Northwest University

What Northwest University does

Northwest University is a private, nonprofit Christian university founded in 1934 in Kirkland, Washington, operating on a 56-acre campus in the Seattle metropolitan area. The institution delivers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral education across nine academic units, including the College of Arts, Sciences, and Technology; College of Ministry; College of Health Sciences; Buntain School of Nursing (CCNE-accredited); School of PA Medicine (ARC-PA Provisional); School of Business (ACBSP-accredited); School of Education; College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (with APA-accredited PsyD); Creatio Center for Technology, Media, and Design; and the Center for Leadership Studies. The university offers both on-campus residential programs and asynchronous online programs delivered through NC-SARA reciprocity to students across most U.S. states.

The university's revenue model is built primarily on tuition revenue across multiple price points: $435/credit for online undergraduate and certificate programs, $740/credit for online graduate programs, and $1,090/credit for the PsyD program. The College of Ministry offers a 50% tuition guarantee for qualifying majors, supplemented by financial aid including Pell grants, institutional scholarships, and endowment funding. A secondary revenue stream comes from charitable contributions and endowments coordinated through the President's Banquet and giving campaigns. Marketing and distribution are driven by direct admissions (campus visits, info sessions, and an online application portal), community-led outreach through approximately 350 partner churches in the Northwest Ministry Network, and faith-based digital content marketing. Reported student outcomes include 94% placement in jobs or graduate programs within six months of graduation and 93% of graduates reporting career preparation.

Distinctive elements include the only four-year accredited recording arts program in the Pacific Northwest (with Grammy-winning faculty), the APA-accredited PsyD in Counseling Psychology, and faith integration across all majors. Leadership transitioned recently with the appointment of Dr. Shonna Crawford as Vice President of Advancement, while the institution implemented its first-ever tuition reduction (1.5%) for the 2026-27 academic year, signaling a defensive pricing posture likely in response to affordability concerns in private higher education.

Name

Northwest University

Legal name

Northwest University

Website

https://northwestu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Religiously Affiliated Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAF), Online Divisions of Traditional Universities (Hybrid/Extension) (EDAHALAB), Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Christian university programs
• Graduate degree programs
• Online degree programs
• Healthcare education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Kirkland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Undergraduate Tuition: Traditional undergraduate programs with campus-based instruction in Kirkland, WA
2. Graduate Tuition: Graduate programs including doctoral degrees (PsyD, EdD, PhD), master's degrees (MBA, MA, MS, MIT)
3. Online Program Tuition: Online undergraduate and graduate programs with asynchronous format delivery
4. College of Ministry Tuition Discount: 50% tuition guarantee for qualifying ministry majors, with financial aid including Pell, institutional scholarships, grants, and endowment funding bridging the gap if needed
5. Ministry Certificate Programs: Certificate programs in ministry leadership with 30 credits at $435/credit
6. Donations and Endowments: Charitable contributions, endowed scholarships, and fundraising through President's Banquet and giving campaigns

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Northwest University is a private Christian university that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs across nine colleges and schools in liberal arts, sciences, business, ministry, health sciences, nursing, physician assistant studies, education, social and behavioral sciences, and technology/media/design. Programs are offered on-campus in Kirkland, WA and asynchronously online, with select accreditations from APA, ACBSP, CCNE, and ARC-PA. The university also offers certificate programs, including an Online Certificate in Ministry Leadership, with a 50% tuition guarantee for qualifying ministry majors.

