NKU vs. Adrian College

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

NKU Adrian College
Location Highland Heights, KY Adrian, MI
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 14,961 1,760
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #912 #800
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu adrian.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Adrian College
Tuition (In State) $10,512 $39,280
Tuition (Out of State) $21,096 $39,280
Room & Board $11,660 $13,424
Avg Net Price $8,151 $22,053
Avg Grant Aid $11,492 $32,923
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 99%

Admission

NKU Adrian College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,417 3,054
Admitted 6,162 2,088
Acceptance Rate 96% 68.4%
Enrolled % 21% 23.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.2
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 18/26
SAT Range 916/1133 880/1120
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, 2026 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

NKU Adrian College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

Outcomes

NKU Adrian College
Graduation Rate 37% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $39,900
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $257 $279

Diversity

NKU Adrian College
% Men 10% 2%
% Women 24% 2%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 72%
% Black 7% 9%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 9%

Students

NKU Adrian College
% In-State 71% 67%
% Out-of-State 28% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Kentucky University is larger than than Adrian College based on total student enrollment (14,961 students vs. 1,760 students)

NKU vs. Adrian College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Adrian College?

  • Adrian College is 273.7% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($39,280.00 vs. $10,512.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 86.2% higher at Adrian College than Northern Kentucky University ($39,280.00 vs. $21,096.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Adrian College ($8,151 vs. $22,053)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 15.1% lower than costs at Adrian College ($11,660 vs. $13,424)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Adrian College than Northern Kentucky University (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Adrian College students is 186.5% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($32,923 vs. $11,492)

NKU vs. Adrian College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Kentucky University (1068) is 60 points higher than at Adrian College (1008)
  • Incoming NKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Adrian College (22)
  • Accepted freshman NKU students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Adrian College (3.2)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (96%) than Adrian College (68.4%)

NKU vs. Adrian College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or Adrian College? 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 Adrian College and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at Adrian College is higher than Northern Kentucky University (49% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Adrian College earn on average $200 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($39,900 vs. $39,700)
  • Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $2,050 lower median federal student loan debt than Adrian College graduates. ($24,950 vs. $27,000)
  • NKU graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Adrian College graduates. ($257 vs. $279)
  • More Adrian College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 53%)

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