Northern Arizona University Ranking

Latest Update : NAU follows a rolling admissions model, meaning applications are accepted year-round. However, to maximize your chances for timely review, consider the priority deadline: Spring 2026 Application Deadline: September 15, 2025

Northern Arizona University (NAU) demonstrates a consistent global presence, ranked #834 worldwide by the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) 2025, placing it in the top 3.9% of institutions globally. 

Northern Arizona University ranking is in the 1001-1200 band on QS World University Rankings 2025, while US News & World Report 2025 lists it at #244 among National Universities. The university is also ranked #182 nationally in the USA by CWUR, reflecting its strong academic and research output. 

For international students aspiring to study in the USA, NAU provides a diverse academic portfolio that includes over 130 undergraduate, 80 graduate, and 20 doctoral programs, with particular strengths in physical sciences, engineering, and business disciplines.

Northern Arizona University World Rankings 2024-25

Northern Arizona University maintains a consistent global standing, ranked within the #1001–1200 bracket in the QS World University Rankings for 2026 mirroring its position in 2025. In the same vein, NAU holds National University ranking #244 (tie)in the 2025–26 U.S. News & World Report, affirming its steady performance among American institutions.

Ranking Body	2024	2025	2026
QS World University Rankings	1001-1200	1001-1200	1001-1200
US News National Universities	249	244	244
THE Global Ranking	N/A	N/A	N/A

Now that you have explored Northern Arizona University ranking, it's equally important to understand how the Northern Arizona University courses perform across ranking platforms. 

Subject-Wise Ranking of Northern Arizona University

Northern Arizona University offers a comprehensive academic portfolio with 97 baccalaureate degrees, 74 master's degrees, 21 doctoral degrees, 58 undergraduate certificates, and 40 graduate certificates as of Fall 2024. 

Popular and highly regarded programs at NAU include those in physical sciences, environmental sciences, engineering, business administration, education, health sciences, and hotel & restaurant management. 

Let’s have a look at Northern Arizona University ranking across specific subjects.

QS Rankings 2025

The QS World University Rankings 2025 recognize Northern Arizona University for its academic excellence in several disciplines. The university is ranked #89 in the QS World University Ranking by subject. 

The agriculture and forestry subject is ranked #201-250. It is acknowledged for its programs in environmental sciences. It is among the top universities for earth & marine sciences, and education, reflecting its research impact and reputation in these fields.

Below is the table with the latest subject rankings of NAU in QS World University Rankings 2025: 

Subject	Rankings 2025
Linguistics	89
Agriculture and Forestry	201-250
English Language and Literature	301-350
Education and Training	351-400
Environmental Sciences	401-450

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Building on NAU’s recognition in the QS subject-wise rankings, it is equally important to consider how the university performs in the U.S. News & World Report subject rankings.

U.S. News Rankings 2025

Northern Arizona University is ranked #244 among National Universities in the U.S. News & World Report 2025, reflecting its solid academic standing and reputation in the United States. 

In subject-specific rankings for 2025, NAU’s undergraduate engineering program is ranked #168, nursing course is ranked #218, and economics is ranked #277 by U.S. News.

Here's a table highlighting Northern Arizona University ranking across different subjects: 

Subject	Rankings 2025
Undergraduate Engineering	#168
Nursing	#218
Economics	#277

Now that you've seen how Northern Arizona University performs by subject, let's review some other rankings that provide a broader view of the university experience it offers students.

Miscellaneous Ranking

Beyond the major international rankings, Northern Arizona University is recognized by several additional reputable ranking bodies for its overall academic and research performance. 

In the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) 2025, NAU holds a global rank of #834, placing it in the top 3.9% of universities worldwide, with a national rank of #182 in the USA. The Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) positions NAU in the #501-600 band globally for 2025.

