NNU vs. SVU

Should I go to Northwest Nazarene University or Southern Virginia University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NNU or SVU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Northwest Nazarene University vs. Southern Virginia University comparison
Northwest Nazarene University Southern Virginia University College 3 College 4
Northwest Nazarene University Southern Virginia University
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Overview

NNU SVU
Location Nampa, ID Buena Vista, VA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 1,778 1,053
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #761 #984
Religious Affiliation Church of the Nazarene - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nnu.edu svu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NNU SVU
Tuition (In State) $35,548 $18,858
Tuition (Out of State) $35,548 $18,858
Room & Board $10,500 $9,150
Avg Net Price $25,674 $23,274
Avg Grant Aid $21,411 $8,188
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

NNU SVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,394 1,090
Admitted 2,993 1,084
Acceptance Rate 88.2%Open 99.4%
Enrolled % 8%Open 35.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/27 18/24
SAT Range 1000/1240 900/1250
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

NNU SVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • Work and Family Studies (12%)

Outcomes

NNU SVU
Graduation Rate 52% 25%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,000 $40,600
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $23,654
Median Loan Payment $268 $244

Diversity

NNU SVU
% Men 37% 53%
% Women 63% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 80%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 4%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 2% 7%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 6% 1%

Students

NNU SVU
% In-State 55% 12%
% Out-of-State 42% 73%

Campus

NNU SVU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northwest Nazarene University is larger than than SVU based on total student enrollment (1,778 students vs. 1,053 students)

NNU vs. SVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NNU or SVU?

  • Northwest Nazarene University is 88.5% more expensive to attend than SVU for in-state tuition ($35,548.00 vs. $18,858.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 88.5% higher at NNU than Southern Virginia University ($35,548.00 vs. $18,858.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Virginia University than NNU ($23,274 vs. $25,674)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Virginia University are 14.8% lower than costs at Northwest Nazarene University ($9,150 vs. $10,500)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northwest Nazarene University as Southern Virginia University (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwest Nazarene University students is 161.5% larger than aid received Southern Virginia University ($21,411 vs. $8,188)

NNU vs. SVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, NNU or SVU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SVU or NNU .

  • The average SAT score at Northwest Nazarene University (1056) is 15 points higher than at SVU (1041)
  • Incoming NNU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at SVU (23)
  • Accepted freshman NNU students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at SVU (3.19)
  • SVU has a higher acceptance rate (99.4%) than NNU (88.2%)

NNU vs. SVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NNU or SVU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between SVU and NNU.

  • The graduation rate at NNU is higher than Southern Virginia University (52% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from Northwest Nazarene University earn on average $2,400 more per year than SVU graduates after ten years. ($43,000 vs. $40,600)
  • Southern Virginia University students graduate with a $2,346 lower median federal student loan debt than NNU graduates. ($23,654 vs. $26,000)
  • SVU graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than NNU graduates. ($244 vs. $268)
  • More NNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SVU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 53%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/