Northern Arizona University or NAU is a public university in Flagstaff, Arizona that has around 30,000 students. NAU is renowned for Education, Forestry, Nursing, Business, and Environmental Sciences. NAU emphasizes individualized instruction, smaller classes, and great student support, and its campus is blessed with the beautiful scenery close to mountains. Admissions are fairly selective with an acceptance rate of around 91%, and a graduation rate of around 64%. Grads receive median salaries of about USD 55,000–60,000 a few years post-graduation.
Arizona State University (ASU) is a big public research university with multiple campuses in Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona, with about 90,000 students enrolled, ranking as one of the largest in the U.S. ASU is highly regarded for Business, Computer Science, Engineering, Sustainability, and Education. It emphasizes innovation, research, and entrepreneurship with a lot of internship and professional exposure. Admissions are relatively selective with an acceptance rate of around 90%, and a graduation rate of around 73%. Graduates earn median salaries of around USD 65,000–70,000
| Northern Arizona University | Arizona State University | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 4.2 Out of 10 | 5.5 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 1001 QS World University 2026 # 834 Center for World University Rankings 2025 # 1001 QS World University 2025 | # 173 QS World University 2026 # 196 Center for World University Rankings 2025 # 200 QS World University 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 301 for Engineering by Academy Ranking of World Universities 2022 # 446 for Medicine by Round University Ranking 2018 | # 47 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 51 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 301 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -33 PG Programs -24 Doctorate Programs -1 | UG Programs -66 PG Programs -114 Doctorate Programs -21 |
| Acceptance Rate | 91.0 % | 90.0 % |
| Exam Score | IELTS-6.5 TOEFL-70 | GMAT-650 GRE-300 IELTS-6.5 SAT-1180 TOEFL-80 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 26642 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 28240 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 24948 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 31200 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 25200 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 22446 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | Some of the programs and the average salary are as follows: Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services: $50,700 Health Professions and Related Programs: $59,000 Education: $39,000 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities: $45,700 Biological and Biomedical Sciences: $41,500 | Top Recruiters are WP Carey & Co., Goldman Sachs Group, Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase, Intel Corp, Daimler Benz, Rubbermaid, AMERCO, HSBC, Shell oil company, Bank of America, Honeywell International.
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| application requirements | Submit official transcripts Submit LORs Submit personal statement Submit English language proficiency scores Check program specific requirements | LOR- 3 letters of recommendation, SOP- Yes, GPA- 3.53 (C+ grade) |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 7.9/10 Read 7 reviews | 7.6/10 Read 64 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 122 for Business by US News 2025 | # 83 for Business by QS World University 2025 # 91 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 53 for Business by Financial Times 2024 |
| application | - | - |
| exam scores | Duolingo - 105/160IELTS - 6.5/9TOEFL - 80/120 | Duolingo - 105/160IELTS - 6.5/9PTE - 60/90TOEFL - 80/120 |
| cost to study | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -31658 | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -64016 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Apr 1, 2025 (Final Application Deadline For Fall Intake) Feb 15, 2026 (Application Deadline For Fall Intake) | Oct 15, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline for Fall 2026 Intake) Dec 1, 2025 (Round 2 Application Deadline for Fall 2026 Intake) Feb 1, 2026 (Round 3(Priority International) Application Deadline for Fall 2026 Intake) Apr 1, 2026 (Final Application Deadline for Fall 2026 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | Northern Arizona University | Arizona State University |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1899 | 1885 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 18:1:1 |
| Male:Female | 40% Male, 60% Female | 57% Male, 43% Female |
| Location Facts | The main campus of the university is located in Flagstaff, Arizona. The university has campuses across 20 locations and also provides online education. | If you get overburdened with study, then you should relax in arranging a party bike with your friends and colleagues. It is one of the funniest experiences around the campus premise. If you are a connoisseur of art, then you must pay a visit to the ceramic art museum. Those pieces of art display the expressionism form at its best. |
| Library | The Cine library provides the students many resources like publications, databases, journals, e-books etc. | More than 4.5 million volumes of books along with articles. It is considered to be the 34th largest library located in USA and Canada |
