Search Programs

National University

113 Reviews

Salary Score

Bachelor's

 92

Master's

 83

Doctoral

N/A

58% of 113 students said this degree improved their career prospects
45% of 113 students said they would recommend this school to others
By the OnlineU team | Updated 2/13/2023

ON THIS PAGE

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.

Fast Facts

Average Financial Aid: $1,666

Accreditation: National University is accredited by 6 agencies

Find an Online Degree:

Salary Score for Online Degrees at National University

Associate's Degrees

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities $11,793 $40,395 100

Bachelor's Degrees

Criminal Justice and Corrections $25,630 $53,819 100
History $31,250 $44,540 99
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions $28,911 $94,452 99
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing $34,375 $85,563 97
Public Administration Not Reported $61,249 97
Business/Corporate Communications Not Reported $54,414 96
Psychology, General $28,625 $36,571 96
Business Administration, Management and Operations $31,164 $54,361 93
Construction Engineering Not Reported $79,856 92
Homeland Security $23,438 $71,714 91
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management $31,602 $65,610 88
Management Information Systems and Services $31,823 $63,126 86
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General $31,694 $47,121 86
Health and Medical Administrative Services $37,500 $46,892 82
Sociology $27,687 $35,735 81
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods $30,595 $39,572 77
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General $32,385 $35,518 77
Public Health $33,375 $37,604 74
Computer Science $31,299 $69,756 57
Accounting and Related Services $30,812 $43,957 31
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions $27,521 $51,109 28

Master's Degrees

English Language and Literature, General $28,729 $61,524 99
Educational Administration and Supervision $23,552 $84,898 99
Educational/Instructional Media Design $26,008 $71,709 97
Special Education and Teaching $51,895 $62,820 95
Public Administration $33,292 $67,545 89
Education, General $38,507 $58,901 86
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology $30,756 $55,141 84
Psychology, General $34,410 $46,907 62
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods $27,499 $48,771 59
Communication and Media Studies $26,846 $49,269 56
Management Information Systems and Services Not Reported $74,022 43
Public Health $46,122 $50,622 42
Business Administration, Management and Operations $39,427 $63,716 37
Criminal Justice and Corrections $34,416 $45,879 36
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing $91,035 $91,418 36
Human Resources Management and Services $36,464 $55,949 33
Health and Medical Administrative Services $49,440 $52,576 23
Medical Illustration and Informatics $34,577 $63,715 22
Computer Science $37,932 $80,729 19
Accounting and Related Services $41,000 $54,100 16

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 educationhealthcare and nursingcriminal 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 healthnursing, 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.

Student Reviews

Student Reviews

Write a Review 

Robert

Reviewed: 6/1/2023

Degree: Computer Science

National University's Incompetence Destroyed My Financial Future! I cannot begin to express my disappointment and frustration with the abysmal handling of my student loan by National University. What was supposed to be a straightforward process of placing my loan in forbearance turned into a nightmarish ordeal that has left me reeling from the consequences for the past 6 years. Firstly, it is essential to note that I followed all the necessary protocols and submitted the required documentation to... Read More

PierreTuell

Reviewed: 5/4/2023

Degree: Marketing

DO NOT ATTEND THIS UNIVERSITY. The administration is terrible...ALL of them. They give you the run-around while not doing their job or contacting you back to correct or change anything. They make sure during enrollment you believe you will have their help but the moment you are enrolled, you have a great chance of NEVER hearing from any of the administration. Attend at your own risk and ensure you have a lawyer on hand...because you made need it.

James

Reviewed: 5/3/2023

Degree: Education

If you're interested in a trash masters program full of repetitive & useless tasks, then you've come to the right place. Guaranteed to detract from your overall happiness, career development, and financial health. Expect unresponsive professors, professor turnover, time wasted on repeat questions/assignments, and a cohort of students who constantly question: "How did I get here?"

Ramin

Reviewed: 5/1/2023

Degree: Computer Science

I see many negative reviews on National University, some positive. Speaking for myself, I loved the time I spend earning my Masters Degree in Computer science. The fast pace (one course a month) keeps you on your toes, and very much involved. Most (but admittedly not all) professors were highly knowledgeable and great instructors. It was not always easy, but I did learn a lot (this from someone who thought he knew it all) met some interesting people, and definitely received a boost in my career as... Read More

Unhappy student

Reviewed: 4/28/2023

Degree: Special Education

RUN AWAY FROM THIS SCHOOL. DO NOT IGNORE THE REVEIWS. I have been here for a month and can't get any calls returned. The school advertises false promises. You get a lot of calls and motivated returned calls from enrollment specialist in the beginning. I think they like are on commision. Once you enroll and attend (gotcha) it is a whole new ball game. I am trying to stay positive and hope this nightmare turns around. I am not one to write reviews nor am I a complainer. This school is worth warning... Read More

Disappointed Veteran

Reviewed: 4/25/2023

Degree: Criminal Justice

This school is an absolute nightmare. I honestly do not know how they made it this far. I strongly urge anyone searching for a school to look anywhere and I mean anywhere but here. The staff here are the worst staff I have ever dealt with at any establishment anywhere. Nobody answers the phone and your voicemails are never addressed. You might have an email returned several days later but by the time anything is addressed it will be far too late to make any difference. I urge you to find any other... Read More

Ms. Point

Reviewed: 4/14/2023

Degree: Nursing

National University Post Graduate PMHNP program is a pathetic excuse for a postgraduate program. I am not sure how or who they hire as "professors." It was literally the worse educational experience I have had. There was no learning except through books. Even the discussion forums often needed to be made more sense. It was obvious the teachers did not read them because there was blatant cut and paste. The list goes on. If you want to buy an expensive degree, you have your school

Student

Reviewed: 3/16/2023

Degree: School Counseling

Prior to enrolling in the MS in Educational Counseling program, I was not told that I would have to find my own internship and practicum hours placement. Miscommunication/lack of communication from the very start. The MS in Educational Counseling program lacked a lot in terms of communication and despite being an asynchronous program, teachers still required us to attend classes despite informing them that I would be at work during those class sessions. Out of all the instructors that I had, I feel... Read More

Brenda

Reviewed: 2/27/2023

Degree: Education

I have worked extremely hard in the doctoral program and I carry almost a 4.0. I went to booth camp as well. When I finally became a doctoral candidate. My chair deliberately delay my feed back so I would go into a B session. I was also given a SME from Nigeria who looks down and provides personal critical feedback. I am so disappointed in the dissertation phase. The chair and SME gets plenty of time to return assignments, however, they delay to allow the University to make more money. This is no... Read More

k.j.

Reviewed: 12/19/2022

Degree: Psychology

I have to admit, I had high expectations for this University when I saw the variety of programs offered. A quick, online inquiry awarded me with SIX different enrollment specialists who all returned my call within 10 minutes. I was then connected with an 'Enrollment Advisor', and that's the end. The communication is horrific and as a result, I missed out on my desired start date. I considered other programs (because that is initially what drew me to NU), but ultimately always had more questions than... Read More