nau.edu

NAU reports that 73% of graduating seniors said they would be employed or enrolled in graduate school after graduation. That figure is the clearest outcome signal on the university's own site, and it sits alongside three supporting numbers: 800 funded research projects per year, more than 500 companies recruiting directly from NAU, and a student body where 39% of undergraduates are first-generation college students. If you are weighing whether NAU is worth it, these are the numbers to start from — with the caveat that they describe graduating seniors' self-reported plans, not a guaranteed result for every graduate.

The headline outcome: 73% employed or in graduate school

NAU states that 73% of graduating seniors reported they will be employed or enrolled in graduate school after graduation. A few things are worth understanding about a number like this:

• It is a report, not a placement guarantee. The wording is "reported they will be employed or enrolled," which reflects students' stated plans at graduation. It does not tell you the salary, the field, or whether the job is full-time and degree-related.
• It combines two destinations. Employment and graduate school are counted together, so the 73% does not separate how many go straight to work versus how many continue studying.
• It is a single snapshot. The site presents it as a current figure without a year-by-year trend, so you cannot read improvement or decline from it alone.

For a prospective student, the practical takeaway is that roughly three in four graduating seniors had a next step lined up. The remaining share is not explained on the page, so treat 73% as a floor for "has a plan," not a ceiling on outcomes.

What supports those outcomes

Research experience: 800 funded projects per year

NAU reports 800 research projects funded each year. For undergraduates, funded research matters because it produces the kind of supervised, hands-on work that graduate programs and employers ask about. If you are aiming for graduate school, this is the number that most directly connects to the "enrolled in graduate school" half of the 73%.

Recruiting: over 500 companies recruit directly from NAU

More than 500 companies recruit directly from NAU each year, according to the site. Direct recruiting is the mechanism behind the employment half of the outcome figure — it means employers come to campus rather than waiting for applications. If a specific employer matters to you, the useful next step is to ask that employer's recruiter or NAU's career office whether they actually recruit for your intended field, since "500+ companies" is an aggregate across all programs.

First-generation support: 39% of undergrads

NAU reports that 39% of undergraduates are first-generation college students. That is a composition figure rather than an outcome, but it is relevant to outcomes: a large first-gen population usually means the university has built advising, financial aid, and career support aimed at students without family experience navigating college. If you are first-gen yourself, this suggests you would not be navigating it alone.

How to use these numbers when deciding

The right way to read this table is as a set of conditions to verify against your own situation. The aggregate numbers are favorable, but they are university-wide. Your outcome depends on your major, your use of research and recruiting opportunities, and your own follow-through.

What to check before you commit

Because the published figures are broad, close the gap with program-level questions:

1. Ask your intended department for its own placement data. Departmental numbers are usually more specific than the university-wide 73%.
2. Ask which of the 500+ recruiters hire for your major. A recruiting list is only useful if your target employers are on it.
3. Ask how undergraduates actually get into the 800 funded projects. Find out whether first-years and sophomores can join, or whether it is mostly upperclassmen.
4. Ask about career services for your path. If graduate school is your goal, ask about advising and application support; if employment is your goal, ask about internships and recruiting timelines.

NAU's own framing is that students find "community, purpose, and opportunity" with "career-driven programs" and "real-world experience." The outcome numbers back up that framing at a general level. Whether they hold for you comes down to the specific program and how you use what the university offers.

Prospective students can start at nau.edu, where the homepage offers two direct actions: Apply now and Schedule a tour. Use the first if you are ready to submit an application; use the second if you want to see the Flagstaff campus before deciding. Before either step, it helps to identify whether you are applying for an undergraduate degree, graduate degree, online degree, or certificate program, because NAU organizes its program pages around those categories.

Apply to NAU

1. Confirm your applicant type and program

NAU lists these main program categories on its site:

• Undergraduate degrees
• Graduate degrees
• Online degrees
• Certificate programs

Your application path depends on which category fits your goal. For example, a first-time undergraduate and a graduate applicant should not use the same program search or application expectations.

2. Use the Apply now entry point

On the NAU homepage, select Apply now. This is the official application entry point provided by the site.

3. Prepare for the application

The available page evidence does not list specific application materials, deadlines, fees, or test requirements. Those details are not stated in the provided source, so check the relevant admissions page after selecting your program type.

4. Expect financial aid to matter for most first-year students

NAU states that 99% of first-year NAU students receive some sort of scholarship or financial aid. If cost is part of your decision, review financial aid options as part of the application process rather than after admission.

