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WSU Michigan State GVSU WMU Eastern Michigan University UM-Dearborn Kentucky Michigan Saginaw Valley State University CMU University of Toledo Eastern| Northern Kentucky University | Oakland University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
NKU | Oakland | ||
| Location | Highland Heights, KY | Rochester Hills, MI | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 15,801 | 16,108 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #805 | #751 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | nku.edu | oakland.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NKU | Oakland | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,208 | $14,476 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $20,464 | $23,730 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,248 | $11,192 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $7,259 | $15,161 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,275 | $9,755 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 100% |
Admission |
NKU | Oakland | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 6,905 | 11,110 | ||
| Admitted | 5,939 | 10,005 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86% | 90.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 27.6% | 21.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.51 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | |||
| SAT Range | 1030/1290 | 1015/1245 | ||
| 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 | Oakland | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
NKU | Oakland | ||
| Graduation Rate | 37% | 40% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,700 | $46,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 53% | 51% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,950 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $257 | $258 |
Diversity |
NKU | Oakland | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 36% | 43% | ||
| % Women | 64% | 57% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 82% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 4% |
Students |
NKU | Oakland | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 66% | 95% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 26% | 2% | ||
Campus |
NKU | Oakland | ||
| 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
- Oakland University is larger than than NKU based on total student enrollment (16,108 students vs. 15,801 students)
NKU vs. Oakland Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NKU or Oakland?
- Oakland University is 41.8% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($14,476.00 vs. $10,208.00)
- Out of state tuition is 16% higher at Oakland than Northern Kentucky University ($23,730.00 vs. $20,464.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Oakland ($7,259 vs. $15,161)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Oakland University are 0.5% lower than costs at Northern Kentucky University ($11,192 vs. $11,248)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University as Oakland University (100% vs. 100%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 15.6% larger than aid received Oakland University ($11,275 vs. $9,755)
NKU vs. Oakland Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NKU or Oakland? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Oakland or NKU .
- The average SAT score at Oakland University (1070) is 2 points higher than at NKU (1068)
- Incoming NKU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Oakland (23)
- Accepted freshman Oakland students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at NKU (3.42)
- Oakland has a higher acceptance rate (90.1%) than NKU (86%)
NKU vs. Oakland Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NKU or Oakland? 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 Oakland and NKU.
- The graduation rate at Oakland is higher than Northern Kentucky University (40% vs. 37%)
- Graduates from Oakland University earn on average $7,000 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($46,700 vs. $39,700)
- Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $50 lower median federal student loan debt than Oakland graduates. ($24,950 vs. $25,000)
- NKU graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Oakland graduates. ($257 vs. $258)
- More NKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Oakland students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 51%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/