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Lipscomb Samford University Middle Tennessee State University Vanderbilt Kentucky Elon University of Toledo Butler Eastern Trevecca Nazarene University Tennessee Murray State University| Northern Kentucky University | Belmont University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
NKU | Belmont | ||
| Location | Highland Heights, KY | Nashville, TN | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 15,801 | 8,910 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #805 | #317 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Interdenominational | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | nku.edu | belmont.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NKU | Belmont | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,208 | $38,000 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $20,464 | $38,000 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,248 | $13,670 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $7,259 | $36,225 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,275 | $22,080 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 91% |
Admission |
NKU | Belmont | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 6,905 | 9,163 | ||
| Admitted | 5,939 | 8,821 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86% | 96.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 27.6% | 21.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.83 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 24/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1030/1290 | 1150/1340 | ||
| 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 | Jul 1, 2025 |
Academics |
NKU | Belmont | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
NKU | Belmont | ||
| Graduation Rate | 37% | 68% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,700 | $49,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 53% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,950 | $21,780 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $257 | $225 |
Diversity |
NKU | Belmont | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 36% | 33% | ||
| % Women | 64% | 67% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 82% | 80% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 3% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 4% |
Students |
NKU | Belmont | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 66% | 27% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 26% | 72% | ||
Campus |
NKU | Belmont | ||
| 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 Belmont based on total student enrollment (15,801 students vs. 8,910 students)
NKU vs. Belmont Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NKU or Belmont?
- Belmont University is 272.3% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($38,000.00 vs. $10,208.00)
- Out of state tuition is 85.7% higher at Belmont than Northern Kentucky University ($38,000.00 vs. $20,464.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Belmont ($7,259 vs. $36,225)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 21.5% lower than costs at Belmont University ($11,248 vs. $13,670)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than Belmont University (100% vs. 91%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Belmont University students is 95.8% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($22,080 vs. $11,275)
NKU vs. Belmont Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NKU or Belmont? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Belmont or NKU .
- The average SAT score at Belmont University (1158) is 90 points higher than at NKU (1068)
- Incoming Belmont students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at NKU (23)
- Accepted freshman Belmont students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at NKU (3.42)
- Belmont has a higher acceptance rate (96.3%) than NKU (86%)
NKU vs. Belmont Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NKU or Belmont? 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 Belmont and NKU.
- The graduation rate at Belmont is higher than Northern Kentucky University (68% vs. 37%)
- Graduates from Belmont University earn on average $9,400 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($49,100 vs. $39,700)
- Belmont University students graduate with a $3,170 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($21,780 vs. $24,950)
- Belmont graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($225 vs. $257)
- More Belmont graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 53%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/