NKU vs. Liberty University

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

NKU Liberty University
Location Highland Heights, KY Lynchburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 15,801 96,709
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #805 #852
Religious Affiliation - Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu liberty.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Liberty University
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $21,374
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $21,374
Room & Board $11,248 $12,350
Avg Net Price $7,259 $29,913
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $12,471
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

NKU Liberty University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 30,943
Admitted 5,939 30,723
Acceptance Rate 86% 99.3%Open
Enrolled % 27.6% 19.9%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 21/29
SAT Range 1030/1290 1040/1250
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

NKU Liberty University
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (17%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (14%)
  • General Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

NKU Liberty University
Graduation Rate 37% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 36%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $24,166
Median Loan Payment $257 $249

Diversity

NKU Liberty University
% Men 36% 41%
% Women 64% 59%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 82% 46%
% Black 7% 13%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 31%

Students

NKU Liberty University
% In-State 66% 22%
% Out-of-State 26% 76%

Campus

NKU Liberty University
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

  • Liberty University is larger than than NKU based on total student enrollment (96,709 students vs. 15,801 students)

NKU vs. Liberty University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Liberty University?

  • Liberty University is 109.4% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($21,374.00 vs. $10,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.4% higher at Liberty University than Northern Kentucky University ($21,374.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Liberty University ($7,259 vs. $29,913)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 9.8% lower than costs at Liberty University ($11,248 vs. $12,350)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than Liberty University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Liberty University students is 10.6% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($12,471 vs. $11,275)

NKU vs. Liberty University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Liberty University (1070) is 2 points higher than at NKU (1068)
  • Incoming Liberty University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at NKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Liberty University students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • Liberty University has a higher acceptance rate (99.3%) than NKU (86%)

NKU vs. Liberty University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or Liberty University? 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 Liberty University and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at Liberty University is higher than Northern Kentucky University (47% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Northern Kentucky University earn on average $600 more per year than Liberty University graduates after ten years. ($39,700 vs. $39,100)
  • Liberty University students graduate with a $784 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($24,166 vs. $24,950)
  • Liberty University graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($249 vs. $257)
  • More NKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Liberty University students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 36%)

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