Below is a table mentioning NAU’s miscellaneous rankings:

Ranking Body	Ranking Description	Ranking 2025
CWUR	Evaluates education quality, alumni employability, faculty awards, research output, influence, citations, and patents.	#834
CWUR	Measures education quality, research output, and influence nationally.	#182
Shanghai (ARWU)	Assesses research excellence, including Nobel/Fields laureates, highly cited researchers, and top journal publications.	#501-600

Now, let’s have a look at Northern Arizona University's achievements, excellence, and milestones that set it apart, including how its resources help students get the best career options after graduation.

Northern Arizona University: Excellence and Achievements

The university’s School of Communication has garnered top honors at the Broadcast Education Association awards, including four national awards in 2025, highlighting student excellence in media and sports coverage. 

NAU’s commitment to research is reflected in faculty and student accomplishments, such as prestigious fellowships, national leadership institute selections, and significant research grants like the Gates Foundation award for educational innovation.

Next, let’s explore the university’s academic excellence and national recognition in greater detail.

Academic Excellence and National Recognition

The university is classified as an "R1: Doctoral University, Very high research activity" and is nationally recognized for its innovative teaching, research in astronomy and planetary science, and community engagement. NAU’s faculty have contributed to major NASA missions. 

Below are listed some of the NAU's academic excellence and national recognition: 

Recognition	Description
R1 Research Classification	Recognized as a top-tier research university for very high research activity
NASA Mission Participation	Faculty led NASA DART planetary defense mission and co-discovered celestial bodies like Eris
Gold Axe Award	Honors 1% of graduating seniors each semester for leadership and service to NAU and community

Beyond its academic achievements, Northern Arizona University also offers a lively community and a strong focus on social impact, giving a few more reasons to why study in the USA.

Community and Lifestyle Recognitions

Northern Arizona University is celebrated for its welcoming campus community, vibrant student life, and commitment to social impact. 

With over 28,000 students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries, NAU promotes diversity and inclusion through 400+ student clubs, regular cultural festivals, and a broad range of volunteer opportunities.

Below is a table highlighting key community and lifestyle recognitions at Northern Arizona University:

Recognition	Description
Student Life & Engagement	44% live on campus; high ratings for housing, dining, recreation, and campus events
Safety & Wellbeing	83% of students report feeling extremely safe and secure on campus.
National Broadcasting Awards	Four national awards at the 2025 Broadcast Education Association for student media excellence
Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI)	Recognized for serving a diverse student population with nearly 30% Hispanic enrollment

As you explore NAU’s strong sense of community and enriching campus life, it’s also important to highlight the university’s achievements in the cultural and creative fields.

Cultural and Creative Excellence

The university's School of Music is renowned for its award-winning ensembles and hosts the annual NAU Jazz Festival, attracting top talent from across the region. NAU’s theater and film programs regularly produce acclaimed performances and student films, many of which have received regional and national honors. 

The university’s art galleries and the Clara M. Lovett Art Museum provide platforms for student and faculty exhibitions.

Below is a table highlighting some of Northern Arizona University’s cultural and creative excellence recognitions:

Recognition	Description
NAU Jazz Festival	Annual event drawing leading jazz musicians and student ensembles from the Southwest.
Award-Winning Music Ensembles	School of Music ensembles have received regional and national accolades.
Art Exhibitions & Museum	Clara M. Lovett Art Museum and campus galleries showcase student and faculty creative work.
Creative Writing Distinction	MFA program and literary festivals recognized nationally for excellence in writing and publishing.

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To build on NAU’s achievements and recognition, let’s examine how its rankings relate to its acceptance rate:

Northern Arizona University: Ranking V/S Acceptance Rate

Northern Arizona University maintains a high acceptance rate of 91%, and ranks #834 globally (CWUR 2025) and #501-600 in the Shanghai (ARWU) 2025 rankings, demonstrating that its accessible admissions do not compromise its recognized strengths in fields like Linguistics, Nursing, and Engineering. 

Let’s look at how acceptance rates align with subject rankings across different disciplines:

Subject	US News Rankings 2025	Acceptance Rate
UG Engineering Program	#168	91%
Nursing (Undergraduate)	#218	91%
Economics	#277	91%

Next, let's explore the methodologies employed by various ranking bodies to evaluate and rank universities.

