NKU vs. Tennessee Tech

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

NKU Tennessee Tech
Location Highland Heights, KY Cookeville, TN
Setting Large Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 15,801 9,902
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #805 #570
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu tntech.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Tennessee Tech
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $8,520
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $18,552
Room & Board $11,248 $10,502
Avg Net Price $7,259 $15,188
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $8,471
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

NKU Tennessee Tech
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 7,229
Admitted 5,939 5,646
Acceptance Rate 86% 78.1%
Enrolled % 27.6% 36.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.63
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 21/28
SAT Range 1030/1290 1030/1270
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

NKU Tennessee Tech
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Biology (5%)

Outcomes

NKU Tennessee Tech
Graduation Rate 37% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $43,400
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $16,000
Median Loan Payment $257 $165

Diversity

NKU Tennessee Tech
% Men 36% 53%
% Women 64% 47%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 81%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

NKU Tennessee Tech
% In-State 66% 94%
% Out-of-State 26% 5%

Campus

NKU Tennessee Tech
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

  • Northern Kentucky University is larger than than Tennessee Tech based on total student enrollment (15,801 students vs. 9,902 students)

NKU vs. Tennessee Tech Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Tennessee Tech?

  • Northern Kentucky University is 19.8% more expensive to attend than Tennessee Tech for in-state tuition ($10,208.00 vs. $8,520.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.3% higher at NKU than Tennessee Technological University ($20,464.00 vs. $18,552.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Tennessee Tech ($7,259 vs. $15,188)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Tennessee Technological University are 7.1% lower than costs at Northern Kentucky University ($10,502 vs. $11,248)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than Tennessee Technological University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 33.1% larger than aid received Tennessee Technological University ($11,275 vs. $8,471)

NKU vs. Tennessee Tech Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Tennessee Technological University (1102) is 34 points higher than at NKU (1068)
  • Incoming Tennessee Tech students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at NKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Tennessee Tech students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.63) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Tennessee Tech (78.1%)

NKU vs. Tennessee Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or Tennessee Tech? 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 Tennessee Tech and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at Tennessee Tech is higher than Northern Kentucky University (50% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Tennessee Technological University earn on average $3,700 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($43,400 vs. $39,700)
  • Tennessee Technological University students graduate with a $8,950 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($16,000 vs. $24,950)
  • Tennessee Tech graduates are paying $92 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($165 vs. $257)
  • More Tennessee Tech graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 53%)

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