NKU vs. Utah State University

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

NKU Utah State University
Location Highland Heights, KY Logan, UT
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 15,801 27,943
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #805 #509
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu usu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Utah State University
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $8,310
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $23,884
Room & Board $11,248 $8,232
Avg Net Price $7,259 $14,577
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $9,808
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 89%

Admission

NKU Utah State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 16,069
Admitted 5,939 15,061
Acceptance Rate 86% 93.7%
Enrolled % 27.6% 30.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.63
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 20/27
SAT Range 1030/1290 1050/1300
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

Academics

NKU Utah State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering (6%)

Outcomes

NKU Utah State University
Graduation Rate 37% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $13,610
Median Loan Payment $257 $140

Diversity

NKU Utah State University
% Men 36% 44%
% Women 64% 56%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 81%
% Black 7% 1%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 6%

Students

NKU Utah State University
% In-State 66% 72%
% Out-of-State 26% 28%

Campus

NKU Utah State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Utah State University is larger than than NKU based on total student enrollment (27,943 students vs. 15,801 students)

NKU vs. Utah State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Utah State University?

  • Northern Kentucky University is 22.8% more expensive to attend than Utah State University for in-state tuition ($10,208.00 vs. $8,310.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.7% higher at Utah State University than Northern Kentucky University ($23,884.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Utah State University ($7,259 vs. $14,577)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Utah State University are 36.6% lower than costs at Northern Kentucky University ($8,232 vs. $11,248)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than Utah State University (100% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 15% larger than aid received Utah State University ($11,275 vs. $9,808)

NKU vs. Utah State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Utah State University (1084) is 16 points higher than at NKU (1068)
  • Incoming Utah State University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at NKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Utah State University students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.63) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • Utah State University has a higher acceptance rate (93.7%) than NKU (86%)

NKU vs. Utah State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or Utah State University? 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 Utah State University and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at Utah State University is higher than Northern Kentucky University (52% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Utah State University earn on average $8,900 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $39,700)
  • Utah State University students graduate with a $11,340 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($13,610 vs. $24,950)
  • Utah State University graduates are paying $117 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($140 vs. $257)
  • More Utah State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 53%)

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