
Navajo Technical University (NTU) began in 1979 as the Navajo Skill Center, with a focus on vocational training for the Navajo Nation. It later became the Crownpoint Institute of Technology, then Navajo Technical College, before adopting its current name in 2013.
Those changes reflect an expansion from occupational training into a broader range of certificates and degrees. Technical education remains central to NTU, alongside programs in fields such as engineering, business, education, and Diné language and culture.
NTU offers career-focused certificates and associate degrees as well as bachelor's and graduate study. Its academic offerings span engineering and technology, computer science, construction and skilled trades, education, business, the sciences, and Diné studies.
Examples in its program listings include electrical and mechanical engineering, computer science, teacher education, and Navajo language study. Applicants should check the current academic catalog for a particular credential's location, course sequence, and entry requirements: a program's presence in the university-wide catalog does not mean every course is offered at every instructional site or every term.
The reported student-to-faculty ratio is 10 to 1. That institution-wide figure describes enrollment relative to faculty; it does not predict the size of a specific laboratory, online course, or introductory class.
NTU's main campus is in Crownpoint, New Mexico, within the Navajo Nation. Crownpoint is a rural community, so transportation, housing, and access to everyday services deserve particular attention when planning to attend in person.
The university has also offered instruction at locations beyond Crownpoint. Students considering another site should confirm where their required courses, advising, and hands-on training will take place. A manageable trip to one NTU location may not be a manageable trip to another.
NTU describes its purpose as providing higher education that integrates academic and technical learning with Diné culture, language, and values. Its stated priorities connect workforce preparation with service to the Navajo Nation and its communities.
That emphasis is relevant to students comparing NTU with institutions organized chiefly around conventional academic departments. It is a statement of institutional purpose, however, rather than a guarantee that every student will have the same cultural or academic experience.
Name of the institution
Navajo Technical UniversityLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PublicSetting type
Rural: RemoteInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, not primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
1,000 - 4,999School type
Comprehensive higher education institutionMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
SemestersFoundation year
1979Navajo Technical University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Certificate of less than 1 year
Certificate of at least 1 year, but less than 2 years
Associate's degree
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Doctor's degree - research/scholarshipData last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.