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University of New Hampshire-Main Campus UNH Manchester RIC Providence UConn UD Quinnipiac Kentucky University of Maine UMass University at Albany- SUNY UMass Dartmouth| Northern Kentucky University | University of Rhode Island | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
NKU | URI | ||
| Location | Highland Heights, KY | Kingston, RI | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 15,801 | 17,473 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #805 | #361 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | nku.edu | uri.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NKU | URI | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,208 | $13,586 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $20,464 | $32,068 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,248 | $13,584 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $7,259 | $20,695 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,275 | $13,257 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 97% |
Admission |
NKU | URI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 6,905 | 25,481 | ||
| Admitted | 5,939 | 19,465 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86% | 76.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 27.6% | 17.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.58 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 25/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1030/1290 | 1050/1270 | ||
| 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 | Feb 1, 2025 |
Academics |
NKU | URI | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
NKU | URI | ||
| Graduation Rate | 37% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,700 | $56,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 53% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,950 | $23,438 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $257 | $242 |
Diversity |
NKU | URI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 36% | 42% | ||
| % Women | 64% | 58% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 82% | 71% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 9% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 3% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 7% |
Students |
NKU | URI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 66% | 40% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 26% | 59% | ||
Campus |
NKU | URI | ||
| 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
- University of Rhode Island is larger than than NKU based on total student enrollment (17,473 students vs. 15,801 students)
NKU vs. URI Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NKU or URI?
- University of Rhode Island is 33.1% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($13,586.00 vs. $10,208.00)
- Out of state tuition is 56.7% higher at URI than Northern Kentucky University ($32,068.00 vs. $20,464.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than URI ($7,259 vs. $20,695)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 20.8% lower than costs at University of Rhode Island ($11,248 vs. $13,584)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than University of Rhode Island (100% vs. 97%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Rhode Island students is 17.6% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($13,257 vs. $11,275)
NKU vs. URI Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NKU or URI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between URI or NKU .
- The average SAT score at University of Rhode Island (1077) is 9 points higher than at NKU (1068)
- Incoming URI students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at NKU (23)
- Accepted freshman URI students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at NKU (3.42)
- NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than URI (76.4%)
NKU vs. URI Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NKU or URI? 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 URI and NKU.
- The graduation rate at URI is higher than Northern Kentucky University (63% vs. 37%)
- Graduates from University of Rhode Island earn on average $16,500 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $39,700)
- University of Rhode Island students graduate with a $1,512 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($23,438 vs. $24,950)
- URI graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($242 vs. $257)
- More URI 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/