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University of Northwestern-St Paul
Saint Paul, MNprivate nonprofitunwsp.edu
Acceptance
93%
SAT 25–75
868–1271
Avg net price
$27,705
Earnings (10 yr)
$50,755
Graduation rate
68%
Admit rate has ranged 82%–93% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
University of Northwestern-St Paul is a private Christian university where faith and academics intertwine—think chapel services alongside nursing clinicals, biblical studies majors debating theology over coffee, and a tight-knit community that graduates two-thirds of its students on time. With a 93% acceptance rate and an average GPA of 3.56, it’s accessible yet rigorous, anchored by standout programs in nursing, biblical studies, and business.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
- High school transcript
- Grade point average
- Letters of recommendation
- TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
- Class rank
- Test scores (SAT/ACT)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
- Undergrad enrollment
- 1,442
- In-state tuition
- $37,920
- Out-of-state tuition
- $37,920
- Top Majors
- Biblical Studies (24%), Nursing (8%), Psychology (6%)
- Acceptance Rate
- 93%
- 4-Year Grad Rate
- 68%
- Student-Faculty Ratio
- 14:1
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $50,755
- Value (earnings ÷ net price)
- 1.8×
- Median debt at graduation
- $21,325
- Graduation rate
- 68%
- First-year retention
- 83%
- Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
- 76%
- Pell (lower-income) share
- 47%
- First-generation share
- 16%
- Endowment / student
- $18,046
Financial health
3.0 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$60,771
- Accounting and Related Services$59,124
- Business Administration, Management and Operations$55,964
- Marketing$43,426
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas$39,369
- Criminal Justice and Corrections
Campus & location
Campus safety
- On-campus violent crimes (2024)
- 0
- Per 1,000 students
- 0.00
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
- Pleasant days / yr
- 87
- Summer high
- 82°F
- Winter low
- 9°F
- Annual rain
- 35.9"
- Annual snow
- 42.8"
- Natural-hazard risk
- Relatively High
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility
Economic mobility
- Mobility rate
- 1.0%
- Bottom → top quintile
- 17%
- From bottom quintile
- 6%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
- What is the acceptance rate at University of Northwestern-St Paul?
- University of Northwestern-St Paul's acceptance rate is approximately 93% (Saint Paul, MN), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
- What SAT score do you need for University of Northwestern-St Paul?
- Admitted students at University of Northwestern-St Paul typically score 868–1271 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
- How much does University of Northwestern-St Paul cost?
- At University of Northwestern-St Paul, the average net price (after aid) is about $27,705 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
- How many undergraduates attend University of Northwestern-St Paul?
- University of Northwestern-St Paul enrolls approximately 1,442 undergraduate students.
- Where is University of Northwestern-St Paul located?
- University of Northwestern-St Paul is located in Saint Paul, MN.
Admissions
Northwestern-St Paul is decidedly non-selective, admitting 93% of applicants—a stark contrast to its more famous namesake in Illinois. The middle 50% of admitted students boast SAT scores between 833–1280 (average: 1079) or ACT scores of 20–28 (average: 24), with nearly half reporting GPAs of 3.75 or higher. The Common Application is accepted, and the school is test-optional, though submitted scores are considered alongside academic rigor, essays, and class rank. Rolling admissions run until August 1, making it a late-summer safety net for procrastinators.
Academics
UNW’s 60+ degree programs lean heavily into its Christian identity: biblical studies is the most popular major (24% of graduates), followed by nursing (8%), psychology (6%), and business (5%). The curriculum mandates 48 credits across two academic areas, with 30 upper-level credits in the major and a capstone project. Unique offerings include a self-designed major option (50% of credits must be upper-level) and a blog-touted 'UNWavering' approach that integrates faith into disciplines like accounting and liberal arts. Small classes—the student-faculty ratio is 14:1—foster mentorship, though STEM offerings are limited.
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