical Counseling and Applied Psychology
Master's Degree · Psychology
+21.9%
$59,315 vs $48,653
Human Resources Management and Services
Master's Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+25.7%
$79,490 vs $63,250
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+26.4%
$78,175 vs $61,854
Human Development Family Studies and Related Services
Bachelor Degree · Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
+30.4%
$45,388 vs $34,808
Culinary Arts and Related Services
Associate Degree · Personal And Culinary Services
+31.0%
$45,609 vs $34,808
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor Degree · Education
+33.3%
$46,398 vs $34,808

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

22
Clinical Counseling and Applied Psychology
Doctoral Degree · Psychology
100%
$80,690 debt · $80,648 earn
Clinical Counseling and Applied Psychology
Master's Degree · Psychology
99%
$58,584 debt · $59,315 earn
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
Master's Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
79%
$44,000 debt · $55,948 earn
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor Degree · Education
77%
$35,500 debt · $46,398 earn
Psychology General
Master's Degree · Psychology
73%
$41,000 debt · $56,286 earn
Human Development Family Studies and Related Services
Bachelor Degree · Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
67%
$30,545 debt · $45,388 earn
Special Education and Teaching
Master's Degree · Education
63%
$41,000 debt · $65,083 earn
Human Development Family Studies and Related Services
Master's Degree · Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
61%
$36,906 debt · $61,024 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Higher Learning Commission

Accredited since 1946Next review Aug 2032

Programmatic accreditations · 2

Action history · 2

  1. Mar 2022Renewal of Accreditation
    Higher Learning Commission
  2. Dec 2012Renewal of Accreditation
    Higher Learning Commission

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$12,462
$30–48k$11,567
$48–75k$12,996
$75–110k$15,447
$110k+$17,956

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price (private)
$12,641
-$6,197vs Doctoral/Professional median $18,838
Federal loans
21.8%
In-state tuition
$12,705
Out-of-state
$12,705

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 3,367 students received $17.0M in Pell grants, alongside $87.4M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
3,367
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$17.0M
$17,045,076 total
Direct Loans
$87.4M
6,647 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

3k
’20
3k
’21
3k
’22
3k
’23
3k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$7.5M
1,732 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$9.0M
1,608 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$60.7M
2,802 loan awards
Parent PLUS$1.5M
88 loan awards
Grad PLUS$8.8M
417 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 1,801 borrowers who entered repayment, 28 (1.5%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
1.5%
-0.8pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
1,801
Defaulted
28
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
6.6%
2017
6.8%
2018
5.1%
2019
1.5%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at National Louis

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs68
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

2,305 total completions
01Education
1,13349.2%
02Business
33614.6%
03Psychology
31413.6%
04Family/Consumer Sci
1335.8%
05Multi/Interdisciplinary
853.7%
06Personal/Culinary
823.6%
07Computer Sciences
632.7%
08Public Admin
612.6%
09Health Professions
582.5%
10Social Sciences
401.7%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
8,915
12-mo unduplicated
13,650
Undergraduate
7,119
Graduate
6,531

Gender split

Men
24%3,273
Women
76%10,377

Race / ethnicity composition

Hispanic
49.7%
Black
22.1%
White
14.0%
Non-resident
6.4%
Unknown
3.6%
Asian
2.1%
Two or more
1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.1%

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
0.00
0 offenses · 8,270 students

3-year trend

1.502 yrs ago0.001 yr ago0.00Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
11
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
6
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
1

Criminal offenses by type

No criminal offenses reported.

By location

0total

    VAWA offenses

    1
    Domestic violence
    1
    Dating violence
    0
    Stalking
    2 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

    Hate crimes by bias

    No hate crimes reported.

    Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

    CategoryArrestsReferrals
    Weapons00
    Drugs115
    Liquor03

    Residence-hall fires

    No residence-hall fires reported.

    Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

    Student-faculty ratio

    Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

    IPEDS
    Student-to-faculty
    17.0:1
    Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
    199

    National Louis vs Peer comparison

    The peer institutions National Louis selected for federal comparison reporting.

    IPEDS
    GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
    This institutionPeer median

    A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

    Carnegie
    SubjectNational Louis University
    		30%—8,915$12,641Doctoral/Professional
    Aurora University
    		60%80.9%5,923$18,838Doctoral/Professional
    Benedictine University
    		50%95.2%2,917$22,313Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
    Concordia University-Chicago
    		36%92.8%4,770$18,436Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
    DePaul University
    		68%75.9%21,210$30,902R2 Research
    Dominican University
    		55%90.3%3,803$11,745Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
    Lewis University
    		67%71.3%7,011$17,028Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
    Loyola University Chicago
    		75%81.6%17,384$36,079R2 Research
    Olivet Nazarene University
    		61%55.9%3,339$20,729Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
    Roosevelt University
    		46%97.2%4,281$20,194Doctoral/Professional
    Saint Xavier University
    		57%84.3%3,485$10,970Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
    Peer group median57%83.0%4,770$18,838

    Institutions like National Louis

    Explore the federal data for institutions in National Louis's comparison group.

    IPEDS

    National Louis Institutional Research office

    The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

    Office
    Institutional Research Board
    Reports to Provost Office
    Email
    IRBMailbox [at] nl.edu
    Phone
    (312) 261-3526
    Address
    122 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60603

    IRB ensures compliance with National Louis University’s policies and procedures for conducting ethical research involving human participants.

    Visit IR office page
    Team
    3 members
    • Shaunti Knauth, Ph.D.
      IRB Chair, Director of Engaged Research, Provost Office
    • Carla L. Sparks, Ed.D.
      IRB Co-Chair, Faculty Lead for Educational Leadership Programs, Florida
    • G. Maxx Shawlee, MSc.
      IRB Office, Provost Office

    Reports & documents (2)

    Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.

    Grants & funding (1)

    Federal grant awards and open funding opportunities awarded to this institution.

    USA Spending

    Notable alumni of National Louis (32)

    A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.

    • Patricia Bailey
    • Greg Baxtrom
    • Neva Boyd
    • Jake Braun
    • Harriet Frances Carpenter
    • Flora Ciarlo
    • Andrew Clements
    • Kate Cloonen
    • Diane Denk
    • DeLoris Doederlein
    • Edwin Eisendrath
    • Judy Erwin
    Showing 1–12 of 32
    1 / 3

    Frequently asked questions about National Louis University

    Quick answers to the questions most often asked about National Louis.

    What is the graduation rate at National Louis University?

    National Louis University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 30% per the latest IPEDS.

    How many students attend National Louis University?

    National Louis University reports a total enrollment of 8,915 students per the latest IPEDS.

    What is the average net price at National Louis University?

    The average net price at National Louis University is $12,641 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

    What is the yield rate at National Louis University?

    National Louis University's yield rate is 18.4%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

    Where is National Louis University located?

    National Louis University is located in Chicago, Illinois 60603.

    Who runs Institutional Research at National Louis University?

    National Louis University's IR work is done by the Institutional Research Board, which reports to Provost Office.

    About the data on this page

    Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

    IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
    Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
    National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
    College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
    Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
    U.S. Department of Education
    FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
    Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
    U.S. Department of Education
    DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
    Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
    U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
    Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
    Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
    U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
    Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
    Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
    U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
    Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
    Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
    U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
    Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
    Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
    U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
    Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
    Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
    U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
    Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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