UC Riverside vs. NKU

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

UC Riverside NKU
Location Riverside, CA Highland Heights, KY
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 26,809 15,801
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #272 #805
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucr.edu nku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UC Riverside NKU
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $10,208
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $20,464
Room & Board $17,333 $11,248
Avg Net Price $14,487 $7,259
Avg Grant Aid $22,042 $11,275
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 100%

Admission

UC Riverside NKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,683 6,905
Admitted 37,563 5,939
Acceptance Rate 68.7% 86%
Enrolled % 14.8% 27.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.42
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/31 19/25
SAT Range 1080/1280 1030/1290
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

UC Riverside NKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

UC Riverside NKU
Graduation Rate 67% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,200 $39,700
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,109 $24,950
Median Loan Payment $197 $257

Diversity

UC Riverside NKU
% Men 49% 36%
% Women 51% 64%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 13% 82%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 36% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

UC Riverside NKU
% In-State 94% 66%
% Out-of-State 2% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Riverside is larger than than NKU based on total student enrollment (26,809 students vs. 15,801 students)

UC Riverside vs. NKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Riverside or NKU?

  • University of California Riverside is 13.3% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $10,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 103.5% higher at UC Riverside than Northern Kentucky University ($41,636.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than UC Riverside ($7,259 vs. $14,487)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 54.1% lower than costs at University of California Riverside ($11,248 vs. $17,333)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than University of California Riverside (100% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Riverside students is 95.5% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($22,042 vs. $11,275)

UC Riverside vs. NKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Riverside (1119) is 51 points higher than at NKU (1068)
  • Incoming UC Riverside students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at NKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman UC Riverside students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than UC Riverside (68.7%)

UC Riverside vs. NKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Riverside or NKU? 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 NKU and UC Riverside.

  • The graduation rate at UC Riverside is higher than Northern Kentucky University (67% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from University of California Riverside earn on average $12,500 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($52,200 vs. $39,700)
  • University of California Riverside students graduate with a $5,841 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($19,109 vs. $24,950)
  • UC Riverside graduates are paying $60 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($197 vs. $257)
  • More UC Riverside graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 53%)

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