Northwestern Health Sciences University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Bloomington, Minnesota. It enrolls 271 students (a very small, intimate student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Average
36/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes2
Value14
Affordability17
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Northwestern Health Sciences University does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $35,887 a year on average, it sits above what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. That is a serious number, so the earnings further down matter more here than usual. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$12,015
Room & Board (off-campus)
$14,962
Books & Supplies
$1,200
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$12,748
Total Cost of Attendance
$39,863
Application fee: $50 (one-time, due at submission)
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,45010%percentile
$5,80025%percentile
$7,500Medianpercentile
$12,50075%percentile
$19,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $9,500
↑ $2,000
No Pell $7,646
↑ $146
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $2,000
Independent students $10,500
↑ $3,000
Female students $8,029
↑ $529
Male students $10,247
↑ $2,747
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,903, close to what completers borrow ($7,500) but without the degree to show for it.
Graduation Rate & Retention
49% of students who start here finish within six years. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
49%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
—
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $48,666 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$48,666
Earning > $25K
70%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$38,500
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$62,200
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $23,700, about 38% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Stable ↓
3.0 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Concerning. Only 48% of graduates are actively reducing principal even seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 271 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 72% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.
Total Enrolled
271
Part-Time
72%
First-Generation
25%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 45.8%124
Black 11.4%31
Asian 8.5%23
Hispanic 7.0%19
Other 5.5%15
International 3.3%9
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Northwestern Health Sciences University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Northwestern Health Sciences University offers
a varied set of programs:
11 distinct programs across
2 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 4 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.
Student : Faculty
4:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$26M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$68,097
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
53 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
10
19%
$82,188
Associate Professors
18
34%
$71,872
Assistant Professors
18
34%
$60,784
Instructors
7
13%
$57,069
Pros & Cons of Northwestern Health Sciences University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Northwestern Health Sciences University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Narrow program catalog compared to mid-sized peers
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Northwestern Health Sciences University is a fit for
working adults or students needing part-time study options; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Northwestern Health Sciences University
The questions families ask most about Northwestern Health Sciences University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
How much does Northwestern Health Sciences University cost?
Budget around $35,887 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Northwestern Health Sciences University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $48,666 a year against a net price of $35,887, about 1.4 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Northwestern Health Sciences University known for?
Mostly Chiropractic, Alternative Medicine, Allied Health Diagnostic. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Northwestern Health Sciences University graduates earn?
About $48,666 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Northwestern Health Sciences University accredited?
Yes. Northwestern Health Sciences University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Northwestern Health Sciences University?
271 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Northwestern Health Sciences University?
49% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Northwestern Health Sciences University a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Northwestern Health Sciences University located?
Northwestern Health Sciences University is located in Bloomington, Minnesota.
What programs does Northwestern Health Sciences University offer?
11 different programs, most commonly Chiropractic, Alternative Medicine, Allied Health Diagnostic. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Northwestern Health Sciences University?
4 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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