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Tennessee Tech Tennessee Kentucky WKU University of Toledo Middle Tennessee State University Georgia State Memphis Eastern Murray State University Austin Peay State University Xavier| Northern Kentucky University | The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
NKU | UTC | ||
| Location | Highland Heights, KY | Chattanooga, TN | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 14,961 | 11,380 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #912 | #815 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | nku.edu | utc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NKU | UTC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,512 | $8,232 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $21,096 | $16,296 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,660 | $10,052 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $8,151 | $13,801 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,492 | $9,834 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 98% | 93% |
Admission |
NKU | UTC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 6,417 | 9,096 | ||
| Admitted | 6,162 | 7,006 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 96% | 77% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21% | 34% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.61 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 20/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 916/1133 | 1005/1185 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Required to be considered for admission | ||
| Application Deadline | Aug 15, 2026 | May 1, 2026 |
Academics |
NKU | UTC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
NKU | UTC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 37% | 39% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,700 | $40,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 53% | 56% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,950 | $20,792 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $257 | $214 |
Diversity |
NKU | UTC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 24% | 8% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 82% | 75% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 11% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 7% | ||
| % International | 3% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
NKU | UTC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 71% | 88% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 28% | 11% | ||
Campus |
NKU | UTC | ||
| 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 UTC based on total student enrollment (14,961 students vs. 11,380 students)
NKU vs. UTC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NKU or UTC?
- Northern Kentucky University is 27.7% more expensive to attend than UTC for in-state tuition ($10,512.00 vs. $8,232.00)
- Out of state tuition is 29.5% higher at NKU than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($21,096.00 vs. $16,296.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than UTC ($8,151 vs. $13,801)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are 16% lower than costs at Northern Kentucky University ($10,052 vs. $11,660)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (98% vs. 93%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 16.9% larger than aid received The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($11,492 vs. $9,834)
NKU vs. UTC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NKU or UTC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UTC or NKU .
- The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (1087) is 19 points higher than at NKU (1068)
- Incoming UTC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at NKU (23)
- Accepted freshman UTC students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at NKU (3.42)
- NKU has a higher acceptance rate (96%) than UTC (77%)
NKU vs. UTC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NKU or UTC? 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 UTC and NKU.
- The graduation rate at UTC is higher than Northern Kentucky University (39% vs. 37%)
- Graduates from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga earn on average $900 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($40,600 vs. $39,700)
- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students graduate with a $4,158 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($20,792 vs. $24,950)
- UTC graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($214 vs. $257)
- More UTC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 53%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/