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UNC Chapel Hill NC State UNCW UNCG ECU ASU Mason WCU UofSC Georgia State University of North Carolina at Asheville Virginia Tech| Northern Kentucky University | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
NKU | UNC Charlotte | ||
| Location | Highland Heights, KY | Charlotte, NC | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 14,961 | 30,298 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #912 | #547 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | nku.edu | uncc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NKU | UNC Charlotte | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,512 | $3,812 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $21,096 | $18,474 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,660 | $13,864 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $8,151 | $13,768 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,492 | $8,150 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 98% | 58% |
Admission |
NKU | UNC Charlotte | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 6,417 | 22,699 | ||
| Admitted | 6,162 | 18,208 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 96% | 80.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21% | 24.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.57 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 21/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 916/1133 | 1110/1320 | ||
| 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 | Jun 1, 2026 |
Academics |
NKU | UNC Charlotte | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
NKU | UNC Charlotte | ||
| Graduation Rate | 37% | 53% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,700 | $48,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 53% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,950 | $23,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $257 | $237 |
Diversity |
NKU | UNC Charlotte | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 8% | ||
| % Women | 24% | 13% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 82% | 60% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 17% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 9% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 3% |
Students |
NKU | UNC Charlotte | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 71% | 90% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 28% | 8% | ||
Campus |
NKU | UNC Charlotte | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte is larger than than NKU based on total student enrollment (30,298 students vs. 14,961 students)
NKU vs. UNC Charlotte Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NKU or UNC Charlotte?
- Northern Kentucky University is 175.8% more expensive to attend than UNC Charlotte for in-state tuition ($10,512.00 vs. $3,812.00)
- Out of state tuition is 14.2% higher at NKU than University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($21,096.00 vs. $18,474.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than UNC Charlotte ($8,151 vs. $13,768)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 18.9% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($11,660 vs. $13,864)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (98% vs. 58%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 41% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($11,492 vs. $8,150)
NKU vs. UNC Charlotte Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NKU or UNC Charlotte? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UNC Charlotte or NKU .
- The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Charlotte (1093) is 25 points higher than at NKU (1068)
- Incoming UNC Charlotte students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at NKU (23)
- Accepted freshman UNC Charlotte students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at NKU (3.42)
- NKU has a higher acceptance rate (96%) than UNC Charlotte (80.2%)
NKU vs. UNC Charlotte Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NKU or UNC Charlotte? 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 UNC Charlotte and NKU.
- The graduation rate at UNC Charlotte is higher than Northern Kentucky University (53% vs. 37%)
- Graduates from University of North Carolina at Charlotte earn on average $8,900 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $39,700)
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte students graduate with a $1,950 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($23,000 vs. $24,950)
- UNC Charlotte graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($237 vs. $257)
- More UNC Charlotte 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/