Olivet Nazarene University
A good fit for students who prefer a mid-size campus. no major red flags in the data. financial aid brings net price below sticker.
About This School
Olivet Nazarene University is a private nonprofit institution located in Bourbonnais, Illinois with approximately 2,603 undergraduate students enrolled. Olivet Nazarene University has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 56%. The average net price after financial aid is $20,729 per year. The graduation rate is 61%, and the typical graduate earns $44,000 within 10 years of enrollment.
Olivet Nazarene University (ONU) is a private university in Bourbonnais, Illinois, United States. It is affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene. Named for its founding location, Olivet, Illinois, ONU was originally established as a grammar school in east-central Illinois in 1907. In the late 1930s, it moved to the campus in Bourbonnais.
The numbers tell a mixed story here: a 60% graduation rate and 68% freshman retention suggest a meaningful share of students don't finish, which is worth asking about before enrolling. On the financial side, the picture is more manageable — median debt of $19,313 is relatively modest, and a $21,539 average net price is reasonable for a private school, though median earnings of $44,000 a decade out are modest and may constrain loan repayment depending on your field. Worth considering if you're drawn to a faith-integrated, close-knit campus in the Nazarene tradition and have a clear career path, but come with questions about student support and outcomes in your specific major.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: -2% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 80 | $84,705 | $88,910 | −$4,205 |
| Psychology, General | 50 | $49,427 | $50,706 | −$1,279 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 49 | $57,973 | $68,257 | −$10,284 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 38 | $51,300 | $55,378 | −$4,078 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 35 | $47,435 | $54,562 | −$7,127 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 33 | $45,455 | $47,382 | −$1,927 |
| Engineering, General | 31 | $82,632 | $89,359 | −$6,727 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 27 | $42,321 | $56,359 | −$14,038 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 25 | $48,009 | $51,389 | −$3,380 |
| Social Work | 24 | $52,114 | $51,790 | +$324 |
| Biology, General | 23 | $58,864 | $57,214 | +$1,650 |
| Economics | 15 | $68,935 | $82,686 | −$13,751 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing a bachelor's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2,603 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Address
Olivet Nazarene University
One University Avenue
Bourbonnais, IL 60914-2271
Official Links
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See How Colleges Compare
Olivet Nazarene University is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Olivet Nazarene University?
Olivet Nazarene University has an acceptance rate of 56%, based on the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Olivet Nazarene University hard to get into?
Olivet Nazarene University is moderately selective, with an acceptance rate of 56%. Solid grades and a complete application give most applicants a real shot.
How much does Olivet Nazarene University cost?
The average net price at Olivet Nazarene University is about $20,729 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at Olivet Nazarene University?
Olivet Nazarene University has a graduation rate of 61%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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