Northern Arizona University

Northern Arizona University's published cost of attendance is $29,933, but need-based aid reshapes that figure meaningfully across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $9,709 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $13,330, and higher-income families pay approximately $20,686.

Azimuth ranks Northern Arizona University #286 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Northern Arizona University participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, and the gap between sticker price and net price is most pronounced for lower-income families — the pattern that [net price and sticker price can differ substantially](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for students who qualify for need-based aid. Families apply using the FAFSA, and institutional grant funding helps close the gap for qualifying students, particularly those in the lowest income bands.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $19,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $23,489; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $60,629, median federal debt of $19,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $215 under standard ten-year repayment.

For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Northern Arizona University earn median earnings of $60,629 four years after enrollment, placing Northern Arizona University in the 46.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).

Graduates earn about $5,179 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 76.8 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures still represent lifetime returns relative to AZ's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $34,059 — the state median earnings of working adults with only a high school credential.

The degree mix at Northern Arizona University is anchored in Business, which accounts for 15% of graduates, followed by Education at 10% and Social Sciences at 7%. Nursing combines strong enrollment with competitive pay, making it a key contributor to the institution's overall earnings profile.

Azimuth ranks Biology, General #174 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with 467 graduates earning median earnings of $55,446. The Nursing program graduates 462 students with median earnings of $84,996, and Azimuth ranks General Studies #37 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 418 graduates earning median earnings of $56,433.

Programs such as Psychology, General and Teacher Education round out the lineup, with median earnings of $50,448 and $50,738 respectively.

Northern Arizona University's program mix is anchored in Business, with meaningful enrollment across education, health, and liberal arts fields — a portfolio consistent with a regional public university serving a broad student population. Biology, General is the largest program with 467 graduates, followed by Nursing (462 graduates), General Studies (418 graduates), Psychology, General (387 graduates), and Teacher Education (312 graduates).

Across 66 programs serving roughly 5,977 students annually, 51 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold. Business accounts for 15% of degree output, with Education at 10% and Social Sciences at 7%.

The strongest earnings come from health and business fields. Nursing leads with median earnings of $84,996 four years after enrollment from a cohort of 462 graduates, and Azimuth ranks the program #134 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Business Administration follows with median earnings of $66,376 from 234 graduates, and Azimuth ranks it #235 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The Kinesiology program graduates 205 students with median earnings of $61,250, and Azimuth ranks the program #29 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Nursing combines strong enrollment scale with solid pay, making it a key contributor to the institution's overall earnings profile. Several of Northern Arizona University's health-related programs — particularly nursing — feed directly into high-demand workforce pipelines where graduates enter stable, well-compensated roles immediately after graduation.

Education and liberal arts fields, by contrast, include grad-school-dependent pathways where four-year earnings undercount the long-term trajectory for graduates who continue to advanced study. The [supply-demand map for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides additional context for how these program families align with national labor-market demand. ```