Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Mason Virginia Tech VCU UVA CNU Old Dominion Mary Washington College William & Mary UD Elon ASU Penn State| Northern Kentucky University | James Madison University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
NKU | JMU | ||
| Location | Highland Heights, KY | Harrisonburg, VA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 15,801 | 22,224 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #805 | #260 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | nku.edu | jmu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NKU | JMU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,208 | $7,684 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $20,464 | $24,744 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,248 | $12,040 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $7,259 | $18,274 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,275 | $10,081 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 33% |
Admission |
NKU | JMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 6,905 | 30,727 | ||
| Admitted | 5,939 | 24,062 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86% | 78.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 27.6% | 20.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.57 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 23/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1030/1290 | 1140/1320 | ||
| 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 15, 2025 |
Academics |
NKU | JMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 17:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
NKU | JMU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 37% | 81% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,700 | $60,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 53% | 83% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,950 | $20,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $257 | $216 |
Diversity |
NKU | JMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 36% | 42% | ||
| % Women | 64% | 58% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 82% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 3% |
Students |
NKU | JMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 66% | 73% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 26% | 26% | ||
Campus |
NKU | JMU | ||
| 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
- James Madison University is larger than than NKU based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 15,801 students)
NKU vs. JMU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NKU or JMU?
- Northern Kentucky University is 32.8% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($10,208.00 vs. $7,684.00)
- Out of state tuition is 20.9% higher at JMU than Northern Kentucky University ($24,744.00 vs. $20,464.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than JMU ($7,259 vs. $18,274)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 7% lower than costs at James Madison University ($11,248 vs. $12,040)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than James Madison University (100% vs. 33%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 11.8% larger than aid received James Madison University ($11,275 vs. $10,081)
NKU vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NKU or JMU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between JMU or NKU .
- The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 66 points higher than at NKU (1068)
- Incoming JMU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at NKU (23)
- Accepted freshman JMU students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at NKU (3.42)
- NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than JMU (78.3%)
NKU vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NKU or JMU? 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 JMU and NKU.
- The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Northern Kentucky University (81% vs. 37%)
- Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $20,600 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $39,700)
- James Madison University students graduate with a $4,051 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($20,899 vs. $24,950)
- JMU graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($216 vs. $257)
- More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 53%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/