ABERDEEN, S.D. – Northern State University has earned the 2025-2026 Military-Friendly School designation.
Institutions earning the Military Friendly? School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2025-2026 survey with 830 earning special awards for going above the standard.
“Northern State University has a long history of supporting veterans and their families,” said Brandy Netty, director of Online Learning and Continuing Education and Military/Veterans Affairs at Northern. “The Military Friendly? School designation is awarded in recognition of documented NSU support for our military students. Northern participates in multiple tuition assistance and education benefits programs from the VA, military branches, South Dakota, and federal agencies.”
The 2025-2026 Military Friendly? Schools list will be published in the May and October issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at militaryfriendly.com.
Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly? Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community.
Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer) and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.
Military Friendly? is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in its designation process.
For more information about Northern’s student veteran programs, visit northern.edu/military.