Olivet Nazarene University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Bourbonnais, Illinois. It enrolls 2,603 students (a mid-sized 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 Selective), 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.
Good
63/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes41
Value45
Affordability55
Selectivity59
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Olivet Nazarene University admits 55.9% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.
Acceptance Rate
55.9%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
950 – 1220
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
19 – 26
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Olivet Nazarene University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
9.1 pts
since 2019
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 $20,729 a year on average, it sits in line with what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. 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
$38,900
Room & Board (on-campus)
$11,090
Room & Board (off-campus)
$17,680
Books & Supplies
$850
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,845
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$1,000
Total Cost of Attendance
$51,981
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$17,232
$30,001 – $48,000
$15,056
$48,001 – $75,000
$18,019
$75,001 – $110,000
$23,218
Over $110,000
$25,580
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.
$3,86610%percentile
$7,86025%percentile
$25,000Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$33,50090%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 $19,000
↓ $6,000
No Pell $19,500
↓ $5,500
Dependent students $20,500
↓ $4,500
Independent students $13,140
↓ $11,860
Female students $19,500
↓ $5,500
Male students $19,000
↓ $6,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,500, less than completers ($25,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
58% of students who start here finish within six years, and 69% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. 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
58%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
69%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $53,213 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)
$53,213
Earning > $25K
80%
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
$40,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$49,500
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$37,300
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$44,000
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$46,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $9,100, about 18% 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.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
17.5 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 93% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 2,603 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
2,603
Part-Time
3%
First-Generation
28%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 59.2%1,542
Hispanic 13.2%344
Black 8.1%212
Other 5.3%139
International 2.1%55
Asian 2.1%54
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Olivet Nazarene University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Olivet Nazarene University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
67 distinct programs across
24 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 14 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$171M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$65,523
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
111 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
43
39%
$75,511
Associate Professors
37
33%
$63,432
Assistant Professors
30
27%
$54,561
Instructors
1
1%
$42,269
Pros & Cons of Olivet Nazarene University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Olivet Nazarene University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Frequently Asked Questions about Olivet Nazarene University
The questions families ask most about Olivet Nazarene University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Olivet Nazarene University hard to get into?
Admissions at Olivet Nazarene University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 55.9%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Olivet Nazarene University?
55.9% of applicants are admitted. Around half get in, so a solid application has a real chance. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Olivet Nazarene University?
Aim for 1220 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 950 and 1220 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Olivet Nazarene University?
Aim for 26 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 19 and 26 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Olivet Nazarene University cost?
Budget around $20,729 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 Olivet Nazarene University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $53,213 a year against a net price of $20,729, about 2.6 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 Olivet Nazarene University known for?
Mostly Business Administration, Nursing, Curriculum & Instruction. 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 Olivet Nazarene University graduates earn?
About $53,213 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 Olivet Nazarene University accredited?
Yes. Olivet Nazarene University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Olivet Nazarene University?
2,603 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Olivet Nazarene University?
58% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Olivet Nazarene 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 Olivet Nazarene University located?
Olivet Nazarene University is located in Bourbonnais, Illinois.
What programs does Olivet Nazarene University offer?
67 different programs, most commonly Business Administration, Nursing, Curriculum & Instruction. 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 Olivet Nazarene University?
14 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Illinois
Other colleges in Illinois share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Curriculum & Instruction
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Health Administration
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