NKU vs. Alverno College

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

NKU Alverno College
Location Highland Heights, KY Milwaukee, WI
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 14,961 1,719
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #912
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu alverno.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Alverno College
Tuition (In State) $10,512 $31,944
Tuition (Out of State) $21,096 $31,944
Room & Board $11,660 $10,238
Avg Net Price $8,151 $17,884
Avg Grant Aid $11,492 $26,617
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

NKU Alverno College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,417 667
Admitted 6,162 621
Acceptance Rate 96% 93.1%
Enrolled % 21% 24.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.27
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25
SAT Range 916/1133
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2026

Academics

NKU Alverno College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (40%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

NKU Alverno College
Graduation Rate 37% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 48%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $31,693
Median Loan Payment $257 $327

Diversity

NKU Alverno College
% Men 10% 7%
% Women 24% 42%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 82% 52%
% Black 7% 15%
% Hispanic 3% 23%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

NKU Alverno College
% In-State 71% 88%
% Out-of-State 28% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Kentucky University is larger than than Alverno College based on total student enrollment (14,961 students vs. 1,719 students)

NKU vs. Alverno College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Alverno College?

  • Alverno College is 203.9% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($31,944.00 vs. $10,512.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 51.4% higher at Alverno College than Northern Kentucky University ($31,944.00 vs. $21,096.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Alverno College ($8,151 vs. $17,884)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Alverno College are 13.9% lower than costs at Northern Kentucky University ($10,238 vs. $11,660)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Alverno College than Northern Kentucky University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Alverno College students is 131.6% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($26,617 vs. $11,492)

NKU vs. Alverno College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Kentucky University (1068) is 158 points higher than at Alverno College (910)
  • Incoming NKU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Alverno College (19)
  • Accepted freshman NKU students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Alverno College (3.27)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (96%) than Alverno College (93.1%)

NKU vs. Alverno College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or Alverno 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 Alverno College and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at Alverno College is higher than Northern Kentucky University (40% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Northern Kentucky University earn on average $600 more per year than Alverno College graduates after ten years. ($39,700 vs. $39,100)
  • Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $6,743 lower median federal student loan debt than Alverno College graduates. ($24,950 vs. $31,693)
  • NKU graduates are paying $70 less per month on federal student loans than Alverno College graduates. ($257 vs. $327)
  • More NKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Alverno College students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 48%)

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