About
Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a private research university in Florida with its main campus in Fort Lauderdale and Davie, Florida, United States. The university consists of 14 colleges, offering over 150 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs. The university offers professional degrees in the social sciences, law, business, osteopathic medicine, allopathic medicine, health sciences, pharmacy, dentistry, optometry, physical therapy, education, occupational therapy, and nursing.
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
Non-Pell students graduate at a 11.9-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.
Of 194 Title IV programs, 56 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 138 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing56 · 28.9%
- No Data138 · 71.1%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
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.
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Programmatic accreditations · 38
Action history · 74
- Dec 2025Grant Substantive Change: OtherSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Aug 2025Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation · Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS)
- May 2025Grant Substantive Change: ProgramSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Apr 2025Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Osteopathic Association, Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation · Osteopathic Medicine (OSTEO) - Programs leading to the D.O. degree
- Dec 2024Initial AccreditationAmerican Occupational Therapy Association, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education · Occupational Therapy (OTD) - Programs leading to a Doctoral Degree
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, 3,089 students received $19.5M in Pell grants, alongside $695.3M 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 5,746 borrowers who entered repayment, 40 (0.6%) 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 Nova Southeastern
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
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 10
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
- On campus26
Includes 9 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
- Mako Hall1 fireElectricalDamage $0-$99
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Nova Southeastern vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Nova Southeastern 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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectNova Southeastern University | 63% | — | 20,910 | $30,371 | R2 Research |
| 89% | 11.1% | 37,737 | $24,402 | R1 Research | |
| 68% | 75.9% | 21,210 | $30,902 | R2 Research | |
| 78% | 79.4% | 21,153 | $38,509 | R1 Research | |
| 84% | 47.1% | 25,374 | $36,586 | R1 Research | |
| 88% | 9.2% | 56,832 | $37,050 | R1 Research | |
| 91% | 5.2% | 32,553 | $30,915 | R1 Research | |
| 95% | 7.7% | 23,856 | $29,167 | R1 Research | |
| 66% | 83.4% | 19,389 | $29,999 | Doctoral/Professional | |
| 84% | 18.9% | 19,852 | $37,244 | R1 Research | |
| 92% | 9.8% | 46,566 | $32,740 | R1 Research | |
| Peer group median | 84% | 15.0% | 23,856 | $30,915 |
Institutions like Nova Southeastern
Explore the federal data for institutions in Nova Southeastern's comparison group.
- R1 ResearchMassachusetts
Boston University
Grad rate89%Admit rate11.1%Enrollment37,737Net price$24,402View data - R2 ResearchIllinois
DePaul University
Grad rate68%Admit rate75.9%Enrollment21,210Net price$30,902View data - R1 ResearchPennsylvania
Drexel University
Grad rate78%Admit rate79.4%Enrollment21,153Net price$38,509View data - R1 ResearchDistrict of Columbia
George Washington University
Grad rate84%Admit rate47.1%Enrollment25,374Net price$36,586View data - R1 ResearchNew York
New York University
Grad rate88%Admit rate9.2%Enrollment56,832Net price$37,050View data - R1 ResearchMassachusetts
Northeastern University
Grad rate91%Admit rate5.2%Enrollment32,553Net price$30,915View data - R1 ResearchIllinois
Northwestern University
Grad rate95%Admit rate7.7%Enrollment23,856Net price$29,167View data - Doctoral/ProfessionalNew York
St. John's University-New York
Grad rate66%Admit rate83.4%Enrollment19,389Net price$29,999View data - R1 ResearchFlorida
University of Miami
Grad rate84%Admit rate18.9%Enrollment19,852Net price$37,244View data - R1 ResearchCalifornia
University of Southern California
Grad rate92%Admit rate9.8%Enrollment46,566Net price$32,740View data
Nova Southeastern Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The mission of the Office of Institutional Research is to provide consultation and actionable information in a collaborative, innovative, and efficient manner. The information provided by the office is used to enhance administrative decision-making, respond to external data requests, inform institutional policy development, and support institutional planning, evaluation, and budgeting.
Visit IR office page- Arie Spirgel, Ph.D.Director of Institutional Data
Reports & documents (4)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- Data definitionWhat is Institutional Research? | Office of Institutional Research | Nova Southeastern UniversityThis page about institutional research from Nova Southeastern University details the history, purpose, and functions of institutional research in higher education. Originating in the 1950s to centralize and facilitate data analysis, the role has expanded due to the accountability movement and technological advances. Today, institutional research includes diverse activities aimed at enhancing decision-making, supporting policy development, and providing data for planning and budgeting. The page provides a detailed definition and understanding of institutional research’s scope and roles within a university.nova.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookNSU Fact Book2026The NSU Fact Book, developed by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and published annually since 1993, provides a comprehensive overview of Nova Southeastern University. It includes information on organization, administration, academic programs, accreditation, and historical highlights, as well as data on enrollment, student demographics, program completers, university personnel, and financial resources. The 2026 edition is the most recent publication available.nova.edu
- Strategic planNSU Strategic PlanNova Southeastern University's Strategic Plan focuses on guiding the institution's growth and impact in alignment with its mission and values. Key areas include fostering academic excellence, expanding research and innovation, enhancing healthcare leadership, and growing financial resources through diverse revenue streams. Emphasis is placed on student success, community impact, and sustainable strategic partnerships.nova.edu
Grants & funding (1)
Federal grant awards and open funding opportunities awarded to this institution.
Notable alumni of Nova Southeastern (32)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Isabel Saint MaloGovernment
- Keith SonderlingGovernment
- Sheri Polster ChappellJudiciary
- Victoria SiglerJudiciary
- Gregory TonyLaw enforcement
- James Bush IIIGovernment
- Carmine DeSopoGovernment
- Martin David KiarGovernment
- Jared MoskowitzGovernment
- Ari PorthGovernment
- Nick ThompsonGovernment
- Jim WaldmanGovernment
Frequently asked questions about Nova Southeastern University
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Nova Southeastern.
What is the graduation rate at Nova Southeastern University?
How many students attend Nova Southeastern University?
What is the average net price at Nova Southeastern University?
What is the yield rate at Nova Southeastern University?
Where is Nova Southeastern University located?
Who runs Institutional Research at Nova Southeastern 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.
Have a question this page can’t answer?
Ask Clema anything about Nova Southeastern University and its peers — plain language in, cited answers out, in minutes instead of days.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card