IN THIS SECTION
Graduation and Retention
Freshman Cohort Graduation Rates
| Year | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-Year | 44% | 48% | 51% | 51% | 50% | 54% | 56% | 58% |
| 5-Year | 56% | 60% | 61% | 60% | 61% | 62% | 63% | N/A |
| 6-Year | 58% | 62% | 62% | 61% | 63% | 63% | N/A | N/A |
Fall-to-Fall Retention Rates
| Student Type | 2015-2016 | 2016-2017 | 2017-2018 | 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | 2022-2023 | 2023-2024 | 2024-2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshmen | 78% | 73% | 78% | 79% | 79% | 84% | 79% | 78% | 77% |
| All Traditional Undergraduate Students | 82% | 82% | 84% | 83% | 84% | 85% | 84% | 81% | 83% |
Persistence Outlook
| 2016-2017 Cohort | 6-Year Award | 8-Year Award Rate | Still Enrolled at NU after 8 Years | Did not receive a credential and subsequently enrolled elsewhere |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time, Freshmen | 63% | 64% | 0.0% | 27% |
| Full-time, Transfer Students | 85% | 85% | 0.0% | 7% |
| Part-time, Transfer Students | 58% | 60% | 1.0% | 14% |
Degrees Conferred 2024-2025
Accounting
Automotive Aftermarket Management
Automotive Industry Management
Automotive Marketing & Management
Cybersecurity Management
Entrepreneurship
Esports Management
Fashion Marketing and Management
Finance
Franchising Management
Health Care Management
Hospitality Management
Insurance Risk Management
International Business
Management
Management Information Systems
Marketing
Marketing Communications
Operations & Supply Chain Mgt
Sport Management
Strategic Management
148
15
7
23
9
12
5
5
193
1
14
65
3
102
266
65
54
14
12
24
2
Applied Management
Computer Science
Data Analytics
General Business
Information Systems & Cybersecurity
Leadership
Leadership & Service
Lean Operations and Supply Chain Management
22
4
1
27
4
3
5
1
MBA
102
Business Analytics
Finance
Human Resources
Org Leadership
74
9
11
24
DBA
3
Degree Outcomes, Assessments and Results
Outcome 1: Articulate and apply the principles and values of freedom and free enterprise.
Direct Measure: Principles of Free Enterprise Exam – Internal
| Metric | 2020-2021 (n=1090) | 2021-2022 (n=1109) | 2022-2023 (n=1104) | 2023-2024 (n=902) | 2024-2025 (n=968) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NU Average | 55 | 57 | 67 | 74 | 75 |
| Northwood Online | 59 | 60 | 64 | 65 | 74 |
| International Program Centers | 48 | 51 | 70 | 83 | 74 |
| Traditional Undergraduate | 63 | 65 | 65 | 67 | 77 |
| Assessment Goal | 61 | 58 | 60 | 60 | 60 |
Outcome 2: Communicate effectively in speech and writing.
Direct Measure: NU Speech and Writing Assessment – Internal
Speech
| Metric | 2020-2021 (n=413) | 2021-2022 (n=443) | 2022-2023 (n=319) | 2023-2024 (n=170) | 2024-2025 (n=74) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NU Average | 4.16 | 4.25 | 4.17 | 4.07 | 4.44 |
| Traditional Undergraduate | 4.19 | 4.50 | 4.23 | 4.04 | 4.44 |
| Northwood Online | 4.12 | 3.91 | 4.06 | 4.24 | 4.42 |
| Assessment Goal | 4.55 | 4.53 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
Writing
| Metric | 2019-2020 (n=497) | 2020-2021 (n=414) | 2021-2022 (n=428) | 2022-2023 (n=319) | 2023-2024 (n=152) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NU Average | 4.07 | 4.25 | 4.14 | 3.98 | 3.83 |
| Traditional Undergraduate | 3.81 | 4.17 | 4.18 | 3.91 | 3.81 |
| Northwood Online | 4.21 | 4.34 | 4.10 | 4.11 | 3.48 |
| Assessment Goal | N/A | 4.18 | 4.30 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
Outcome 3: Demonstrate critical thinking, analytical skills, and problem-solving proficiency.
