+45%
Median federal debt at exit
Median federal debt at exit at National University rose 45% between 2007 and 2010 ($5.5k → $8.0k).
California · Private nonprofit · Predominantly bachelor's
National University
San Diego, California. 9,725 undergraduate students. 130 programs in the federal Field-of-Study dataset.
ANOMALY ENGINE · NOTABLE SIGNALS
Earnings, completion, debt, and enrollment anomalies at National University
Short-arc shifts (recent 3-year window), peer outliers, earnings trend breaks, completion drops, enrollment cliffs, and debt-to-earnings warnings — surfaced deterministically from the federal record. Multi-decade shifts are reported separately in the Long Arc section, since 25-year tuition drift isn't really an anomaly.
-100%
3-year cohort default rate
3-year cohort default rate at National University fell 100% between 2021 and 2024 (1.1% → 0.0%).
-21%
First-year retention
First-year retention at National University fell 21% between 2007 and 2010 (100.0% → 78.8%).
+14%
In-state tuition
In-state tuition at National University rose 14% between 2007 and 2010 ($9.7k → $11.1k).
SECTION 01 · OUTCOMES SNAPSHOT
National University earnings, debt, and completion vs. the California median
Each tile compares this institution to the California median for the same metric. Sub-line shows the comparison value, not an interpretation. Sparklines trace the federally available history.
$67,548+5% · 6→10y
California median $42,588$64,331
Treasury earnings · 6y post-entry50.0%+104% · '00→'24
California median 61.3%$18,750-13% · '97→'10
At program completion9,725+61% · '96→'10
latest IPEDS53.8%-21% · '04→'10
first-time, full-time—-45% · '01→'21
latest cohort$13,320+44% · '00→'10
out-of-state $13,320SECTION 02 · EARNINGS HORIZONS
How National University earnings spread, 4 to 10 years after entry
Treasury tax-record earnings for federally aided students who first enrolled at this institution. Each point is a horizon from the most-recent vintage. Single median per horizon (no p25/p75 publishing).
Earnings widen with time post-entry. Selection: federal-aid recipients only — not all graduates.Methodology →
SECTION 03 · DEBT-TO-EARNINGS
What loans cost relative to earnings at National University
Annual debt service as a share of median earnings 10 years after entry, computed under federal Direct loan terms (10-year fixed at 6%). The 8% line is the gainful-employment threshold from federal regulation; above 12% has historically been considered “failing” under prior rule cycles.
Institution-wide
3.7%Median federal debt $18,750 amortized over 10 years vs. median earnings $67,548 (10y after entry).
SECTION 04 · LONG ARC
National University enrollment, completion, and debt over time
Federally available history. Coverage varies by metric — IPEDS publishes some series only after 2009 and others only before.
Undergraduate enrollment.
150%-time completion rate.
Median federal student debt at exit.
+104%
National University · completion · 150% rose
21.1% → 42.9%
-21%
National University · retention fell
100.0% → 78.8%
+61%
National University · undergrad enrollment rose
4,045 → 6,518
+44%
National University · in-state tuition rose
$7,695 → $11,088
+73%
National University · out-of-state tuition rose
$7,695 → $13,284
-100%
National University · cohort default rate fell
7.0% → 0.0%
-65%
National University · pell share fell
67.5% → 23.9%
SECTION 05 · PROGRAMS
National University programs ranked by 5-year earnings
Each row is one (CIP × credential) program reported by the institution in College Scorecard's Field-of-Study data. Cohort floor is 30 students; below this, federal data is suppressed.
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management$126,841Computer Science$114,787Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$108,119Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions$108,041Health and Medical Administrative Services$104,280Educational Administration and Supervision$104,236Management Information Systems and Services$95,650Homeland Security$93,112Accounting and Related Services$92,893Human Resources Management and Services$91,710Business Administration, Management and Operations$90,586Public Administration$89,466Educational/Instructional Media Design$85,859Computer Science$84,278Student Counseling and Personnel Services$80,788Education, General$80,284Special Education and Teaching$80,098Security Science and Technology$79,500Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management$78,572Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology$75,317Business/Corporate Communications$75,312Psychology, General$74,080Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions$73,278Public Health$71,991
Showing top 24 of 42 ranked programs.
SECTION 06 · BY CIP FAMILY
42 National University programs with earnings, grouped by field
Programs are grouped by 2-digit CIP family. Programs without reported earnings are hidden to keep the list focused.
COMPUTER & INFORMATION SCIENCES · CIP 11
EDUCATION · CIP 13
Education, General$80,284Special Education and Teaching$80,098Educational Administration and Supervision$104,236Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$49,988Student Counseling and Personnel Services$80,788Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$62,205Educational/Instructional Media Design$85,859
ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE · CIP 23
LIBERAL ARTS & GENERAL STUDIES · CIP 24
MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES · CIP 30
PSYCHOLOGY · CIP 42
HOMELAND SECURITY & PROTECTIVE SERVICES · CIP 43
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION & SOCIAL SERVICES · CIP 44
SOCIAL SCIENCES · CIP 45
HEALTH PROFESSIONS · CIP 51
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$108,119Public Health$71,991Public Health$55,472Health and Medical Administrative Services$66,002Health and Medical Administrative Services$104,280Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions$73,278Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General$62,690Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions$108,041
BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT & MARKETING · CIP 52
Business Administration, Management and Operations$90,586Business Administration, Management and Operations$70,412Human Resources Management and Services$91,710Accounting and Related Services$92,893Management Information Systems and Services$95,650Accounting and Related Services$65,188Business/Corporate Communications$75,312
COMMUNICATION & JOURNALISM · CIP 09
SECTION 07 · SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS
Institutions similar to National University in California
Picked by Carnegie sector × predominant credential level. These are not rankings — just nearest-neighbour surfaces for comparison.
CAUSAL DISCIPLINE
“National University graduates earn $X” — not “National University makes you earn $X”
Median earnings describe what cohorts earned. They do not describe what attending National University caused. Selection effects (who admits, who enrolls, who completes) are real. We publish federal data with strict descriptive phrasing — and link the methodology where you can read about the limitations directly.