NKU vs. Bryan College

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

NKU Bryan College
Location Highland Heights, KY Dayton, TN
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 14,961 1,548
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #912
Religious Affiliation - Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu bryan.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Bryan College
Tuition (In State) $10,512 $18,300
Tuition (Out of State) $21,096 $18,300
Room & Board $11,660 $8,550
Avg Net Price $8,151 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $11,492 $12,650
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 97%

Admission

NKU Bryan College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,417 -
Admitted 6,162 -
Acceptance Rate 96%
Enrolled % 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.67
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)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2026

Academics

NKU Bryan College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (58%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (4%)
  • Psychology (4%)

Outcomes

NKU Bryan College
Graduation Rate 37% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $40,700
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 N/A
Median Loan Payment $257 N/A

Diversity

NKU Bryan College
% Men 10% 4%
% Women 24% 6%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 82%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

NKU Bryan College
% In-State 71% 72%
% Out-of-State 28% 27%

Campus

NKU Bryan 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 Bryan College based on total student enrollment (14,961 students vs. 1,548 students)

NKU vs. Bryan College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Bryan College?

  • Bryan College is 74.1% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($18,300.00 vs. $10,512.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.3% higher at NKU than Bryan College ($21,096.00 vs. $18,300.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Bryan College ($8,151 vs. $17,105)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bryan College are 36.4% lower than costs at Northern Kentucky University ($8,550 vs. $11,660)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than Bryan College (98% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bryan College students is 10.1% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($12,650 vs. $11,492)

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Kentucky University (1068) is 52 points higher than at Bryan College (1016)
  • Incoming NKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Bryan College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Bryan College students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at NKU (3.42)

NKU vs. Bryan College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Bryan College is higher than Northern Kentucky University (56% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Bryan College earn on average $1,000 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($40,700 vs. $39,700)
  • More Bryan College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 53%)

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