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Purdue Iowa Michigan State Miami Kentucky Wisconsin Butler UC Illinois UofSC Tennessee CU Boulder| Indiana University Bloomington | Northern Kentucky University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
IU | NKU | ||
| Location | Bloomington, IN | Highland Heights, KY | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 47,005 | 15,801 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #200 | #805 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | iub.edu | nku.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
IU | NKU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,012 | $10,208 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $37,685 | $20,464 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,228 | $11,248 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,234 | $7,259 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,336 | $11,275 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 74% | 100% |
Admission |
IU | NKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 50,080 | 6,905 | ||
| Admitted | 41,272 | 5,939 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 82.4% | 86% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.6% | 27.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.74 | 3.42 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 27/32 | 19/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 1180/1400 | 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 | Aug 15, 2025 |
Academics |
IU | NKU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
IU | NKU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 72% | 37% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $56,200 | $39,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 72% | 53% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,500 | $24,950 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $232 | $257 |
Diversity |
IU | NKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 36% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 64% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 71% | 82% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 2% | ||
| % International | 11% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
IU | NKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 51% | 66% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 42% | 26% | ||
Campus |
IU | NKU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Indiana University Bloomington is larger than than NKU based on total student enrollment (47,005 students vs. 15,801 students)
IU vs. NKU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, IU or NKU?
- Northern Kentucky University is 2% more expensive to attend than IU for in-state tuition ($10,208.00 vs. $10,012.00)
- Out of state tuition is 84.2% higher at IU than Northern Kentucky University ($37,685.00 vs. $20,464.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than IU ($7,259 vs. $16,234)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 8.7% lower than costs at Indiana University Bloomington ($11,248 vs. $12,228)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than Indiana University Bloomington (100% vs. 74%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 9.1% larger than aid received Indiana University Bloomington ($11,275 vs. $10,336)
IU vs. NKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, IU or NKU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between NKU or IU .
- The average SAT score at Indiana University Bloomington (1199) is 131 points higher than at NKU (1068)
- Incoming IU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at NKU (23)
- Accepted freshman IU students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at NKU (3.42)
- NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than IU (82.4%)
IU vs. NKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, IU 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 IU.
- The graduation rate at IU is higher than Northern Kentucky University (72% vs. 37%)
- Graduates from Indiana University Bloomington earn on average $16,500 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $39,700)
- Indiana University Bloomington students graduate with a $2,450 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $24,950)
- IU graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($232 vs. $257)
- More IU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 53%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/