NKU vs. Bluefield State College

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

NKU Bluefield State College
Location Highland Heights, KY Bluefield, WV
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 14,961 1,270
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #912 #986
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu bluefieldstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Bluefield State College
Tuition (In State) $10,512 $9,240
Tuition (Out of State) $21,096 $16,560
Room & Board $11,660 $11,327
Avg Net Price $8,151 $14,500
Avg Grant Aid $11,492 $9,634
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 98%

Admission

NKU Bluefield State College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,417 720
Admitted 6,162 628
Acceptance Rate 96% 87.2%
Enrolled % 21% 34.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 17/22
SAT Range 916/1133 870/1080
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 Bluefield State College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (29%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

NKU Bluefield State College
Graduation Rate 37% 22%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $31,800
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 30%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $257 $196

Diversity

NKU Bluefield State College
% Men 10% 0%
% Women 24% 1%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 82% 85%
% Black 7% 9%
% Hispanic 3% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

NKU Bluefield State College
% In-State 71% 54%
% Out-of-State 28% 46%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Kentucky University is larger than than Bluefield State College based on total student enrollment (14,961 students vs. 1,270 students)

NKU vs. Bluefield State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Bluefield State College?

  • Northern Kentucky University is 13.8% more expensive to attend than Bluefield State College for in-state tuition ($10,512.00 vs. $9,240.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.4% higher at NKU than Bluefield State College ($21,096.00 vs. $16,560.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Bluefield State College ($8,151 vs. $14,500)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bluefield State College are 2.9% lower than costs at Northern Kentucky University ($11,327 vs. $11,660)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University as Bluefield State College (98% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 19.3% larger than aid received Bluefield State College ($11,492 vs. $9,634)

NKU vs. Bluefield State College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Kentucky University (1068) is 134 points higher than at Bluefield State College (934)
  • Incoming NKU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Bluefield State College (20)
  • Accepted freshman NKU students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Bluefield State College (3.41)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (96%) than Bluefield State College (87.2%)

NKU vs. Bluefield State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or Bluefield State 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 Bluefield State College and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at NKU is higher than Bluefield State College (37% vs. 22%)
  • Graduates from Northern Kentucky University earn on average $7,900 more per year than Bluefield State College graduates after ten years. ($39,700 vs. $31,800)
  • Bluefield State College students graduate with a $5,950 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($19,000 vs. $24,950)
  • Bluefield State College graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($196 vs. $257)
  • More NKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bluefield State College students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 30%)

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