
National University
Salary Score
Bachelor's
94
Master's
87
Doctoral
N/A
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FAQsNational University (NU) is a private, nonprofit institution based in Southern California, serving over 17,000 students, more than half of which attend college remotely. NU offers over 100 fully online degrees, including 4 associate degrees, 44 bachelor's degrees, 46 master's degrees, 23 doctoral degrees, and even 55 certificate programs. It's also a military-friendly institution, with almost 7,000 students receiving post-9/11 GI Bill benefits or Department of Defense funds toward tuition.
Rankings by Salary Score and Affordability
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#1
2023 Best Online Master's Degrees in English
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#1
2023 Best Online Colleges in California
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#1
2023 Best Online Public Administration Degrees
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#1
2023 Best Online Communications Degrees
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#2
2023 Best Online Bachelor's Degrees in History
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#2
2023 Best Online Master's Degrees in Counseling Psychology
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#2
2023 Best Online Homeland Security Degrees
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#3
2023 Best Online Bachelor's Degrees in Public Health
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#4
2023 Best Online Elementary Education Degrees
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#4
2023 Most Affordable Online Master's in Marriage & Family Therapy
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#4
2023 Best Online Master's Degrees in Special Education
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#5
2023 Best Online Early Childhood Education Degrees
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#6
2023 Best Online Sociology Degrees
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#6
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#7
2023 Best Online Psychology Degrees
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#7
2023 Most Affordable Online Master's in Sports Psychology
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#7
2023 Best Online Master's Degrees in Educational Leadership
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#8
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#8
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#8
2023 Best Online Bachelor's in Supply Chain Management Programs
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#8
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#9
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#9
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#10
2023 Best Online Nursing Degrees
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#10
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#10
2023 Most Affordable Online Master's Degrees in Forensic Psychology
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#15
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#21
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Salary Score for Online Degrees at National University
Associate's Degrees
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Not Reported | $42,455 | 100 |
Bachelor's Degrees
Criminal Justice and Corrections | Not Reported | $55,725 | 99 |
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Not Reported | $90,125 | 99 |
Management Information Systems and Services | Not Reported | $74,510 | 99 |
Manufacturing Engineering | Not Reported | $80,132 | 97 |
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Not Reported | $93,896 | 97 |
Psychology, General | Not Reported | $39,921 | 96 |
Sociology | Not Reported | $37,925 | 95 |
Business Administration, Management and Operations | Not Reported | $57,967 | 91 |
Computer Science | Not Reported | $75,911 | 90 |
Public Health | Not Reported | $47,285 | 87 |
Accounting and Related Services | Not Reported | $52,170 | 84 |
Health and Medical Administrative Services | Not Reported | $51,258 | 84 |
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | Not Reported | $65,725 | 70 |
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Not Reported | $40,143 | 62 |
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | Not Reported | $56,644 | 56 |
Homeland Security | Not Reported | $60,492 | 50 |
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | Not Reported | $39,970 | 47 |
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | Not Reported | $30,370 | 31 |
Master's Degrees
Educational Administration and Supervision | Not Reported | $85,288 | 100 |
Special Education and Teaching | Not Reported | $64,935 | 100 |
Educational/Instructional Media Design | Not Reported | $74,868 | 99 |
English Language and Literature, General | Not Reported | $55,380 | 94 |
Education, General | Not Reported | $59,755 | 89 |
Public Administration | Not Reported | $68,204 | 84 |
Psychology, General | Not Reported | $53,992 | 82 |
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Not Reported | $56,048 | 79 |
Health and Physical Education/Fitness | Not Reported | $48,732 | 77 |
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Not Reported | $53,138 | 68 |
Communication and Media Studies | Not Reported | $51,398 | 60 |
Business Administration, Management and Operations | Not Reported | $70,668 | 59 |
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Not Reported | $112,806 | 56 |
Criminal Justice and Corrections | Not Reported | $54,799 | 55 |
Human Resources Management and Services | Not Reported | $59,749 | 53 |
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | Not Reported | $86,837 | 49 |
Public Health | Not Reported | $54,233 | 49 |
Accounting and Related Services | Not Reported | $62,254 | 46 |
Management Information Systems and Services | Not Reported | $77,759 | 43 |
Engineering-Related Fields | Not Reported | $91,759 | 43 |
Homeland Security | Not Reported | $58,393 | 37 |
Computer Science | Not Reported | $89,068 | 31 |
Medical Illustration and Informatics | Not Reported | $68,817 | 24 |
Health and Medical Administrative Services | Not Reported | $51,661 | 21 |
Security Science and Technology | Not Reported | $43,044 | 4 |
FAQs About National University
Is National University a Good School?
