NKU vs. UM-Dearborn

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

NKU UM-Dearborn
Location Highland Heights, KY Dearborn, MI
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 15,801 8,223
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #805 #446
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu umich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU UM-Dearborn
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $13,920
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $29,184
Room & Board $11,248 $9,048
Avg Net Price $7,259 $12,444
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $10,761
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 92%

Admission

NKU UM-Dearborn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 12,026
Admitted 5,939 6,506
Acceptance Rate 86% 54.1%
Enrolled % 27.6% 15.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.66
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 22/28
SAT Range 1030/1290 1010/1290
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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

NKU UM-Dearborn
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

NKU UM-Dearborn
Graduation Rate 37% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $52,800
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $257 $266

Diversity

NKU UM-Dearborn
% Men 36% 55%
% Women 64% 45%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 82% 69%
% Black 7% 9%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

NKU UM-Dearborn
% In-State 66% 94%
% Out-of-State 26% 4%

Campus

NKU UM-Dearborn
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Kentucky University is larger than than UM-Dearborn based on total student enrollment (15,801 students vs. 8,223 students)

NKU vs. UM-Dearborn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or UM-Dearborn?

  • University of Michigan Dearborn is 36.4% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($13,920.00 vs. $10,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42.6% higher at UM-Dearborn than Northern Kentucky University ($29,184.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than UM-Dearborn ($7,259 vs. $12,444)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Michigan Dearborn are 24.3% lower than costs at Northern Kentucky University ($9,048 vs. $11,248)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than University of Michigan Dearborn (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 4.8% larger than aid received University of Michigan Dearborn ($11,275 vs. $10,761)

NKU vs. UM-Dearborn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Michigan Dearborn (1105) is 37 points higher than at NKU (1068)
  • Incoming UM-Dearborn students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at NKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman UM-Dearborn 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 UM-Dearborn (54.1%)

NKU vs. UM-Dearborn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or UM-Dearborn? 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 UM-Dearborn and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at UM-Dearborn is higher than Northern Kentucky University (49% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from University of Michigan Dearborn earn on average $13,100 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($52,800 vs. $39,700)
  • Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $800 lower median federal student loan debt than UM-Dearborn graduates. ($24,950 vs. $25,750)
  • NKU graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than UM-Dearborn graduates. ($257 vs. $266)
  • More NKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UM-Dearborn students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 46%)

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