Southern Nazarene University (SNU) is a small, Christian liberal arts college about 12 miles west of Oklahoma City that puts a strong emphasis on community.
Incoming freshmen are expected to enroll in a paired-course learning community, consisting of two linked classes with the same small group of students. Each community also has professors as faculty mentors. SNU has about 2,200 undergraduate and graduate students, and in 2025, it enrolled the largest first-year class in its history with 380 students.
Education is a popular major, and there’s an on-campus child development lab school focused on pre-K through sixth-grade education. In keeping with SNU’s Nazarene affiliation, degree programs in theology and ministry are available, including a worship arts degree, a multidisciplinary degree offered through the music school; and a ministerial intern program that gives scholarships to students for practical ministry experience.
According to Money's analysis, SNU is relatively affordable, with a lower-than-usual degree net price. And financial aid options are robust. Over 80% of SNU students receive institutional scholarships or grants.
