NKU vs. Penn State Altoona

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

NKU Penn State Altoona
Location Highland Heights, KY Altoona, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 15,801 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #805 #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $25,854
Room & Board $11,248 $12,984
Avg Net Price $7,259 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 68%

Admission

NKU Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 7,523
Admitted 5,939 7,204
Acceptance Rate 86% 95.8%
Enrolled % 27.6% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 21/28
SAT Range 1030/1290 1050/1250
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 Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

NKU Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 37% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $257 $277

Diversity

NKU Penn State Altoona
% Men 36% 53%
% Women 64% 47%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 77%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

NKU Penn State Altoona
% In-State 66% 59%
% Out-of-State 26% 35%

Campus

NKU Penn State Altoona
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

  • Northern Kentucky University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (15,801 students vs. 2,577 students)

NKU vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Penn State Altoona?

  • Penn State Altoona is 50.7% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $10,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.3% higher at Penn State Altoona than Northern Kentucky University ($25,854.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Penn State Altoona ($7,259 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 15.4% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($11,248 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than Penn State Altoona (100% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 17.8% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($11,275 vs. $9,574)

NKU vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Kentucky University (1068) is 75 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming NKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman NKU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than NKU (86%)

NKU vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or Penn State Altoona? 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 Penn State Altoona and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Northern Kentucky University (65% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $15,600 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $39,700)
  • Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $1,868 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($24,950 vs. $26,818)
  • NKU graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($257 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 53%)

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