NU has ranked at the top of several OnlineU lists, including #1 spots — such as Best Online Colleges in California and Best Online Public Administration Degrees.
OnlineU's Salary Score rankings for bachelor's and master's degrees at NU are also high. For example, a bachelor's degree in criminal justice has a perfect salary score of 100, and a master's degree in English has a score of 99.
Is National University Online?
Yes, NU is online and offers dozens of degree and certificate programs for students to complete remotely at all levels. You can choose from various areas of study, such as teaching and education, healthcare and nursing, criminal justice and law, and science and math. Classes last four weeks, so students can focus on one at a time. This is a convenient option for students juggling busy schedules, working full-time, or on active duty with the military.
NU also supports its online learners by offering remote access to student services, such as career counseling, job fairs, tech support, behavioral health, and tutoring.
Are Online Degrees From National University Respected by Employers?
Employers respect NU's online degrees because an accredited institution confers them. Accreditation shows prospective students that a college or university manages their finances responsibly and delivers high quality academic programming. It also means you can transfer credits from one school to another.
OnlineU only includes accredited online institutions on its site.
Specifically, NU is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) — a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accrediting agency.
What Is National University Known For?
NU is known for being military-friendly and offering both convenience and flexibility to its students on active duty worldwide. Over the past 50 years, NU has become a top educator of the U.S. military.
NU is #3 on our list of colleges with the best student veteran resources and salary outcomes. It's also a Yellow Ribbon school that can help students pay for higher tuition and fees that the post-9/11 GI Bill doesn't cover.
Which Degrees at National University Provide the Highest Earnings for Graduates?
According to federal data from College Scorecard, NU's online bachelor's degrees in allied health, nursing, and management information systems provide the highest earnings for graduates. Around three years after graduation, alumni in these fields earn median annual salaries of approximately $97,500, $90,100, and $70,900, respectively.
Another metric to consider when contemplating a degree's overall worth is OnlineU's proprietary Salary Score, which ranks colleges by alumni earnings in certain degree categories compared to graduates with the same degrees nationwide. NU has high salary scores, including 92 out of 100 total points for its bachelor's degrees, and it scores 83 for its master's degrees.
Who Owns National University?
No one owns NU. It was founded in 1971 by former U.S. Navy Captain David Chigos and organized as a private, nonprofit school serving working adults. As a nonprofit college, it is not allowed to keep revenue and must reinvest it back into the school in order to support its students and academic programming. A Board of Trustees generally oversees this process. It is also responsible for hiring and appointing NU's high-level executive staff to ensure the school meets its goals.
What Are the Admission Requirements for National University?
NU's admission requirements are similar to applying to other online colleges and universities. Admission at NU is evidence-based and includes reviewing students' academic records, test scores, and professional experience. While NU doesn't require entrance exams, such as the SAT or ACT, it may require students without prior college-level math and English courses to take the ACCUPLACER evaluation to determine placement.
Additionally, NU's undergraduate applicants must submit the following:
- A completed application
- A $60 application fee
- A completed enrollment agreement
- Official high school transcripts or their equivalent
- Official college transcripts, if transferring credits
- Military transcripts, if applicable
- A resume or professional portfolio, if applying for prior learning credit
An enrollment advisor may help identify additional requirements for individual degree programs. Overall, College Scorecard's data shows that NU accepts 89% of applicants.
If you’re still deciding what school is right for you, our list of the most popular online colleges offers additional options to explore.