NKU vs. Lane College

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

NKU Lane College
Location Highland Heights, KY Jackson, TN
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 14,961 822
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #912
Religious Affiliation - Christian Methodist Episcopal - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu lanecollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Lane College
Tuition (In State) $10,512 $9,270
Tuition (Out of State) $21,096 $9,270
Room & Board $11,660 $7,610
Avg Net Price $8,151 $13,384
Avg Grant Aid $11,492 $10,229
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 94%

Admission

NKU Lane College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,417 -
Admitted 6,162 -
Acceptance Rate 96%
Enrolled % 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 2.57
Typical High School Grades B+ C+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25
SAT Range 916/1133
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2026 Aug 21, 2026

Academics

NKU Lane College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

NKU Lane College
Graduation Rate 37% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $25,000
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 12%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $36,464
Median Loan Payment $257 $377

Diversity

NKU Lane College
% Men 10% 34%
% Women 24% 28%
Racial Diversity Very Low Extremely Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 82% 1%
% Black 7% 97%
% Hispanic 3% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

NKU Lane College
% In-State 71% 61%
% Out-of-State 28% 38%

Campus

NKU Lane College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Kentucky University is larger than than Lane College based on total student enrollment (14,961 students vs. 822 students)

NKU vs. Lane College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Lane College?

  • Northern Kentucky University is 13.4% more expensive to attend than Lane College for in-state tuition ($10,512.00 vs. $9,270.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 127.6% higher at NKU than Lane College ($21,096.00 vs. $9,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Lane College ($8,151 vs. $13,384)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lane College are 53.2% lower than costs at Northern Kentucky University ($7,610 vs. $11,660)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than Lane College (98% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 12.3% larger than aid received Lane College ($11,492 vs. $10,229)

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Kentucky University (1068) is 310 points higher than at Lane College (758)
  • Incoming NKU students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Lane College (16)
  • Accepted freshman NKU students have a 0.85 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Lane College (2.57)

NKU vs. Lane College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at NKU is higher than Lane College (37% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Northern Kentucky University earn on average $14,700 more per year than Lane College graduates after ten years. ($39,700 vs. $25,000)
  • Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $11,514 lower median federal student loan debt than Lane College graduates. ($24,950 vs. $36,464)
  • NKU graduates are paying $120 less per month on federal student loans than Lane College graduates. ($257 vs. $377)
  • More NKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lane College students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 12%)

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