Product overview

Northwest University is a private Christian university offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services. The university operates as a multi-college institution with nine distinct colleges and schools providing undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees across liberal arts, sciences, business, ministry, health sciences, technology, and social sciences disciplines. Core academic units include the College of Arts, Sciences, and Technology; College of Ministry (with 50% tuition guarantee); College of Health Sciences; Buntain School of Nursing (CCNE accredited); School of PA Medicine; School of Business (ACBSP accredited); School of Education; College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (including APA-accredited PsyD); Creatio Center for Technology, Media, and Design; and Center for Leadership Studies (PhD/EdD programs). The university delivers education through on-campus, online, and hybrid formats, with specialized programs like the Music Production BA (Pacific Northwest's only four-year accredited recording arts program) and the PsyD in Counseling Psychology (APA-accredited). Programs range from associate certificates to doctoral degrees, with notable accreditations including APA, ACBSP, CCNE, and ARC-PA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• College of Arts, Sciences, and Technology
• College of Ministry
• Buntain School of Nursing
• School of PA Medicine (Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies)
• School of Business
• School of Education
• College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Creatio Center for Technology, Media, and Design
• Center for Leadership Studies
• Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Counseling Psychology
• Bachelor of Arts in Music Production
• Online Bachelor of Arts in Business Management
• Online Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• Online Certificate in Ministry Leadership Online certificate program in ministry leadership delivered asynchronously at $435 per credit, 30 credits total ($13,050 total tuition for 2026-27), with six start dates per year (September, October, January, March, May, July).
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% of NU students found jobs or entered a graduate program within 6 months of graduation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pastor Chris DursocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Pastor Chris Durso to host Communicate, Northwest University's first preaching conference. The conference created a Spirit-led environment where pastors and leaders could grow in communication skills, find refreshment in God's presence, and receive commissioning to preach with renewed boldness.
• Overflow GivingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner supporting the Communicate conference, providing practical tools and resources to help leaders continue growing after the event.
• Northwest Ministry NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of 350 churches led by Dr. Don Ross, team leader. Four generations of his family have trained at Northwest University. The network represents significant regional church partnership for ministry student placement and training.
• The Center: A Place of HopeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare facility founded by Dr. Gregory Jantz (leading authority on depression, anxiety, and addiction) that seeks well-trained mental health professionals from NU programs and has sent staff for NU education.
• Provident Label GroupminorOthersChristian music subsidiary of Sony Music. Graduate Aubrey Mallard (Class of '22) works on radio promotions team, demonstrating program outcomes for music production graduates.
• Assemblies of GodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity endorsed by the Commission on Christian Higher Education of the Assemblies of God. Ministry certificate meets educational requirements for ministry certification, license, and ordination credentials with Assemblies of God.
• New Life ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead pastor Dr. Troy Jones serves as Chancellor of NU College of Ministry. Church sponsors ministry interns, serves on Pastors Council, and sends ministry candidates to study at Northwest University.
• Council for Christian Colleges and UniversitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity holds membership, committed to cultivating communities of educational excellence with Lordship of Jesus Christ central.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Seattle Pacific University: Private Christian university located in Seattle, WA, ~10 miles from Northwest University. Offers similar faith-integrated undergraduate and graduate programs in the same Pacific Northwest market with comparable tuition positioning. Directly competes for the same faith-oriented student demographic.
• Whitworth University: Private Christian (Presbyterian-affiliated) university in Spokane, WA. Comparable size and mission, competing for Christian undergraduate students across Washington State. Overlaps in liberal arts, sciences, and pre-professional programs.
• Seattle University: Jesuit Catholic university in Seattle serving similar urban Pacific Northwest student segments. Competes head-to-head with Northwest for undergraduate, graduate, and online adult-learner enrollment, with overlapping professional programs (Business, Nursing, Psychology).
• Pacific Lutheran University: Faith-affiliated (Lutheran) private university in Tacoma, WA. Similar enrollment size, faith-based identity, and academic portfolio. Competes directly for Pacific Northwest students seeking values-integrated higher education.
• Gonzaga University: Jesuit Catholic university in Spokane, WA with a strong regional brand. Comparable faith-based mission and similar program mix (Business, Health Sciences, Arts). Competes for faith-oriented undergraduate students across the Pacific Northwest.
• Azusa Pacific University: Private evangelical Christian university in California, similar in size and denominational orientation (closely related to Assemblies of God heritage). Comparable program portfolio including APA-accredited psychology, online programs, and ministry school — a direct mission and model peer.
• Oral Roberts University: Pentecostal/Charismatic Christian university in Tulsa, OK with strong ministry school. Similar theological tradition to Northwest's Assemblies of God roots and comparable emphasis on faith-integrated professional preparation.
• Regent University: Private Christian university in Virginia Beach, VA with a strong online program portfolio and emphasis on professional and graduate degrees (law, business, psychology, divinity). Comparable in its online-learner model and ministry credentials pathway.

Broad incumbents

• Liberty University: Largest private Christian university in the U.S. with a massive online program portfolio. Operates as a broad incumbent in faith-based higher education, overlapping with Northwest on online adult-learner enrollment and ministry training but at vastly greater scale.
• Western Governors University: Large-scale online nonprofit university accredited by NWCCU (same regional accreditor as Northwest). Competes in the same online degree market — particularly for adult learners in business, IT, and education — with a low-cost, competency-based model that pressures traditional tuition pricing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/northwestu
• YouTubeyoutube.com/northwestuniversity
• Facebookfacebook.com/northwestu
• Instagraminstagram.com/northwestu

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Northwest University