Achievements

• In the past six years, 92.8% of teacher education graduates passed the Michigan tests for Teacher Certification subject area tests (the statewide average is 85.38%).
• More than 90% of NMU alumni are employed full-time or continuing their education within six months of graduation.
• The placement rate for pre-medical and pre-dental students recommended for professional school has been in the 90% range over the past 20 years.
• NMU Music Department graduates with a bachelor’s in music education have close to a 100 percent placement rate due to the excellent reputation of the program and continual need for certified music teachers.
• Northern Michigan University’s online graduate programs in education have been ranked by U.S. News and World Report as among the top 50 in the nation (2012).
• Our master’s programs in nursing are ranked among the top 20 percent in the nation by U.S. News and World Report.
• A team of seven cadets in Northern’s ROTC program outscored all other teams in the nation at the Leadership Development and Assessment Course in Fort Lewis, Wash., It is the largest Army training event, with more than 5,000 Army ROTC cadets from 273 colleges participating.
• NMU students love to be involved. Around one-third of our students are involved in our nationally recognized leadership programs —Superior Edge and the Student Leader Fellowship Program. They put in about 300,000 volunteer hours each year, worth about $6.3 million (value determined by the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics and calculated by Independent Sector).
• The Huffington Post listed NMU’s MFA program in the English Department one of the Top 25 Underrated Creative Writing MFA Programs (2011-2012) in the country, saying “it has one of the best student-to-faculty ratios of any graduate creative writing program in the United States.”
• NMU has partnerships with programs in 55 countries on six continents where NMU students can study abroad, student teach, intern or volunteer on summer, semester or year-long programs. Northern is one of only 16 U.S. institutions granted a license for study abroad programs in Cuba and the first to go beyond Havana, in a partnership with the University of Matanzas.

Read more Cool Things about NMU

Learn more about national accolades for Marquette, Michigan—home of NMU.

National Accolades for Marquette, Michigan 

In brief: Marquette is the largest city in the Upper Peninsula. Population 20,714. It is located on the south shore of Lake Superior, combining a dramatic natural wonderland of shoreline, forest and hills with a vibrant cultural community, progressive education, business and healthcare. Residents are known for their can-do attitude and warm friendliness, despite the area receiving over 180 inches of snow each year.

10 Winter Wonderlands for Retirement. (Jan. 2011) U.S. News and World Report

2010 National Medal for Museum and Library Service presented to Marquette’s Peter White Public Library from The Institute of Museum and Library Service.

Ten Best Small Cities to Raise a Family. (Oct. 2010) Forbes    

Five-Star Top Performing Entrepreneurial Community. (Oct. 2010) University of Michigan-Dearborn.

Bicycle Friendly Communities. (2010) League of American Bicyclists

7 Top Midwest City Beaches. (Aug. 2010) Midwest Living. 

10 great places to feel like an Olympic Champion – USOEC. (Feb. 2010) USA Today

2010 Dozen Distinctive Destinations and No. 1 Fan Favorite (Feb. 2010) National Trust for Historic Preservation  

100 Best Communities for Young People (2008, 2007, 2005; Only 3-time winning community in Michigan) America’s Promise Alliance   

Best places to live in rural America. (2008) Progressive Farmer  

Top 50 Vacation Getaways. Mackinac Island #27, U.P. #41. (March 2008) Disney Family Travel

Top 200 Towns for Outdoorsmen. Marquette is #7. Only town in Michigan. (2008) Outdoor Life 

Top Ten Winter Outdoor Family Getaways. (2008) Weather.com, GORP.away.com (Division of Orbitz)  

Top 25 Shortest Commutes. No. 1. (2008) CNNMoney.com

Top 8 Running Towns in the Country. (2008) Trail Runners Magazine

Top 25 Places for Singles to Meet Their Match. (2008) CNNMoney.com

Best places to buy vacation property. The Upper Peninsula. (2006) Men's Journal

Top 10 global summer vacation destinations. (U.P.), Sherman's Travel, 2006. 

Best Art Towns in America. (2005) Book by John Villani

America's Most Livable Communities. (2004) Partners for Livable Communities,

Michigan Cool City. (2004) State of Michigan

All-America County. (2003) National Civic League