Northern Arizona University

Public · Moderately Selective · AZ

Photo: Joshbiggs (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationAZ · West

SettingUrban

Undergrads22,903

Student:faculty19:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate48.1%

6-yr grad rate61.3%

Drop-out rate24.5%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$13k

Out-of-state tuition$30k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity47.7%

Gender diversity63.1%

International2.1%

Identity—

Overview

Northern Arizona University sits in Flagstaff, a mountain town at 7,000 feet surrounded by the world's largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest, with the Grand Canyon, Native American nations of the Colorado Plateau, and Sedona's red rock country all within a short drive. Its setting and mission are closely intertwined, including a substantial and long-standing commitment to serving Native American students, particularly from the neighboring Navajo and Hopi nations.

Academics

Forestry and environmental science draw directly on the surrounding landscape, supported by on-campus research forests and long-running ecological research stations, and hotel and restaurant management and education are additional long-standing strengths. Health sciences, including nursing and physical therapy, have grown into a significant presence as well. Class sizes and program feel are more intimate than at Arizona's larger public universities, even as the university has expanded its research profile.

Campus & student life

Flagstaff's high-elevation, forested setting makes the campus culture genuinely outdoorsy, with skiing at the nearby Arizona Snowbowl, hiking, and canyon country all within a short drive. The town itself is walkable, scenic, and cooler than the rest of Arizona for much of the year, giving the university a small-city, mountain-town feel distinct from Phoenix or Tucson. Lumberjack athletics and a close-knit residential campus round out student life.

Getting in

Admission is accessible and academically straightforward rather than heavily filtered, appealing to students who want outdoor access and a smaller, more personal public-university experience in Arizona. The university has also built targeted pathways and support programs for Native American applicants, reflecting its broader mission.

After graduation

Forestry, environmental science, and hospitality graduates often move into land-management agencies, national parks, and the tourism industry across the Southwest, while education graduates place widely across Arizona schools. The university's health science graduates increasingly feed rural and tribal health systems across the Colorado Plateau.

Worth knowing

The university's Native American student population and related support programs, including need-based and tribal-specific initiatives, are a distinctive feature, and its forestry and environmental science programs benefit directly from the surrounding national forest and canyon country. Flagstaff's altitude and climate are also a genuine adjustment for students used to the Arizona desert.

nau.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate89.6%

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policynot used

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying (2026-27 cycle)

Apply through Common App or Own application.

Verified from the school’s admissions pages ↗