Ranking Bodies Methodologies

Ranking systems evaluate universities using different priorities and measures. QS strongly emphasizes academic reputation, dedicating 30% of its score to it. Times Higher Education (THE) weighs teaching quality 32.5%, while U.S. News weighs at 20%.

Understanding these distinctions helps interpret Northern Arizona University's rankings more clearly. These rankings offer valuable insight for academic choices alongside solid employability support. 

Below is the breakdown of each ranking body's key metrics to assess universities.

QS World University Rankings

QS evaluates Northern Arizona University rankings based on research output, faculty quality, and international engagement. This approach highlights how Northern Arizona University is perceived in global academic and professional circles.

The main focus areas include academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, citations per faculty, and international faculty and student ratios. The key focus areas and indicators used to assess performance are listed below.

Focus Area	Indicators	Weightage
Research and Discovery	Academic Reputation	30%
	Citations per Faculty	20%
Employability and Outcomes	Employer Reputation	15%
	Employment Outcomes	5%
Global Engagement	International Faculty Ratio	5%
	International Research Network	5%
	International Student Ratio	5%
	International Student Diversity	0%
Learning Experience	Faculty Student Ratio	10%
Sustainability	Sustainability	5%

In contrast to the QS approach, the Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings adopts a different set of priorities and indicators.

Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings

THE combines teaching quality, research performance, and international diversity to assess universities worldwide. Unlike other rankings, it emphasizes fully funded PhD research and institutional collaboration, reflecting Northern Arizona University's impact on economic development and global partnerships.

Key indicators include teaching (learning environment), research (volume, income, reputation), citations (research influence), international outlook, and industry income. Here's a closer look at the key factors that shape their rankings:

Focus Area	Indicators	Weightage
Teaching	Teaching Reputation	15%
	Staff-to-student ratio	4.5%
	Doctorate-to-bachelor’s ratio	2%
	Doctorates-awarded-to-academic-staff ratio	5.5%
	Institutional income	2.5%
Research Environment	Research reputation	18%
	Research income	5.5%
	Research productivity	5.5%
Research Quality	Citation impact	15%
	Research strength	5%
	Research excellence	5%
	Research influence	5%
International Outlook	Proportion of international students	2.5%
	Proportion of international staff	2.5%
	International collaboration	2.5%
Industry	Industry income	2%
	Patents	2%

Moving on, the Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings provides another perspective on university performance, emphasizing additional factors.

U.S. News and World Report Rankings

U.S. News centers on student success and institutional resources, focusing on graduation rates, faculty quality, and financial support. This perspective sets it apart by prioritizing outcomes alongside inputs.

Their evaluation includes indicators such as global research reputation, publications, normalized citation impact, and faculty resources. Here's a breakdown of the key indicators used in these rankings:

Focus Indicators	Weightage
Graduation Rates	16%
First-year retention rates	5%
Graduation rate performance	10%
Pell graduation rates	5.5%
Pell graduation performance	5.5%
College grads earning more than a high school grad	5%
Borrower debt	5%
Peer assessment	20%
Financial resources	8%
Faculty salaries	8%
Full-time faculty	3%
Student-faculty ratio	4%
Standardized tests	5%

Ranking agencies employ various benchmarks, encompassing faculty expertise, research output, and learning environment. Together, these perspectives help outline a university's standing and performance across key academic areas.

Conclusion

Northern Arizona University has maintained a strong and stable presence in global and national rankings, with a US News National University ranking of #244 in 2025 and a Shanghai ARWU global ranking of #501-600. Its standout programs in Ecology (#41 in Shanghai) and Linguistics (#89 in QS) demonstrate its subject-specific excellence. 

NAU’s consistent performance across major platforms, combined with a high acceptance rate and diverse campus community, highlights its reputation as a research-driven, accessible, and well-rounded public university.