Direct Measure: HEIghten Critical Thinking Exam – External
| Metric | 2020-2021 (n=472) | 2021-2022 (n=418) | 2022-2023 (n=349) | 2023-2024 (n=260) | 2024-2025 (n=412) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NU Mean | 163.1 | 162.4 | 162.0 | 163.2 | 163.8 |
| Traditional Undergraduate | 162.5 | 161.8 | 162.3 | 163.2 | 163.8 |
| Northwood Online | 163.6 | 162.8 | 161.7 | 163.2 | 163.7 |
| Comparison Group (All Institutions) | 162.8 | 162.8 | 162.1 | 161.6 | 161.9 |
Outcome 4: Demonstrate foundational knowledge of the functional areas of business.
Direct Measure: Peregrine Core Professional Components Exam, Total Score – External
| Metric | 2020-2021 (n=1090) | 2021-2022 (n=1109) | 2022-2023 (n=1104) | 2023-2024 (n=902) | 2024-2025 (n=968) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NU Average | 60 | 63 | 66 | 70 | 69 |
| Traditional Undergraduate | 58 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 66 |
| Northwood Online | 61 | 63 | 64 | 66 | 74 |
| International Program Centers | 60 | 64 | 69 | 75 | 74 |
| Assessment Goal | 57 | 58 | 60 | 61 | 63 |
Outcome 5: Demonstrate acumen applied to the global business environment.
Direct Measure: Peregrine Core Professional Components Exam, Global Topic – External
| Metric | 2020-2021 (n=1090) | 2021-2022 (n=1109) | 2022-2023 (n=1104) | 2023-2024 (n=902) | 2024-2025 (n=968) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NU Average | 59 | 62 | 65 | 71 | 69 |
| Traditional Undergraduate | 57 | 58 | 61 | 63 | 65 |
| Northwood Online | 59 | 60 | 62 | 66 | 71 |
| International Program Centers | 60 | 64 | 70 | 77 | 71 |
| Assessment Goal | 56 | 57 | 57 | 59 | 62 |
Outcome 6: Demonstrate effective leadership, teamwork, and interpersonal skills.
Direct Measure: Peregrine Core Professional Components Exam, Leadership Topic – External
| Metric | 2020-2021 (n=1090) | 2021-2022 (n=1109) | 2022-2023 (n=1104) | 2023-2024 (n=902) | 2024-2025 (n=968) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NU Average | 58 | 61 | 63 | 68 | 68 |
| Traditional Undergraduate | 58 | 61 | 62 | 61 | 64 |
| Northwood Online | 60 | 64 | 63 | 66 | 70 |
| International Program Centers | 57 | 61 | 65 | 73 | 68 |
| Assessment Goal | 56 | 57 | 59 | 61 | 62 |
Career Profiles
Northwood University partners with GradLeaders to conduct an e-mail survey of the undergraduate and graduate classes graduating each May. All data enclosed in this report is based on the number of responses received for individual questions, as indicated in parenthesis. The comparison is to most available data from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
Undergraduate
| Metric | Traditional | Northwood Online | Total | NACE First Destinations Survey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Graduates | 269 | 286 | 555 | 552,798 |
| Knowledge rate | 64% | 22% | 42% | 56% |
| Employed/Military service | 51% | 81% | 59% | 63% |
| Enrolled/accepted by a graduate/professional school | 37% | 5% | 29% | 20% |
| Job very related or somewhat related to your business major | 78% | 80% | 78% | N/A |
| Satisfied with occupation | 97% | 93% | 96% | N/A |
| Median salary | $51,500 | $62,000 | $55,000 | $60,947 |
Graduate
| Metric | Total | NACE First Destinations Survey |
|---|---|---|
| Total Graduates | 226 | 176,024 |
| Number responding to survey | 66 | 82,379 |
| Response rate | 29% | 47% |
| Employed | 76% | 80% |
| Median Salary/Income | $78,000 | $72,322 |
