National University
About
A national university is mainly a university created or managed by a government, but which may also at the same time operate autonomously without direct control by the state. In the United States, the term "national university" connotes the highest institutional level in education, differing in meaning from a "federally-chartered university." Globally, some national universities are associated with national cultural or political aspirations. For example, the National University of Ireland during the early days of Irish independence collected a large amount of information about the Irish language and Irish culture. In Argentina, the national universities are the result of the 1918 Argentine university reform and subsequent reforms, which were intended to provide a secular university system without direct clerical or government influence by bestowing self-government on the institutions.
Admissions & acceptance rate
First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Pell recipients here graduate at a 16.7-point higher rate than non-Pell students, unusual and worth a closer look.
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.
Of 136 Title IV programs, 49 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 1 fails. 86 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing49 · 36.0%
- No Data86 · 63.2%
- Failing1 · 0.7%
Severity spectrum
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.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
WASC Senior College and University Commission
WASC Senior College and University Commission
Programmatic accreditations · 5
Action history · 13
- Apr 2024Loss of Accreditation or Preaccreditation: Voluntary WithdrawalCouncil on Education for Public Health · Public Health Programs (PHPG) - Graduate level program offered outside a school of public health
- Sep 2022Renewal of AccreditationCommission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the graduate degree levels
- Sep 2022Renewal of AccreditationCommission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels
- Jun 2022Grant Substantive Change: OwnershipWASC Senior College and University Commission
- Jun 2022Grant Substantive Change: OtherWASC Senior College and University Commission
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 5,539 students received $30.9M in Pell grants, alongside $165.8M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
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.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 6,326 borrowers who entered repayment, 75 (1.1%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* 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.
Academic programs at National
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
National vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions National selected for federal comparison reporting.
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 University | 43% | 54.5% | 22,115 | $22,878 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
| 47% | Open admission | 50,715 | $9,597 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 68% | 89.9% | 79,818 | $14,967 | R1 Research | |
| 0% | 66.7% | 72,994 | $13,971 | R2 Research | |
| 10% | Open admission | 28,004 | $31,266 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 57% | 95.3% | 24,427 | $7,000 | R2 Research | |
| 20% | Open admission | 47,761 | $17,956 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 14% | Open admission | 31,830 | $16,745 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 43% | 78.9% | 113,257 | $22,472 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 67% | 99.0% | 104,327 | $29,357 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 33% | Open admission | 45,588 | $7,770 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 76% | 36.2% | 41,137 | $15,364 | R2 Research | |
| 44% | 99.5% | 189,531 | $36,708 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 8% | Open admission | 12,098 | $17,833 | — | |
| 16% | Open admission | 111,248 | $13,520 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 0% | Open admission | 49,441 | $33,817 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 46% | Open admission | 210,208 | $12,548 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| Peer group median | 43% | 84.4% | 49,441 | $16,745 |
Institutions like National
Explore the federal data for institutions in National's comparison group.
- Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsWest Virginia
American Public University System
Grad rate47%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment50,715Net price$9,597View data - R1 ResearchArizona
Arizona State University Campus Immersion
Grad rate68%Admit rate89.9%Enrollment79,818Net price$14,967View data - R2 ResearchArizona
Arizona State University Digital Immersion
Grad rate0%Admit rate66.7%Enrollment72,994Net price$13,971View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalCalifornia
Ashford University
Grad rate10%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment28,004Net price$31,266View data - R2 ResearchCalifornia
California State University-Fresno
Grad rate57%Admit rate95.3%Enrollment24,427Net price$7,000View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalMinnesota
Capella University
Grad rate20%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment47,761Net price$17,956View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalColorado
Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs
Grad rate14%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment31,830Net price$16,745View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalArizona
Grand Canyon University
Grad rate43%Admit rate78.9%Enrollment113,257Net price$22,472View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalVirginia
Liberty University
Grad rate67%Admit rate99.0%Enrollment104,327Net price$29,357View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalIndiana
Purdue University Global
Grad rate33%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment45,588Net price$7,770View data - R2 ResearchCalifornia
San Diego State University
Grad rate76%Admit rate36.2%Enrollment41,137Net price$15,364View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsNew Hampshire
Southern New Hampshire University
Grad rate44%Admit rate99.5%Enrollment189,531Net price$36,708View data - District of Columbia
Strayer University-Global Region
Grad rate8%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment12,098Net price$17,833View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalArizona
University of Phoenix-Arizona
Grad rate16%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment111,248Net price$13,520View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalMinnesota
Walden University
Grad rate0%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment49,441Net price$33,817View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsUtah
Western Governors University
Grad rate46%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment210,208Net price$12,548View data
National Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
Reports & documents (2)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- Strategic plan2015 National University Strategic Plan2015The 2015 National University Strategic Plan outlines the University's commitment to adapt to the rapidly evolving landscape of higher education by focusing on academic excellence, personalized student services, and innovative use of technology. The plan emphasizes expanding program offerings, particularly online and flexible formats, while increasing enrollments among underserved populations including the military. As part of its goals, National University aims to be recognized for its leadership in online education and sustainability, backed by measurable outcomes such as a target of 40,000 FTE students and a $500 million endowment.assets.nu.edu
Grants & funding (5)
Federal grant awards and open funding opportunities awarded to this institution.
- opportunityMicro-Funding Opportunities Tier IINational Universityinstitution_site$3,000
- opportunityTier II Micro-FundingNational Universityinstitution_site$3,000
- opportunityMicro-Funding Opportunities Tier INational Universityinstitution_site$300
- opportunityPresentation and Poster One-Time PaymentNational Universityinstitution_site
- opportunityPublication One-Time PaymentNational Universityinstitution_site
Frequently asked questions about National University
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about National.
What is the acceptance rate at National University?
What is the graduation rate at National University?
How many students attend National University?
What is the average net price at National University?
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Where is National University located?
Who runs Institutional Research at National University?
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.
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