NKU vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny

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

NKU Penn State Greater Allegheny
Location Highland Heights, KY McKeesport, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,801 363
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #805
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Penn State Greater Allegheny
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $23,086
Room & Board $11,248 $12,254
Avg Net Price $7,259 $19,505
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $10,269
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 85%

Admission

NKU Penn State Greater Allegheny
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 672
Admitted 5,939 589
Acceptance Rate 86% 87.6%
Enrolled % 27.6% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25
SAT Range 1030/1290 1040/1300
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 Greater Allegheny
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (38%)
  • Psychology (35%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (2%)

Outcomes

NKU Penn State Greater Allegheny
Graduation Rate 37% 47%
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 Greater Allegheny
% Men 36% 61%
% Women 64% 39%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 82% 61%
% Black 7% 19%
% Hispanic 3% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

NKU Penn State Greater Allegheny
% In-State 66% 68%
% Out-of-State 26% 30%

Campus

NKU Penn State Greater Allegheny
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 Greater Allegheny based on total student enrollment (15,801 students vs. 363 students)

NKU vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Penn State Greater Allegheny?

  • Penn State Greater Allegheny is 35.4% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $10,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.8% higher at Penn State Greater Allegheny than Northern Kentucky University ($23,086.00 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 Greater Allegheny ($7,259 vs. $19,505)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 8.9% lower than costs at Penn State Greater Allegheny ($11,248 vs. $12,254)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than Penn State Greater Allegheny (100% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 9.8% larger than aid received Penn State Greater Allegheny ($11,275 vs. $10,269)

NKU vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Kentucky University (1068) is 125 points higher than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (943)
  • Incoming NKU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Penn State Greater Allegheny (23)
  • Penn State Greater Allegheny has a higher acceptance rate (87.6%) than NKU (86%)

NKU vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or Penn State Greater Allegheny? 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 Greater Allegheny and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Greater Allegheny is higher than Northern Kentucky University (47% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Greater Allegheny 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 Greater Allegheny graduates. ($24,950 vs. $26,818)
  • NKU graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates. ($257 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Greater Allegheny 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/