NKU vs. Mississippi State

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

NKU Mississippi State
Location Highland Heights, KY Mississippi State, MS
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 15,801 22,649
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #805 #523
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu msstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Mississippi State
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $9,248
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $25,294
Room & Board $11,248 $10,964
Avg Net Price $7,259 $15,364
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $14,252
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

NKU Mississippi State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 18,830
Admitted 5,939 14,158
Acceptance Rate 86% 75.2%
Enrolled % 27.6% 23.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 21/29
SAT Range 1030/1290 1070/1280
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

NKU Mississippi State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

NKU Mississippi State
Graduation Rate 37% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $257 $240

Diversity

NKU Mississippi State
% Men 36% 49%
% Women 64% 51%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 72%
% Black 7% 20%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

NKU Mississippi State
% In-State 66% 59%
% Out-of-State 26% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Mississippi State University is larger than than NKU based on total student enrollment (22,649 students vs. 15,801 students)

NKU vs. Mississippi State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Mississippi State?

  • Northern Kentucky University is 10.4% more expensive to attend than Mississippi State for in-state tuition ($10,208.00 vs. $9,248.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.6% higher at Mississippi State than Northern Kentucky University ($25,294.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Mississippi State ($7,259 vs. $15,364)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mississippi State University are 2.6% lower than costs at Northern Kentucky University ($10,964 vs. $11,248)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than Mississippi State University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mississippi State University students is 26.4% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($14,252 vs. $11,275)

NKU vs. Mississippi State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Mississippi State University (1140) is 72 points higher than at NKU (1068)
  • Incoming Mississippi State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at NKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Mississippi State students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Mississippi State (75.2%)

NKU vs. Mississippi State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or Mississippi State? 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 Mississippi State and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at Mississippi State is higher than Northern Kentucky University (60% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Mississippi State University earn on average $7,800 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $39,700)
  • Mississippi State University students graduate with a $1,700 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($23,250 vs. $24,950)
  • Mississippi State graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($240 vs. $257)
  • More Mississippi State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 53%)

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