Accreditation & Student Success
The University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Other programs such as education, business, nursing and social work have specialized accreditations from national organizations. These include the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), and the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). The Charles Morton Share Trust Division of Nursing's programs are approved by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing.
HLC's Open Pathways to Accreditation
For its next accreditation, Northwestern Oklahoma State University will be taking part in the Higher Learning Commission’s Open Pathways Ten Year Cycle. The link provides a chart that presents this cycle. Note the activities that are due each year as well as the reviewers who will be reviewing them.
Student Success Data
Retention Rates
| Retention Rates - Fall to Fall | FY18 | FY19 | FY20 |
| First Time Freshmen | 54.8% | 56.3% | 60.9% |
| First Time Full-time Freshmen | 60.2% | 56.4% | 69.0% |
Graduation Rates
| Graduation Rate/Degrees Granted - Based on full-time fall status | FY18 2012 Cohort) |
FY19 (2013 Cohort) |
FY20 (2014 Cohort) |
| Graduation Rates | 30.44% | 30.82% | 25.81% |
Number of Degrees
| FY18 | FY19 | FY20 | FY21 | |
| Certificates | 39 | 28 | 36 | |
| Associates | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Bachelors | 328 | 358 | 330 | |
| Master | 48 | 48 | 49 | |
| Doctoral | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Licensure Pass Rate for Nursing
| NCLEX-RN | ||||
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | FY21 | |
| Alva | 62.5 | 88.89 | 81.8 | |
| Enid | 76.47 | 88.89 | 88.8 | |
| Woodward | 0 | 100 | 100 | |
| Ponca City | 100 | 100 | 100 | |
| Cumulative | 70.96 | 92 | 88.46 | |
| AANP Family Nurse Practitioner Certification | ||||
| 2020 | ||||
| 6/7 first-time passing | 85.71 | |||
Office of Educational Quality and Accountability Reports