NKU vs. Cleveland Institute of Art

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

NKU Cleveland Institute of Art
Location Highland Heights, KY Cleveland, OH
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 15,801 584
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #805
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu cia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Cleveland Institute of Art
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $43,380
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $43,380
Room & Board $11,248 $12,230
Avg Net Price $7,259 $33,395
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $28,356
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

NKU Cleveland Institute of Art
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 693
Admitted 5,939 484
Acceptance Rate 86% 69.8%
Enrolled % 27.6% 31.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 21/28
SAT Range 1030/1290 1080/1280
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 Cleveland Institute of Art
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (94%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

NKU Cleveland Institute of Art
Graduation Rate 37% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $39,400
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $29,000
Median Loan Payment $257 $299

Diversity

NKU Cleveland Institute of Art
% Men 36% 28%
% Women 64% 72%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 82% 69%
% Black 7% 8%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 10%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

NKU Cleveland Institute of Art
% In-State 66% 68%
% Out-of-State 26% 32%

Campus

NKU Cleveland Institute of Art
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 Cleveland Institute of Art based on total student enrollment (15,801 students vs. 584 students)

NKU vs. Cleveland Institute of Art Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Cleveland Institute of Art?

  • Cleveland Institute of Art is 325% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($43,380.00 vs. $10,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 112% higher at Cleveland Institute of Art than Northern Kentucky University ($43,380.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Cleveland Institute of Art ($7,259 vs. $33,395)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 8.7% lower than costs at Cleveland Institute of Art ($11,248 vs. $12,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than Cleveland Institute of Art (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cleveland Institute of Art students is 151.5% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($28,356 vs. $11,275)

NKU vs. Cleveland Institute of Art Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cleveland Institute of Art (1083) is 15 points higher than at NKU (1068)
  • Incoming Cleveland Institute of Art students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at NKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Cleveland Institute of Art students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Cleveland Institute of Art (69.8%)

NKU vs. Cleveland Institute of Art Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or Cleveland Institute of Art? 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 Cleveland Institute of Art and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at Cleveland Institute of Art is higher than Northern Kentucky University (58% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Northern Kentucky University earn on average $300 more per year than Cleveland Institute of Art graduates after ten years. ($39,700 vs. $39,400)
  • Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $4,050 lower median federal student loan debt than Cleveland Institute of Art graduates. ($24,950 vs. $29,000)
  • NKU graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than Cleveland Institute of Art graduates. ($257 vs. $299)
  • More Cleveland Institute of Art 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/