NKU vs. WVU

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

NKU WVU
Location Highland Heights, KY Morgantown, WV
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 15,801 24,741
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #805 #559
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu wvu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU WVU
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $9,360
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $26,568
Room & Board $11,248 $11,618
Avg Net Price $7,259 $12,202
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $11,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

NKU WVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 18,206
Admitted 5,939 16,091
Acceptance Rate 86% 88.4%
Enrolled % 27.6% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 20/26
SAT Range 1030/1290 1000/1220
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 WVU
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 (12%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

NKU WVU
Graduation Rate 37% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $24,001
Median Loan Payment $257 $248

Diversity

NKU WVU
% Men 36% 47%
% Women 64% 53%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 81%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

NKU WVU
% In-State 66% 42%
% Out-of-State 26% 57%

Campus

NKU WVU
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

  • West Virginia University is larger than than NKU based on total student enrollment (24,741 students vs. 15,801 students)

NKU vs. WVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or WVU?

  • Northern Kentucky University is 9.1% more expensive to attend than WVU for in-state tuition ($10,208.00 vs. $9,360.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.8% higher at WVU than Northern Kentucky University ($26,568.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than WVU ($7,259 vs. $12,202)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 3.3% lower than costs at West Virginia University ($11,248 vs. $11,618)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than West Virginia University (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by West Virginia University students is 3.6% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($11,685 vs. $11,275)

NKU vs. WVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Virginia University (1078) is 10 points higher than at NKU (1068)
  • Incoming WVU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at NKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman WVU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • WVU has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than NKU (86%)

NKU vs. WVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WVU is higher than Northern Kentucky University (57% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from West Virginia University earn on average $10,900 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($50,600 vs. $39,700)
  • West Virginia University students graduate with a $949 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($24,001 vs. $24,950)
  • WVU graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($248 vs. $257)
  • More WVU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 53%)

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