NKU vs. VMI

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

NKU VMI
Location Highland Heights, KY Lexington, VA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Rural
Enrollment 15,801 1,512
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #805 #150
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu vmi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU VMI
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $9,782
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $39,590
Room & Board $11,248 $10,674
Avg Net Price $7,259 $18,129
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $19,111
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 69%

Admission

NKU VMI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 1,192
Admitted 5,939 847
Acceptance Rate 86% 71.1%
Enrolled % 27.6% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 22/29
SAT Range 1030/1290 1105/1300
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

NKU VMI
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Social Sciences (30%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • History (14%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

NKU VMI
Graduation Rate 37% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $62,100
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $257 $258

Diversity

NKU VMI
% Men 36% 87%
% Women 64% 13%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 80%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

NKU VMI
% In-State 66% 63%
% Out-of-State 26% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Kentucky University is larger than than VMI based on total student enrollment (15,801 students vs. 1,512 students)

NKU vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or VMI?

  • Northern Kentucky University is 4.4% more expensive to attend than VMI for in-state tuition ($10,208.00 vs. $9,782.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 93.5% higher at VMI than Northern Kentucky University ($39,590.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than VMI ($7,259 vs. $18,129)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 5.4% lower than costs at Northern Kentucky University ($10,674 vs. $11,248)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than Virginia Military Institute (100% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 69.5% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($19,111 vs. $11,275)

NKU vs. VMI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Military Institute (1139) is 71 points higher than at NKU (1068)
  • Incoming VMI students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at NKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman VMI students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than VMI (71.1%)

NKU vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or VMI? 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 VMI and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at VMI is higher than Northern Kentucky University (69% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn on average $22,400 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $39,700)
  • Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $50 lower median federal student loan debt than VMI graduates. ($24,950 vs. $25,000)
  • NKU graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than VMI graduates. ($257 vs. $258)
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 53%)

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