Fast Facts About Undergraduate Studies
National Louis University has been ranked at #18 nationally for our commitment to public service and inclusivity by The Washington Monthly! We were also ranked #4 for driving social mobility, and #2 Best Bang for Your Buck in the Midwest. NLU is gaining national recognition as an innovative leader in accessible, career-ready, and community-focused higher education.
Recent Recognition
- No. 2 Best Bang for the Buck: Midwest and No. 4 nationally for driving Social Mobility in 2022 by Washington Monthly
- Ranked No. 18 Best National University in 2022 by Washington Monthly
- In 2019, Money Magazine rated NLU in the top 11% best colleges for your money
- Top 10 colleges whose graduates say they make the world a better place - Money Magazine
- Top 3% of colleges nationally for non-traditional students, and #2 in Illinois - College Factual
- In 2019, Chronicle of Higher Education rated NLU #1 nationally in % increase in underrepresented minorities served
- Leading national university in diversity, including recognition as both a Minority Serving Institution and Hispanic Serving Institution by US Department of Education
- US Government Recognition—Patriot Award and military-friendly
- Education Advisory Board 2020 award winner for standout achievements in supporting student success
- Eduventures 2018 innovation award winner
- Online Learning Consortium 2017 digital learning innovation award winner
- 80+ Golden Apple winners—more than any other school of education in Illinois
- Education program graduates:
- in 40% of Illinois schools, 75% of CPS schools
- Impacting 60,000 students/year
- 90% teacher licensure exam rate
Our Undergraduate College Student Population
- In 2023-24, UGC served 4,425 undergraduate students a 13.25% increase from 3,875 in 2022-23:
o 1,642 full-time, day-time, first-time students
o 259 evenings/weekend adult and transfer students
o 2493 fully-online adult and transfer students
- Our full-time, day-time, first-time college students are:
o 66% Pell-eligible
o 59.6% First-generation college goers
o 54.5 Hispanic and 18.7% African American
- Our 2,752 adult and transfer college students are:
o 40% Pell-eligible
o 41% First-generation college goers
o 47% Hispanic and 15% African American
[ Updated October 17th, 2024 ]
Locations
- Our metropolitan location offers thousands of students access to wide-ranging career opportunities that can serve as a platform for future success.
- Undergraduate coursework is offered at our downtown Chicago and suburban campuses as well as online.
Learn more about The Undergraduate College at NLU
Mutually beneficial partnerships are critical to our success, supporting student enrollment, student employment and college capacity building - while also helping our partners achieve their objectives. Partners include but are not limited to:
| A Better Chicago | iMentor |
| The Academy Group | Intrinsic Charter School |
| After School Matters | Joyce Foundation |
| All Chicago | JPM Chase |
| Atlantic Research Partners | KIPP |
| Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | Laura and John Arnold Foundation |
| Bottom Line | Lumina Foundation |
| Braven | MacArthur Foundation |
| Brinson Foundation | Mayer and Morris Kaplan Family Foundation |
| Cappex | McDougal Family Foundation |
| Cara Collective | Michael & Susan Dell Foundation |
| Chicago Bulls | mRelief |
| Chicago Public Education Fund | My Brother's Keeper |
| Chicago Public Schools | National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment/UIUC, College of Education |
| Chicago Scholars | Network for College Success |
| Chicago Workforce Funders Alliance | Noble Network of Charter Schools |
| ChiTech | Noble Schools |
| Circle of Service Foundation | Noble Street College Prep |
| City Colleges of Chicago | North Lawndale College Prep |
| Civic Consulting Alliance | One Million Degrees |
| CME Group Foundation | OneGoal |
| College Advising Corps | The Osa Foundation |
| College Possible | Partnership for College Completion |
| Corporate Coalition | The Pritzker Foundation |
| The Cradle of Evanston | P33 Chicago |
| Cristo Rey | REAM Foundation |
| Crown Family Philanthropies | Robert R. McCormick Foundation |
| Distinctive Schools | S5 Foundation |
| District 214 | Steans Family Foundation |
| ECMC | Suporta |
| Embarc | Thrive Chicago |
| Enlace | UChicago Consortium on Chicago School Research |
| Enlacechic Ago | UIC College Prep |
| Finnegan Family Foundation | Urban Alliance |
| Gear Up | Vivo Foundation |
| Hearst Foundations | Youth Guidance |
| Hope Chicago | Youth Job Center |
| Illinois College Access Network |