Visit NAU

Schedule a tour

The homepage provides a Schedule a tour option. This is the direct route for prospective students who want to visit campus before applying or before committing.

What the visit context suggests

NAU describes its Flagstaff location with “golden trees, blue skies, crisp mornings” and notes that “sweater weather comes with mountain views and a pretty great walk to class.” That is marketing language, but it tells you the campus experience is tied to a mountain-town setting and seasonal weather. If you visit, plan for cooler conditions than lower-elevation Arizona locations.

Why prospective students use these two paths

What to check before you apply or visit

• Your program level: undergraduate, graduate, online, or certificate.
• Your intended start term: the source does not provide deadlines, so confirm them on the relevant admissions page.
• Financial aid steps: because nearly all first-year students receive scholarship or financial aid, review aid options early.
• Visit timing: if you want to experience Flagstaff’s seasons, schedule a tour with the weather in mind.

Quick answer

Go to nau.edu and choose Apply now to apply or Schedule a tour to visit. Before doing either, decide whether you are pursuing an undergraduate, graduate, online, or certificate program, then follow the corresponding program and admissions information on the site.

NAU is Northern Arizona University, a public university whose main campus is in Flagstaff, Arizona. Its website, nau.edu, is the entry point for prospective and current students to explore undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, online degrees, and certificate programs. If you are researching where to study, comparing online options, or checking whether a specific program exists at NAU, the site is organized around those degree and program searches.

What NAU offers

NAU describes its academic catalog across four main credential types:

• Undergraduate degrees — bachelor's-level programs for first-year and transfer students.
• Graduate degrees — master's and doctoral-level study.
• Online degrees — programs designed to be completed remotely.
• Certificate programs — shorter credentials that can stand alone or complement a degree.

The university positions these programs as career-driven, with real-world experience built in. Its stated promise to students is personalized support alongside academic preparation, so you can expect the site to emphasize advising, community, and outcomes rather than only course lists.

Where NAU is and what campus life looks like

The main campus is in Flagstaff, Arizona, a mountain city that NAU leans into heavily in its branding. The site highlights the setting directly — golden trees, blue skies, crisp mornings, and mountain views on the walk to class. If location matters to you, Flagstaff's four-season climate and elevation are part of the pitch, not just a backdrop.

NAU at a glance

The university publishes several figures that give a quick sense of scale and student profile:

These numbers are useful for two kinds of decisions: whether the cost is likely to be manageable (the financial aid figure), and whether the outcomes and recruiting pipeline match your goals (the employment and recruiter figures).

Why students say they choose NAU

NAU frames the choice as more than a campus — community, purpose, and opportunity. In practice, that translates to a few concrete draws:

• Affordability — the site devotes a section to making education affordable, and the 99% scholarship-or-aid figure supports that emphasis.
• First-generation support — with 39% of undergraduates being first-generation, there is a substantial peer community if you are the first in your family to attend college.
• Research access — 800 funded research projects per year suggests undergraduates may find research opportunities, though you should confirm availability within your specific department.
• Recruiting connections — over 500 companies recruiting on campus is relevant if you want an internship or job pipeline before graduation.

How to use nau.edu

If you are evaluating NAU, the site supports a few direct actions:

1. Explore degrees and programs — browse by level (undergraduate, graduate, online, certificate) to confirm your field of interest is offered.
2. Check affordability — review the financial aid and scholarship information before assuming cost, since the aid rate is high but individual awards vary.
3. Apply — the site provides an application entry point for prospective students.
4. Schedule a tour — if you want to see the Flagstaff campus in person, tours can be booked through the site.

What to verify before deciding

The published figures are university-wide, so they describe NAU overall rather than your specific program. Before committing, confirm:

• Whether your intended major is available in the format you need (on-campus, online, or hybrid).
• The actual cost after any scholarship or aid you personally qualify for — the 99% figure means some aid, not full funding.
• Employment outcomes for your particular field, since the 73% figure spans all graduating seniors.

For anything involving tuition, deadlines, or admission requirements, use the current pages on nau.edu rather than secondhand summaries, as those details change by term.

Northern Arizona University (NAU) offers four main program types: undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, online degrees, and certificate programs. The right fit depends on where you are in your education and how you want to study — on the Flagstaff campus, online, or a mix. NAU's site organizes its academic offerings around these four categories, so you can start by deciding which one matches your goal.

