National University

Q: 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.

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By the OnlineU team | Updated 2/13/2023

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FAQs

National 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.

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Rankings by Salary Score and Affordability

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.