NKU vs. JCU

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

NKU JCU
Location Highland Heights, KY University Heights, OH
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,801 2,922
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #805 #286
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu jcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU JCU
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $45,490
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $45,490
Room & Board $11,248 $13,200
Avg Net Price $7,259 $30,496
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $30,415
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

NKU JCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 4,310
Admitted 5,939 3,550
Acceptance Rate 86% 82.4%
Enrolled % 27.6% 15.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.66
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 25/30
SAT Range 1030/1290 1160/1320
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

Academics

NKU JCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

NKU JCU
Graduation Rate 37% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $57,600
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $26,939
Median Loan Payment $257 $278

Diversity

NKU JCU
% Men 36% 52%
% Women 64% 48%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 86%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

NKU JCU
% In-State 66% 66%
% Out-of-State 26% 34%

Campus

NKU JCU
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 JCU based on total student enrollment (15,801 students vs. 2,922 students)

NKU vs. JCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or JCU?

  • John Carroll University is 345.6% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($45,490.00 vs. $10,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 122.3% higher at JCU than Northern Kentucky University ($45,490.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than JCU ($7,259 vs. $30,496)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 17.4% lower than costs at John Carroll University ($11,248 vs. $13,200)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University as John Carroll University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by John Carroll University students is 169.8% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($30,415 vs. $11,275)

NKU vs. JCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at John Carroll University (1127) is 59 points higher than at NKU (1068)
  • Incoming JCU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at NKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman JCU students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than JCU (82.4%)

NKU vs. JCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or JCU? 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 JCU and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at JCU is higher than Northern Kentucky University (71% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from John Carroll University earn on average $17,900 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($57,600 vs. $39,700)
  • Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $1,989 lower median federal student loan debt than JCU graduates. ($24,950 vs. $26,939)
  • NKU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than JCU graduates. ($257 vs. $278)
  • More JCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 53%)

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