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CU Boulder BYU GCU ASU Utah State University MSU U of A Michigan State UVU Southern Utah University Colorado State San Diego State| Northern Arizona University | University of Utah | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
NAU | Utah | ||
| Location | Flagstaff, AZ | Salt Lake City, UT | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 28,186 | 35,260 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #240 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | nau.edu | utah.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NAU | Utah | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,352 | $8,175 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $27,600 | $28,697 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,728 | $12,398 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,544 | $13,341 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,377 | $12,148 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 95% | 73% |
Admission |
NAU | Utah | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 37,805 | 22,996 | ||
| Admitted | 34,383 | 20,046 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 90.9% | 87.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 15.9% | 27.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.64 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 22/29 | |||
| SAT Range | 1180/1398 | |||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Aug 1, 2026 | Apr 1, 2026 |
Academics |
NAU | Utah | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
NAU | Utah | ||
| Graduation Rate | 52% | 55% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $43,900 | $61,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 55% | 72% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $20,000 | $15,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $206 | $155 |
Diversity |
NAU | Utah | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 6% | 12% | ||
| % Women | 11% | 12% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 59% | 70% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 1% | ||
| % Hispanic | 22% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 3% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 4% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
NAU | Utah | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 79% | 57% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 20% | 36% | ||
Campus |
NAU | Utah | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Utah is larger than than NAU based on total student enrollment (35,260 students vs. 28,186 students)
NAU vs. Utah Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NAU or Utah?
- Northern Arizona University is 38.9% more expensive to attend than Utah for in-state tuition ($11,352.00 vs. $8,175.00)
- Out of state tuition is 4% higher at Utah than Northern Arizona University ($28,697.00 vs. $27,600.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Utah than NAU ($13,341 vs. $16,544)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Arizona University are 5.7% lower than costs at University of Utah ($11,728 vs. $12,398)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Arizona University than University of Utah (95% vs. 73%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Arizona University students is 1.9% larger than aid received University of Utah ($12,377 vs. $12,148)
NAU vs. Utah Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NAU or Utah? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Utah or NAU .
- Accepted freshman NAU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Utah (3.64)
- NAU has a higher acceptance rate (90.9%) than Utah (87.2%)
NAU vs. Utah Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NAU or Utah? 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 Utah and NAU.
- The graduation rate at Utah is higher than Northern Arizona University (55% vs. 52%)
- Graduates from University of Utah earn on average $17,400 more per year than NAU graduates after ten years. ($61,300 vs. $43,900)
- University of Utah students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than NAU graduates. ($15,000 vs. $20,000)
- Utah graduates are paying $51 less per month on federal student loans than NAU graduates. ($155 vs. $206)
- More Utah graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NAU students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 55%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/