NKU vs. Hope College

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

NKU Hope College
Location Highland Heights, KY Holland, MI
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 15,801 3,251
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #805 #275
Religious Affiliation - Reformed Church in America - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu hope.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Hope College
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $37,990
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $37,990
Room & Board $11,248 $11,900
Avg Net Price $7,259 $25,800
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $24,880
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

NKU Hope College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 5,152
Admitted 5,939 4,145
Acceptance Rate 86% 80.5%
Enrolled % 27.6% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.83
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 24/31
SAT Range 1030/1290 1090/1330
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 Hope College
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Physical Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

NKU Hope College
Graduation Rate 37% 79%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $257 $279

Diversity

NKU Hope College
% Men 36% 39%
% Women 64% 61%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 84%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

NKU Hope College
% In-State 66% 68%
% Out-of-State 26% 32%

Campus

NKU Hope College
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 Hope College based on total student enrollment (15,801 students vs. 3,251 students)

NKU vs. Hope College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Hope College?

  • Hope College is 272.2% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($37,990.00 vs. $10,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 85.6% higher at Hope College than Northern Kentucky University ($37,990.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Hope College ($7,259 vs. $25,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 5.8% lower than costs at Hope College ($11,248 vs. $11,900)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University as Hope College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Hope College students is 120.7% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($24,880 vs. $11,275)

NKU vs. Hope College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Hope College (1205) is 137 points higher than at NKU (1068)
  • Incoming Hope College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at NKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Hope College students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Hope College (80.5%)

NKU vs. Hope College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Hope College is higher than Northern Kentucky University (79% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Hope College earn on average $7,800 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $39,700)
  • Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $2,050 lower median federal student loan debt than Hope College graduates. ($24,950 vs. $27,000)
  • NKU graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Hope College graduates. ($257 vs. $279)
  • More Hope College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 53%)

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