The four program categories

NAU groups its academics into these paths:

Each category has its own exploration page on NAU's site, which is where you'd browse specific majors, fields, and requirements.

What shapes your choice

A few factors decide which category makes sense for you:

• Your current education level. If you don't yet have a bachelor's, undergraduate degrees are the entry point. If you do, graduate degrees or certificates are the options.
• How you want to attend. Online degrees exist as a separate category, which signals that NAU treats remote study as its own track rather than an add-on to campus programs.
• How long a credential you want. Certificates are a shorter, more targeted route than a full degree.

Why students choose NAU

NAU frames its appeal around career-driven programs, real-world experience, and its Flagstaff location. Some figures from the university's own "at a glance" section:

• 99% of first-year NAU students receive some form of scholarship or financial aid
• 800 research projects are funded each year
• 73% of graduating seniors reported being employed or enrolled in graduate school after graduation
• 39% of undergraduates are first-generation college students
• Over 500 companies recruit directly from NAU each year

These numbers are useful context, but they describe the student body overall — not the outcomes of any single program. If a specific major matters to you, check that program's page directly.

How to move from browsing to applying

1. Pick your category. Decide among undergraduate, graduate, online, or certificate based on the table above.
2. Explore the specific programs within that category on NAU's degrees and programs pages.
3. Check affordability. NAU highlights an "education made affordable" section; the 99% scholarship or aid figure is a starting point, but your actual cost depends on your situation.
4. Apply or visit. NAU's site offers both an "Apply now" path and the option to "Schedule a tour" if you want to see the Flagstaff campus first.

A quick way to decide

If you're unsure, ask one question: Do I already have a bachelor's degree? If no, look at undergraduate degrees. If yes, compare graduate degrees against certificate programs based on how much time and specialization you want. If location or schedule is your main constraint, start with the online degrees category instead.

NAU presents itself as an affordable option, and the strongest single figure on its site is this: 99% of first-year NAU students receive some sort of scholarship or financial aid. That number tells you aid is the norm rather than the exception at Northern Arizona University, but it does not tell you what your own bill will look like. Affordability at NAU depends on your residency, your aid package, and which program you choose — so treat the 99% figure as a starting point for a conversation with the financial aid office, not as a promise about your costs.

What NAU says about affordability

The university frames cost as part of its overall pitch, with a page section titled "Your education made affordable." The site's own summary of why students choose NAU describes the college journey as "as affordable as it is unforgettable," pairing cost language with career-driven programs and the Flagstaff location.

Beyond the headline aid statistic, the page evidence does not list tuition rates, fees, or specific dollar amounts. If you need exact current costs, you will have to get them from NAU directly rather than from the marketing pages.

The aid figure that matters most

The 99% statistic is the one to focus on for affordability. Note the wording carefully: "some sort of scholarship or financial aid" is broad. It can include merit scholarships, need-based grants, loans, work-study, or a combination. Receiving some aid is not the same as receiving enough aid to cover your costs, so the useful next step is finding out what you specifically qualify for.

The 39% first-generation figure is also relevant if you are the first in your family to attend college — it suggests a large peer group navigating the same financial aid process, and often signals dedicated support resources.

Where to look for aid

NAU's site points to several aid channels through its degree and program structure and its affordability messaging:

• Scholarships — the 99% figure implies scholarship awarding is widespread; ask what merit and need-based scholarships you qualify for and whether they renew.
• Financial aid — complete the standard federal aid process so NAU can build your package.
• Program-level differences — NAU offers undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, online degrees, and certificate programs. Costs and aid eligibility can differ across these, so check the category you are actually applying to.

The site does not specify application deadlines, award amounts, or whether aid is need-based or merit-based in each case. Those details come from the financial aid office.

How to check your real cost

1. Identify your program type — undergraduate, graduate, online, or certificate. Each has its own cost structure.
2. Submit your federal aid application so NAU can determine your eligibility.
3. Ask about scholarship eligibility directly, since the 99% figure suggests most first-years receive something.
4. Request a personalized cost estimate rather than relying on published averages.
5. Compare your net cost — total cost minus grants and scholarships — across your options. Loans count as aid but still have to be repaid.

What the site does not tell you

NAU's pages emphasize affordability but do not publish tuition figures, fee breakdowns, or aid amounts in the material available here. The 99% statistic is a strong signal that aid is widely distributed, but it cannot substitute for your own aid offer. Treat any affordability claim — from NAU or anywhere else — as something to verify against your specific package before you commit.