About

At a Glance

NNU At a Glance

What To Know Before Visiting

Welcome to Northwest Nazarene University, a Christian liberal arts institution nestled in the awe-inspiring landscapes of the Boise Valley. With dedicated faculty, innovative research initiatives and a tight-knit community, we foster academic excellence and a commitment to service that lead to a transformative educational journey.

students walking to class with coffee

Year Established

Students Taking Online Courses

Average Grad/Professional Class Size

Student Organizations

Undergraduate Students

%

Students Received Aid in 2023-24

States Represented

Spiritual Life Opportunities

Graduate Students

Average Undergraduate Class Size

Countries Represented

Faculty Members

Location:

Nampa, Idaho

Identity:

Comprehensive Christian Liberal Arts Education

Accredited:

by the Northwest Comission on Colleges and Universities

Careers & Internships

  • At NNU, students prepare for a life of service through rigorous academics, taught in small classes that offer personal attention, innovative research and hands-on internships.
  • You don’t have to choose just one pursuit … you can choose a major, compete in athletics, participate in music, theatre or a variety of other extracurriculars all at the same time.
  • If you don’t know what you want to major in, NNU can help; we have faculty advisors, success coaches and staff ready to help determine what major is best for each student.
  • You have access to a deep network of caring and esteemed individuals, happy to connect, support and encourage.
  • Recent graduates work in places like Boeing, Pixar, Adobe, CBS Entertainment, Micron and Intel.
professor teaching small group of students

Affiliations

NNU is affiliated with The Church of the Nazarene. Approximately 35% of traditional undergraduate students claim “Nazarene” as their church background and the other 65% belong to a variety of different Christian denominations, other religions or indicate no religious affiliation.

Rankings & Awards

NNU is empowering you to master your craft for good and inspire transformation like the world has never seen. See how we have been recognized for making a mark with quality programs.

2023 Frank Murray Leadership Recognition Award

The Frank Murray Leadership Recognition Award acknowledges education providers that achieve outstanding Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accreditation, demonstrating commitment to enhancing P-12 learning by using data-driven self-assessment for continuous improvement.

2025 Best Regional Colleges by The Princeton Review

Northwest Nazarene University has been named one of the Best Regional Colleges by The Princeton Review based on data compiled from current students.

Additional Awards & Acknowledgements

Northwest Nazarene University is the only university in Idaho awarded as a College of Distinction for 2024-2025.

Northwest Nazarene University is the only university in Idaho awarded as a Top Christian College of Distinction for 2024-2025.

Northwest Nazarene University is the only university in Idaho awarded as a Top Career Development College of Distinction for 2024-2025.

Northwest Nazarene University is the only university in Idaho awarded as a Top Nursing College of Distinction for 2024-2025.

Northwest Nazarene University is the only university in Idaho awarded as a Top Engineering College of Distinction for 2024-2025.

Northwest Nazarene University is the only university in Idaho awarded as a Top Education College of Distinction for 2024-2025.

Northwest Nazarene University is the only university in Idaho awarded as a Top Business College of Distinction for 2024-2025.

Northwest Nazarene University is the only university in Idaho awarded as a Niche Best College for 2023-2024.

Northwest Nazarene University is the only university in Idaho awarded as a College of Distinction for 2023-2024.

Northwest Nazarene University is the only university in Idaho awarded as a Top Christian College of Distinction for 2023-2024.

Northwest Nazarene University is the only university in Idaho awarded as a College of Distinction for 2023-2024.

Northwest Nazarene University is the only university in Idaho awarded as a Top Career Development College of Distinction for 2023-2024.

Northwest Nazarene University is the only university in Idaho awarded as a Top Nursing College of Distinction for 2023-2024.

Northwest Nazarene University is the only university in Idaho awarded as a Top Engineering College of Distinction for 2023-2024.

Northwest Nazarene University is the only university in Idaho awarded as a Top Education College of Distinction for 2023-2024.

Northwest Nazarene University is the only university in Idaho awarded as a Top Business College of Distinction for 2023-2024.

Northwest Nazarene University was recognized as a Best Value School in the 2022-2023 academic year by U.S. News & World Report.

Northwest Nazarene University was recognized as a Best for Social Mobility during the 2022-2023 academic year by U.S. News & World Report.

Northwest Nazarene University was recognized as a Best Regional University in the West for 2022-2023 by U.S. News & World Report.

Prior Awards (Through 2017)

  • Top Online Nursing Practitioner Programs 2021
  • Best Online Colleges 2020
  • Best MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner 2019-2020
  • Online Christian Colleges – Best Schools
  • Best Online Programs – Doctorate in Educational Leadership
  • Top Online College for Value, SR Education Group – Master’s in Nursing 2018
  • Top Online College for Value, SR Education Group – Bachelor’s in Nursing 2018
  • Colleges of Distinction 2017-2018
  • Best Colleges in Idaho 2017
  • Best Value School – University Research & Review, LLC
  • Top Online Colleges, SR Education Group Best Value – Associate 2017
  • 50 Best Christian Graduate Schools 2017
  • Best Online Colleges in Idaho 2017