NKU vs. PennWest Edinboro

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

NKU PennWest Edinboro
Location Highland Heights, KY Edinboro, PA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 14,961 4,043
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #912 #1039
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu edinboro.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU PennWest Edinboro
Tuition (In State) $10,512 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $21,096 $11,574
Room & Board $11,660 $11,660
Avg Net Price $8,151 -
Avg Grant Aid $11,492 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 0%

Admission

NKU PennWest Edinboro
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,417 -
Admitted 6,162 -
Acceptance Rate 96%
Enrolled % 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 20/27
SAT Range 916/1133 970/1170
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2026

Academics

NKU PennWest Edinboro
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (15%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

NKU PennWest Edinboro
Graduation Rate 37% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $37,700
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $257 $279

Diversity

NKU PennWest Edinboro
% Men 10% 34%
% Women 24% 66%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 81%
% Black 7% 8%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

NKU PennWest Edinboro
% In-State 71% 83%
% Out-of-State 28% 15%

Campus

NKU PennWest Edinboro
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 PennWest Edinboro based on total student enrollment (14,961 students vs. 4,043 students)

NKU vs. PennWest Edinboro Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or PennWest Edinboro?

  • Northern Kentucky University is 36.2% more expensive to attend than PennWest Edinboro for in-state tuition ($10,512.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 82.3% higher at NKU than PennWest Edinboro ($21,096.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest Edinboro are 0% lower than costs at Northern Kentucky University ($11,660 vs. $11,660)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than PennWest Edinboro (98% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest Edinboro ($11,492 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Kentucky University (1068) is 118 points higher than at PennWest Edinboro (950)
  • Incoming NKU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at PennWest Edinboro (20)
  • Accepted freshman PennWest Edinboro students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at NKU (3.42)

NKU vs. PennWest Edinboro Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or PennWest Edinboro? 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 PennWest Edinboro and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest Edinboro is higher than Northern Kentucky University (53% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Northern Kentucky University earn on average $2,000 more per year than PennWest Edinboro graduates after ten years. ($39,700 vs. $37,700)
  • Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $2,050 lower median federal student loan debt than PennWest Edinboro graduates. ($24,950 vs. $27,000)
  • NKU graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than PennWest Edinboro graduates. ($257 vs. $279)
  • More PennWest Edinboro graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 53%)

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