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Furman Wofford College JMU CofC Davidson UofSC Clemson University of Richmond NC State ASU Fairfield University Kentucky| Northern Kentucky University | Elon University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
NKU | Elon | ||
| Location | Highland Heights, KY | Elon, NC | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Small Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 15,801 | 7,123 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #805 | #116 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | nku.edu | elon.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NKU | Elon | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,208 | $41,734 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $20,464 | $41,734 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,248 | $13,886 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $7,259 | $41,527 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,275 | $13,880 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 68% |
Admission |
NKU | Elon | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 6,905 | 17,551 | ||
| Admitted | 5,939 | 13,069 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86% | 74.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 27.6% | 12.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.65 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 25/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1030/1290 | 1170/1360 | ||
| 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 | Jan 10, 2025 |
Academics |
NKU | Elon | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
NKU | Elon | ||
| Graduation Rate | 37% | 82% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,700 | $56,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 53% | 86% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,950 | $23,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $257 | $240 |
Diversity |
NKU | Elon | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 36% | 40% | ||
| % Women | 64% | 60% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 82% | 82% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 2% | ||
| % International | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
NKU | Elon | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 66% | 18% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 26% | 80% | ||
Campus |
NKU | Elon | ||
| 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 Elon based on total student enrollment (15,801 students vs. 7,123 students)
NKU vs. Elon Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NKU or Elon?
- Elon University is 308.8% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($41,734.00 vs. $10,208.00)
- Out of state tuition is 103.9% higher at Elon than Northern Kentucky University ($41,734.00 vs. $20,464.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Elon ($7,259 vs. $41,527)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 23.5% lower than costs at Elon University ($11,248 vs. $13,886)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than Elon University (100% vs. 68%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Elon University students is 23.1% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($13,880 vs. $11,275)
NKU vs. Elon Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NKU or Elon? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Elon or NKU .
- The average SAT score at Elon University (1211) is 143 points higher than at NKU (1068)
- Incoming Elon students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at NKU (23)
- Accepted freshman Elon students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at NKU (3.42)
- NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Elon (74.5%)
NKU vs. Elon Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NKU or Elon? 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 Elon and NKU.
- The graduation rate at Elon is higher than Northern Kentucky University (82% vs. 37%)
- Graduates from Elon University earn on average $16,500 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $39,700)
- Elon University students graduate with a $1,700 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($23,250 vs. $24,950)
- Elon graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($240 vs. $257)
- More Elon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 53%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/