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Colorado State UW CU Boulder The University of Montana Utah Boise State Kentucky University of Toledo UO Idaho Eastern Utah State University| Northern Kentucky University | Montana State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
NKU | MSU | ||
| Location | Highland Heights, KY | Bozeman, MT | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Remote Town | ||
| Enrollment | 15,801 | 16,681 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #805 | #590 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | nku.edu | montana.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NKU | MSU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,208 | $5,824 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $20,464 | $27,391 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,248 | $11,300 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $7,259 | $17,250 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,275 | $5,749 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 100% |
Admission |
NKU | MSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 6,905 | 28,794 | ||
| Admitted | 5,939 | 21,116 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86% | 73.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 27.6% | 17.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.5 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 20/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1030/1290 | 1070/1290 | ||
| 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 | MSU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
NKU | MSU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 37% | 51% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,700 | $45,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 53% | 71% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,950 | $24,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $257 | $248 |
Diversity |
NKU | MSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 36% | 52% | ||
| % Women | 64% | 48% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 82% | 86% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 1% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 3% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
NKU | MSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 66% | 35% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 26% | 65% | ||
Campus |
NKU | MSU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Montana State University is larger than than NKU based on total student enrollment (16,681 students vs. 15,801 students)
NKU vs. MSU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NKU or MSU?
- Northern Kentucky University is 75.3% more expensive to attend than MSU for in-state tuition ($10,208.00 vs. $5,824.00)
- Out of state tuition is 33.8% higher at MSU than Northern Kentucky University ($27,391.00 vs. $20,464.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than MSU ($7,259 vs. $17,250)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 0.5% lower than costs at Montana State University ($11,248 vs. $11,300)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University as Montana State University (100% vs. 100%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 96.1% larger than aid received Montana State University ($11,275 vs. $5,749)
NKU vs. MSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NKU or MSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between MSU or NKU .
- The average SAT score at Montana State University (1131) is 63 points higher than at NKU (1068)
- Incoming MSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at NKU (23)
- Accepted freshman MSU students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at NKU (3.42)
- NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than MSU (73.3%)
NKU vs. MSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NKU or MSU? 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 MSU and NKU.
- The graduation rate at MSU is higher than Northern Kentucky University (51% vs. 37%)
- Graduates from Montana State University earn on average $6,100 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($45,800 vs. $39,700)
- Montana State University students graduate with a $950 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($24,000 vs. $24,950)
- MSU graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($248 vs. $257)
- More MSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 53%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/