NKU vs. Purdue Northwest

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

NKU Purdue Northwest
Location Highland Heights, KY Hammond, Indiana
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 14,961 8,679
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #912
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu pnw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Purdue Northwest
Tuition (In State) $10,512 $7,594
Tuition (Out of State) $21,096 $14,795
Room & Board $11,660 $9,097
Avg Net Price $8,151 $9,637
Avg Grant Aid $11,492 $6,420
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 85%

Admission

NKU Purdue Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,417 6,394
Admitted 6,162 4,516
Acceptance Rate 96% 70.6%
Enrolled % 21% 26.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 16/25
SAT Range 916/1133 920/1140
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, 2026 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

NKU Purdue Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

NKU Purdue Northwest
Graduation Rate 37% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 53% -
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 N/A
Median Loan Payment $257 N/A

Diversity

NKU Purdue Northwest
% Men 10% 4%
% Women 24% 5%
Racial Diversity Very Low -
HBCU No No
% White 82% 0%
% Black 7% 0%
% Hispanic 3% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

NKU Purdue Northwest
% In-State 71% 80%
% Out-of-State 28% 14%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Kentucky University is larger than than Purdue Northwest based on total student enrollment (14,961 students vs. 8,679 students)

NKU vs. Purdue Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Purdue Northwest?

  • Northern Kentucky University is 38.4% more expensive to attend than Purdue Northwest for in-state tuition ($10,512.00 vs. $7,594.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42.6% higher at NKU than Purdue University Northwest ($21,096.00 vs. $14,795.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Purdue Northwest ($8,151 vs. $9,637)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Northwest are 28.2% lower than costs at Northern Kentucky University ($9,097 vs. $11,660)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than Purdue University Northwest (98% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 79% larger than aid received Purdue University Northwest ($11,492 vs. $6,420)

NKU vs. Purdue Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman NKU students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Purdue Northwest (3.19)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (96%) than Purdue Northwest (70.6%)

NKU vs. Purdue Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or Purdue Northwest? 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 Purdue Northwest and NKU.

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