Nichols vs. Kean

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

Nichols Kean
Location Dudley, MA Union, NJ
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,403 12,884
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #926 #663
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nichols.edu kean.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Nichols Kean
Tuition (In State) $37,150 $10,758
Tuition (Out of State) $37,150 $18,150
Room & Board $14,110 $14,834
Avg Net Price $27,192 $10,747
Avg Grant Aid $26,515 $13,123
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

Nichols Kean
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,358 10,485
Admitted 2,001 8,661
Acceptance Rate 84.9%Open 82.6%
Enrolled % 15.8%Open 22.7%
Avg High School GPA 2.9 3.2
Typical High School Grades B- B
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/25
SAT Range 945/1180 900/1160
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

Nichols Kean
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (75%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Education (2%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Nichols Kean
Graduation Rate 43% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $46,400
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

Nichols Kean
% Men 63% 36%
% Women 37% 64%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 81% 36%
% Black 7% 20%
% Hispanic 6% 27%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 8%

Students

Nichols Kean
% In-State 57% 92%
% Out-of-State 40% 3%

Campus

Nichols Kean
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Kean University is larger than than Nichols based on total student enrollment (12,884 students vs. 1,403 students)

Nichols vs. Kean Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Nichols or Kean?

  • Nichols College is 245.3% more expensive to attend than Kean for in-state tuition ($37,150.00 vs. $10,758.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 104.7% higher at Nichols than Kean University ($37,150.00 vs. $18,150.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kean University than Nichols ($10,747 vs. $27,192)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Nichols College are 5.1% lower than costs at Kean University ($14,110 vs. $14,834)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Nichols College than Kean University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Nichols College students is 102% larger than aid received Kean University ($26,515 vs. $13,123)

Nichols vs. Kean Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Kean students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.2) than students at Nichols (2.9)
  • Nichols has a higher acceptance rate (84.9%) than Kean (82.6%)

Nichols vs. Kean Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Nichols or Kean? 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 Kean and Nichols.

  • The graduation rate at Kean is higher than Nichols College (49% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Nichols College earn on average $5,400 more per year than Kean graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $46,400)
  • Kean University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Nichols graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Kean graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Nichols graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Nichols graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kean students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 52%)

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