Blackburn College vs. NKU

Should I go to Blackburn College or Northern Kentucky University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Blackburn College or NKU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Blackburn College vs. Northern Kentucky University comparison
Blackburn College Northern Kentucky University College 3 College 4
Blackburn College Northern Kentucky University
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Overview

Blackburn College NKU
Location Carlinville, IL Highland Heights, KY
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 389 14,961
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #912
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blackburn.edu nku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Blackburn College NKU
Tuition (In State) $26,758 $10,512
Tuition (Out of State) $26,758 $21,096
Room & Board $9,120 $11,660
Avg Net Price $21,349 $8,151
Avg Grant Aid $15,613 $11,492
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Blackburn College NKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,113 6,417
Admitted 892 6,162
Acceptance Rate 80.1% 96%
Enrolled % 9.6% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.42
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/24 19/25
SAT Range 888/1125 916/1133
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Blackburn College NKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Blackburn College NKU
Graduation Rate 48% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,400 $39,700
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $24,950
Median Loan Payment $268 $257

Diversity

Blackburn College NKU
% Men 2% 10%
% Women 10% 24%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 82%
% Black 13% 7%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Blackburn College NKU
% In-State 73% 71%
% Out-of-State 23% 28%

Campus

Blackburn College NKU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Kentucky University is larger than than Blackburn College based on total student enrollment (14,961 students vs. 389 students)

Blackburn College vs. NKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Blackburn College or NKU?

  • Blackburn College is 154.5% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($26,758.00 vs. $10,512.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.8% higher at Blackburn College than Northern Kentucky University ($26,758.00 vs. $21,096.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Blackburn College ($8,151 vs. $21,349)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Blackburn College are 27.9% lower than costs at Northern Kentucky University ($9,120 vs. $11,660)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Blackburn College than Northern Kentucky University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Blackburn College students is 35.9% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($15,613 vs. $11,492)

Blackburn College vs. NKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Blackburn College or NKU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between NKU or Blackburn College .

  • The average SAT score at Northern Kentucky University (1068) is 63 points higher than at Blackburn College (1005)
  • Incoming NKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Blackburn College (22)
  • Accepted freshman NKU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Blackburn College (3.23)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (96%) than Blackburn College (80.1%)

Blackburn College vs. NKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Blackburn College or NKU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between NKU and Blackburn College.

  • The graduation rate at Blackburn College is higher than Northern Kentucky University (48% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Blackburn College earn on average $700 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($40,400 vs. $39,700)
  • Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $1,050 lower median federal student loan debt than Blackburn College graduates. ($24,950 vs. $26,000)
  • NKU graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Blackburn College graduates. ($257 vs. $268)
  • More Blackburn College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 53%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/