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Auburn Alabama Kentucky Clemson Ole Miss UofSC Florida State ASU IU JMU Georgia UTC| Northern Kentucky University | The University of Tennessee | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
NKU | Tennessee | ||
| Location | Highland Heights, KY | Knoxville, TN | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 15,801 | 33,805 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #805 | #232 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | nku.edu | tennessee.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NKU | Tennessee | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,208 | $11,332 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $20,464 | $29,522 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,248 | $12,150 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $7,259 | $21,880 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,275 | $10,593 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 88% |
Admission |
NKU | Tennessee | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 6,905 | 36,290 | ||
| Admitted | 5,939 | 24,826 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86% | 68.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 27.6% | 27.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.66 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 25/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1030/1290 | 1170/1330 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Required to be considered for admission | ||
| Application Deadline | Aug 15, 2025 |
Academics |
NKU | Tennessee | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
NKU | Tennessee | ||
| Graduation Rate | 37% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,700 | $56,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 53% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,950 | $20,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $257 | $206 |
Diversity |
NKU | Tennessee | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 36% | 45% | ||
| % Women | 64% | 55% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 82% | 79% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 3% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 3% |
Students |
NKU | Tennessee | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 66% | 54% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 26% | 45% | ||
Campus |
NKU | Tennessee | ||
| 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
- The University of Tennessee is larger than than NKU based on total student enrollment (33,805 students vs. 15,801 students)
NKU vs. Tennessee Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NKU or Tennessee?
- The University of Tennessee is 11% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($11,332.00 vs. $10,208.00)
- Out of state tuition is 44.3% higher at Tennessee than Northern Kentucky University ($29,522.00 vs. $20,464.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Tennessee ($7,259 vs. $21,880)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 8% lower than costs at The University of Tennessee ($11,248 vs. $12,150)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than The University of Tennessee (100% vs. 88%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 6.4% larger than aid received The University of Tennessee ($11,275 vs. $10,593)
NKU vs. Tennessee Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NKU or Tennessee? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Tennessee or NKU .
- The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee (1214) is 146 points higher than at NKU (1068)
- Incoming Tennessee students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at NKU (23)
- Accepted freshman Tennessee students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at NKU (3.42)
- NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Tennessee (68.4%)
NKU vs. Tennessee Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NKU or Tennessee? 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 and NKU.
- The graduation rate at Tennessee is higher than Northern Kentucky University (63% vs. 37%)
- Graduates from The University of Tennessee earn on average $16,600 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($56,300 vs. $39,700)
- The University of Tennessee students graduate with a $4,950 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($20,000 vs. $24,950)
- Tennessee graduates are paying $51 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($206 vs. $257)
- More Tennessee 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/