NKU vs. Defiance College

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

NKU Defiance College
Location Highland Heights, KY Defiance, OH
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 14,961 511
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #912
Religious Affiliation - United Church of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu defiance.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Defiance College
Tuition (In State) $10,512 $37,978
Tuition (Out of State) $21,096 $37,978
Room & Board $11,660 $12,138
Avg Net Price $8,151 $24,098
Avg Grant Aid $11,492 $25,302
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 99%

Admission

NKU Defiance College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,417 1,546
Admitted 6,162 656
Acceptance Rate 96% 42.4%
Enrolled % 21% 20.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.12
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 17/23
SAT Range 916/1133 860/1110
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

NKU Defiance College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

NKU Defiance College
Graduation Rate 37% 51%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $43,700
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $257 $279

Diversity

NKU Defiance College
% Men 10% 5%
% Women 24% 4%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 80%
% Black 7% 8%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

NKU Defiance College
% In-State 71% 66%
% Out-of-State 28% 31%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Kentucky University is larger than than Defiance College based on total student enrollment (14,961 students vs. 511 students)

NKU vs. Defiance College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Defiance College?

  • Defiance College is 261.3% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($37,978.00 vs. $10,512.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 80% higher at Defiance College than Northern Kentucky University ($37,978.00 vs. $21,096.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Defiance College ($8,151 vs. $24,098)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 4.1% lower than costs at Defiance College ($11,660 vs. $12,138)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Defiance College than Northern Kentucky University (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Defiance College students is 120.2% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($25,302 vs. $11,492)

NKU vs. Defiance College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Kentucky University (1068) is 84 points higher than at Defiance College (984)
  • Incoming NKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Defiance College (22)
  • Accepted freshman NKU students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Defiance College (3.12)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (96%) than Defiance College (42.4%)

NKU vs. Defiance College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Defiance College is higher than Northern Kentucky University (51% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Defiance College earn on average $4,000 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($43,700 vs. $39,700)
  • Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $2,050 lower median federal student loan debt than Defiance College graduates. ($24,950 vs. $27,000)
  • NKU graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Defiance College graduates. ($257 vs. $279)
  • More Defiance College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 53%)

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