| Campus Life | NAU houses nearly 10,500 students on campus. NAU has more than 400 recognized professional, academic, service, and social organizations; an intramural sports program; The Lumberjack student newspaper; and active residence hall organizations. The John Haeger Health and Learning Center features include an indoor jogging track, a 38-foot climbing wall, a large weight room, a multipurpose gym, a cardio theatre, and 123,000 square feet of recreation opportunities. The center also includes all of the on-campus medical services and the offices for Disability Resources on campus. More than 30 competitive and recreational intramural opportunities in individual and team sports are available. Also, more than 40 sports clubs are classified as either competitive or recreational/instructional, including baseball, rugby, soccer, ice hockey, lacrosse, Quidditch, disc golf, kendo, mixed martial arts, and water polo. Unions and Student Activities offers many services and events for the campus community, such as movies and the popular Friday night AfterHours program produced by Sun Entertainment. SUN also presents concerts, comedians, free movies, trivia nights, dodgeball, and many other special events each year. Student-athletes compete at the intervarsity level in football (men); volleyball, soccer, golf, and swimming and diving (women); and basketball, cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field, and tennis (men and women). The university participates in 15 intercollegiate sports programs. | Homecoming Lantern Walk, Academic Bowl, Inferno are the major mentioning events that happened on the campus for new students. More than 1000 clubs are there for the students on basis of preferences |
| Hostel | #Off campus (with family) - $5070 #Off campus (not with family) - $9934 #On campus - $9944 | #Housing and meals - $18993 #Transportation - $3453 |
| Famous Alumni | Rutanya Alda – actress Robin Braun – United States Navy rear admiral | Reggie Jackson (baseball player), Barry Bonds (baseball player), Dough Dacey (Governor of Arizona), Phil Mickelson (professional golfer), David Spade (actor), Kate Spade (fashion designer), Jimmy Kimmel (TV host), Patt Tillman (American footballer), James Harden (basketball player), etc |
| City Life | Flagstaff is close to the mountains, forests, and even gets snow during the winter months. For those who enjoy hiking, mountain biking, and camping, Flagstaff is an endless playground. The higher altitude and shade of the thick forests makes Flagstaff significantly cooler than many other Arizona cities. This means you can enjoy these outdoor activities for more months of the year. Being located in northern Arizona means Flagstaff is close to much of the central and western United States. Lake Powell, Sedona, and Las Vegas are all nearby, meaning no matter what kind of fun you are looking for, you can find something. Though the population of Flagstaff is on the smaller side, there are a few employment giants in the area making sure there will always be jobs for Flagstaff residents. Nestle Purina employs over 3,ooo people in the Flagstaff area. Another huge employer in Flagstaff is Northern Arizona Healthcare. | If you love to explore the city along with a good taste of food, then you must take a tour to Downtown Tempe. Other than magnificent cityscape, you will be getting ideas about exciting activities happening around the city. Whether it's shopping or restaurants or nightlife, you will definitely fall in love with this kind of tour. |
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Northern Arizona University vs Arizona State University
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
Northern Arizona University (NAU): NAU is a low-profile regional public university that ranks 1000-1200 in QS World University Rankings 2026. Its areas of prominence are Forestry, Environmental Science, Health Professions, Education, and Business with a strong focus on undergraduate teaching and student support.
Arizona State University (ASU): Ranked around 173 in the world by QS World University Rankings 2026, ASU is a research-intensive university of size with specialty areas in Engineering, Computer Science, Business, Sustainability, and Social Sciences. ASU is research-intensive, with strong innovation programs and international reputation.
General Information
NAU, located in Flagstaff, Arizona, is a smaller public university (~30,000 students) with an emphasis on individualized instruction, outdoor/environmental programs, and close-knit campus life. ASU, located in Tempe, is a huge urban campus with more than 90,000 students across several campuses, with a broad range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
NAU has moderately competitive admission, with an emphasis on academic achievement, community involvement, and comprehensive student assessment. ASU has selective admissions requirements for high-demand majors like Engineering, Business, and STEM fields, but tends to have a higher overall acceptance rate because it is such a large public university.
Research Impact & Facilities
NAU offers good teaching laboratories and some applied research in areas like environmental science and forestry. ASU has a large amount of research infrastructure in the form of advanced labs, innovation centers, and interdomain research programs and contributes to a large-scale global research output.
Cost & Financial Aid
They are both public schools with lower in-state tuition and higher international student fees. Both provide merit-based scholarships and need-based aid, but ASU has more comprehensive research and graduate funding options.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
NAU graduates are adequately positioned for employment within the region, especially in the education, health, environmental, and business sectors. ASU graduates enjoy robust professional networks, research experience, and employer relationships, with success in engineering, business, technology, and innovation-based careers, both locally and globally.
