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Belmont Samford University Kentucky University of Toledo Harding University Eastern Union University Vanderbilt Murray State University Middle Tennessee State University WKU Trevecca Nazarene University| Northern Kentucky University | Lipscomb University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
NKU | Lipscomb | ||
| Location | Highland Heights, KY | Nashville, TN | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 15,801 | 4,704 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #805 | #279 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Churches of Christ | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | nku.edu | lipscomb.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NKU | Lipscomb | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,208 | $34,304 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $20,464 | $34,304 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,248 | $14,036 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $7,259 | $27,937 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,275 | $24,404 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 100% |
Admission |
NKU | Lipscomb | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 6,905 | 3,705 | ||
| Admitted | 5,939 | 2,635 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86% | 71.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 27.6% | 26.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.73 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 23/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1030/1290 | 1130/1320 | ||
| 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 | Lipscomb | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
NKU | Lipscomb | ||
| Graduation Rate | 37% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,700 | $46,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 53% | 68% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,950 | $20,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $257 | $211 |
Diversity |
NKU | Lipscomb | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 36% | 35% | ||
| % Women | 64% | 65% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 82% | 77% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 2% | ||
| % International | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 2% |
Students |
NKU | Lipscomb | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 66% | 54% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 26% | 44% | ||
Campus |
NKU | Lipscomb | ||
| 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 Lipscomb based on total student enrollment (15,801 students vs. 4,704 students)
NKU vs. Lipscomb Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NKU or Lipscomb?
- Lipscomb University is 236.1% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($34,304.00 vs. $10,208.00)
- Out of state tuition is 67.6% higher at Lipscomb than Northern Kentucky University ($34,304.00 vs. $20,464.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Lipscomb ($7,259 vs. $27,937)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 24.8% lower than costs at Lipscomb University ($11,248 vs. $14,036)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University as Lipscomb University (100% vs. 100%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Lipscomb University students is 116.4% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($24,404 vs. $11,275)
NKU vs. Lipscomb Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NKU or Lipscomb? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Lipscomb or NKU .
- The average SAT score at Lipscomb University (1176) is 108 points higher than at NKU (1068)
- Incoming Lipscomb students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at NKU (23)
- Accepted freshman Lipscomb students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at NKU (3.42)
- NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Lipscomb (71.1%)
NKU vs. Lipscomb Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NKU or Lipscomb? 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 Lipscomb and NKU.
- The graduation rate at Lipscomb is higher than Northern Kentucky University (63% vs. 37%)
- Graduates from Lipscomb University earn on average $7,200 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($46,900 vs. $39,700)
- Lipscomb University students graduate with a $4,450 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $24,950)
- Lipscomb graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($211 vs. $257)
- More Lipscomb graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 53%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/