KWC vs. NKU

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

KWC NKU
Location Owensboro, KY Highland Heights, KY
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 813 15,801
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #805
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kwc.edu nku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

KWC NKU
Tuition (In State) $30,040 $10,208
Tuition (Out of State) $30,040 $20,464
Room & Board $11,175 $11,248
Avg Net Price $20,735 $7,259
Avg Grant Aid $20,036 $11,275
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

KWC NKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,434 6,905
Admitted 983 5,939
Acceptance Rate 68.5% 86%
Enrolled % 22.4% 27.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/23 19/25
SAT Range 980/1210 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

KWC NKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

KWC NKU
Graduation Rate 44% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,500 $39,700
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,907 $24,950
Median Loan Payment $236 $257

Diversity

KWC NKU
% Men 51% 36%
% Women 49% 64%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 82%
% Black 15% 7%
% Hispanic 1% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 9% 1%

Students

KWC NKU
% In-State 67% 66%
% Out-of-State 32% 26%

Campus

KWC 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 KWC based on total student enrollment (15,801 students vs. 813 students)

KWC vs. NKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KWC or NKU?

  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is 194.3% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($30,040.00 vs. $10,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.8% higher at KWC than Northern Kentucky University ($30,040.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than KWC ($7,259 vs. $20,735)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kentucky Wesleyan College are 0.7% lower than costs at Northern Kentucky University ($11,175 vs. $11,248)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Kentucky Wesleyan College as Northern Kentucky University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kentucky Wesleyan College students is 77.7% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($20,036 vs. $11,275)

KWC vs. NKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Kentucky University (1068) is 20 points higher than at KWC (1048)
  • Incoming KWC students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at NKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman NKU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at KWC (3.3)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than KWC (68.5%)

KWC vs. NKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, KWC 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 KWC.

  • The graduation rate at KWC is higher than Northern Kentucky University (44% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Northern Kentucky University earn on average $1,200 more per year than KWC graduates after ten years. ($39,700 vs. $38,500)
  • Kentucky Wesleyan College students graduate with a $2,043 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($22,907 vs. $24,950)
  • KWC graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($236 vs. $257)
  • More KWC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 53%)

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