NKU vs. Chatham

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

NKU Chatham
Location Highland Heights, KY Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 15,801 2,387
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #805 #288
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu chatham.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Chatham
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $40,625
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $40,625
Room & Board $11,248 $12,719
Avg Net Price $7,259 $28,322
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $27,330
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

NKU Chatham
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 3,514
Admitted 5,939 2,331
Acceptance Rate 86% 66.3%
Enrolled % 27.6% 13.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.86
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 21/29
SAT Range 1030/1290 1060/1270
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

Academics

NKU Chatham
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

NKU Chatham
Graduation Rate 37% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $257 $211

Diversity

NKU Chatham
% Men 36% 25%
% Women 64% 75%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 72%
% Black 7% 10%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

NKU Chatham
% In-State 66% 70%
% Out-of-State 26% 26%

Campus

NKU Chatham
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 Chatham based on total student enrollment (15,801 students vs. 2,387 students)

NKU vs. Chatham Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Chatham?

  • Chatham University is 298% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($40,625.00 vs. $10,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 98.5% higher at Chatham than Northern Kentucky University ($40,625.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Chatham ($7,259 vs. $28,322)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 13.1% lower than costs at Chatham University ($11,248 vs. $12,719)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University as Chatham University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Chatham University students is 142.4% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($27,330 vs. $11,275)

NKU vs. Chatham Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Chatham students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Chatham (66.3%)

NKU vs. Chatham Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or Chatham? 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 Chatham and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at Chatham is higher than Northern Kentucky University (60% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Northern Kentucky University earn on average $3,000 more per year than Chatham graduates after ten years. ($39,700 vs. $36,700)
  • Chatham University students graduate with a $4,450 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $24,950)
  • Chatham graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($211 vs. $257)
  • More Chatham graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 53%)

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