,·Private (Christian, Church of the Nazarene)·Est. 1899
“A residential Wesleyan-Holiness university on the edge of Oklahoma City, known for nursing, education, and ministry preparation.”
Southern Nazarene University (SNU) is a private Christian university affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene, the largest denomination in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition. Tracing its roots to 1899 and consolidated on its current Bethany, Oklahoma campus in the 1920s, SNU is a small residential university where faith formation, traditional liberal arts, and pre-professional training are interwoven. Daily community life is shaped by twice-weekly chapel, residence-hall ministries, and a Wesleyan emphasis on character, service, and 'holiness of heart and life' that distinguishes it from broader evangelical or Reformed Christian colleges. The campus sits on 200 acres in Bethany, an established residential suburb directly inside the Oklahoma City metro and only a 15-minute drive from downtown OKC. That location gives roughly 1,650 undergraduates the calm of a walkable, low-cost college town while still placing major hospitals, OKC's tech and energy employers, the Bricktown entertainment district, and Will Rogers World Airport within easy reach for clinicals, internships, and weekend life. SNU's most recognized academic programs reflect this Oklahoma City context: the School of Nursing (CCNE-accredited through 2035 and tightly linked to OKC's large hospital systems), the School of Education (a major source of Oklahoma teachers), the School of Business, kinesiology, and the School of Theology & Ministry, alongside a Division of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics that supports pre-med, pre-PA, and pre-allied-health pathways. Student life is unmistakably small-school and residential, with first-year students generally living on campus, traditional dorms, and a strong intramural and athletic culture. SNU competes in NCAA Division II as the Crimson Storm in the Great American Conference, fielding 22 varsity sports across football, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, track & field, and more. International enrollment is modest (roughly 2% of students), and prospective international students should expect a tight-knit Christian campus rather than a large, secular research environment.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Regional Universities West
US News Best Colleges 2026
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceRolling Admission
SNU practices rolling/open admissions for traditional undergraduate; applications are reviewed as received until classes fill.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$30,780 – $32,750
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
SNU's flagship pre-professional school. The BSN program holds full 10-year CCNE accreditation through 2035 and is approved by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing, with clinicals across OKC-metro hospital systems.
Prepares Oklahoma teachers across elementary, early childhood, and secondary licensure tracks; one of SNU's largest degree producers.
Undergraduate business programs in accounting, finance, marketing, and management, plus an MBA through Professional & Graduate Studies for working adults in the OKC and Tulsa metros.
Central to SNU's identity in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition, training pastors, missionaries, and youth/family ministers for Church of the Nazarene and broader Christian service.
Houses biology, chemistry, computer science, and mathematics, supporting pre-med, pre-PA, pre-pharmacy, and other pre-health tracks alongside teacher-prep majors in the sciences.
Exercise science, physical education, and pre-athletic-training programs that feed pre-PT, pre-OT, and athletic-training graduate pipelines.
4 years
SNU's most-recognized program. Full 10-year CCNE accreditation (extended through 2035) with clinical rotations across the OKC metro's hospital network. Strong NCLEX prep and a clear pipeline into Oklahoma nursing employment after graduation.
4 years
One of SNU's largest majors and a long-standing source of K-6 teachers in Oklahoma public and Christian schools, with Oklahoma teaching-license preparation built in.
4 years
The most-awarded undergraduate degree at SNU, offering concentrations in accounting, finance, marketing, and management with internships across the OKC business and energy economy.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $31,190
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
