NKU vs. Wright State University-Lake Campus

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

NKU Wright State University-Lake Campus
Location Highland Heights, KY Celina, OH
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 14,961 1,398
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #912 #1036
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu wright.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Wright State University-Lake Campus
Tuition (In State) $10,512 $7,454
Tuition (Out of State) $21,096 $16,872
Room & Board $11,660 $11,100
Avg Net Price $8,151 $12,039
Avg Grant Aid $11,492 $4,103
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 87%

Admission

NKU Wright State University-Lake Campus
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,417 -
Admitted 6,162 -
Acceptance Rate 96% Open
Enrolled % 21% Open
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.27
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 18/24
SAT Range 916/1133 790/890
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2026 Aug 26, 2026

Academics

NKU Wright State University-Lake Campus
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (40%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (4%)

Outcomes

NKU Wright State University-Lake Campus
Graduation Rate 37% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $43,400
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $257 $258

Diversity

NKU Wright State University-Lake Campus
% Men 10% 13%
% Women 24% 17%
Racial Diversity Very Low Extremely Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 90%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

NKU Wright State University-Lake Campus
% In-State 71% 97%
% Out-of-State 28% 2%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Kentucky University is larger than than Wright State University-Lake Campus based on total student enrollment (14,961 students vs. 1,398 students)

NKU vs. Wright State University-Lake Campus Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Wright State University-Lake Campus?

  • Northern Kentucky University is 41% more expensive to attend than Wright State University-Lake Campus for in-state tuition ($10,512.00 vs. $7,454.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25% higher at NKU than Wright State University Lake Campus ($21,096.00 vs. $16,872.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Wright State University-Lake Campus ($8,151 vs. $12,039)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wright State University Lake Campus are 5% lower than costs at Northern Kentucky University ($11,100 vs. $11,660)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than Wright State University Lake Campus (98% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 180.1% larger than aid received Wright State University Lake Campus ($11,492 vs. $4,103)

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Kentucky University (1068) is 99 points higher than at Wright State University-Lake Campus (969)
  • Incoming NKU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Wright State University-Lake Campus (21)
  • Accepted freshman NKU students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Wright State University-Lake Campus (3.27)

NKU vs. Wright State University-Lake Campus Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or Wright State University-Lake Campus? 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 Wright State University-Lake Campus and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at NKU is higher than Wright State University Lake Campus (37% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from Wright State University Lake Campus earn on average $3,700 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($43,400 vs. $39,700)
  • Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $50 lower median federal student loan debt than Wright State University-Lake Campus graduates. ($24,950 vs. $25,000)
  • NKU graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Wright State University-Lake Campus graduates. ($257 vs. $258)
  • More NKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wright State University-Lake Campus students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 51%)

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