Covenant College vs. NKU

Should I go to Covenant College or Northern Kentucky University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Covenant 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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Covenant College vs. Northern Kentucky University comparison
Covenant College Northern Kentucky University College 3 College 4
Covenant College Northern Kentucky University
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Overview

Covenant College NKU
Location Lookout Mountain, GA Highland Heights, KY
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 886 15,801
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #805
Religious Affiliation The Presbyterian Church in America - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website covenant.edu nku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Covenant College NKU
Tuition (In State) $37,760 $10,208
Tuition (Out of State) $37,760 $20,464
Room & Board $11,688 $11,248
Avg Net Price $25,028 $7,259
Avg Grant Aid $26,658 $11,275
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Covenant College NKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 813 6,905
Admitted 684 5,939
Acceptance Rate 84.1% 86%
Enrolled % 35.4% 27.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.42
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/32 19/25
SAT Range 1140/1380 1030/1290
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Covenant College NKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Covenant College NKU
Graduation Rate 51% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,600 $39,700
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $24,950
Median Loan Payment $222 $257

Diversity

Covenant College NKU
% Men 46% 36%
% Women 54% 64%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 82%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Covenant College NKU
% In-State 35% 66%
% Out-of-State 62% 26%

Campus

Covenant 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 Covenant College based on total student enrollment (15,801 students vs. 886 students)

Covenant College vs. NKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Covenant College or NKU?

  • Covenant College is 269.9% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($37,760.00 vs. $10,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 84.5% higher at Covenant College than Northern Kentucky University ($37,760.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Covenant College ($7,259 vs. $25,028)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 3.9% lower than costs at Covenant College ($11,248 vs. $11,688)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Covenant College as Northern Kentucky University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Covenant College students is 136.4% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($26,658 vs. $11,275)

Covenant College vs. NKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Covenant College (1189) is 121 points higher than at NKU (1068)
  • Incoming Covenant College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at NKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Covenant College students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Covenant College (84.1%)

Covenant College vs. NKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Covenant 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 Covenant College.

  • The graduation rate at Covenant College is higher than Northern Kentucky University (51% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Covenant College earn on average $5,900 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($45,600 vs. $39,700)
  • Covenant College students graduate with a $3,450 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,950)
  • Covenant College graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($222 vs. $257)
  • More Covenant College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 53%)

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