NKU vs. URI

Should I go to Northern Kentucky University or University of Rhode Island? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NKU or URI 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 Rhode Island comparison
Northern Kentucky University University of Rhode Island College 3 College 4
Northern Kentucky University University of Rhode Island
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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
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
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)

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/