UH at Manoa vs. NKU

Should I go to University of Hawaii at Manoa or Northern Kentucky University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UH at Manoa 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 Hawaii at Manoa vs. Northern Kentucky University comparison
University of Hawaii at Manoa Northern Kentucky University College 3 College 4
University of Hawaii at Manoa Northern Kentucky University
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Overview

UH at Manoa NKU
Location Honolulu, HI Highland Heights, KY
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 19,074 15,801
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #271 #805
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hawaii.edu nku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UH at Manoa NKU
Tuition (In State) $11,304 $10,208
Tuition (Out of State) $33,336 $20,464
Room & Board $14,053 $11,248
Avg Net Price $13,639 $7,259
Avg Grant Aid $7,954 $11,275
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 100%

Admission

UH at Manoa NKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,974 6,905
Admitted 13,807 5,939
Acceptance Rate 72.8% 86%
Enrolled % 22.5% 27.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 19/25
SAT Range 1070/1290 1030/1290
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

UH at Manoa NKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

UH at Manoa NKU
Graduation Rate 55% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,300 $39,700
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,750 $24,950
Median Loan Payment $193 $257

Diversity

UH at Manoa NKU
% Men 39% 36%
% Women 61% 64%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 17% 82%
% Black 1% 7%
% Hispanic 10% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 3% 0%
% Two or More Races 25% 2%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

UH at Manoa NKU
% In-State 53% 66%
% Out-of-State 44% 26%

Campus

UH at Manoa 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 Hawaii at Manoa is larger than than NKU based on total student enrollment (19,074 students vs. 15,801 students)

UH at Manoa vs. NKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UH at Manoa or NKU?

  • University of Hawaii at Manoa is 10.7% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($11,304.00 vs. $10,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 62.9% higher at UH at Manoa than Northern Kentucky University ($33,336.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than UH at Manoa ($7,259 vs. $13,639)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 24.9% lower than costs at University of Hawaii at Manoa ($11,248 vs. $14,053)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than University of Hawaii at Manoa (100% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 41.8% larger than aid received University of Hawaii at Manoa ($11,275 vs. $7,954)

UH at Manoa vs. NKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Kentucky University (1068) is 1 points higher than at UH at Manoa (1067)
  • Incoming UH at Manoa students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at NKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman UH at Manoa students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than UH at Manoa (72.8%)

UH at Manoa vs. NKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UH at Manoa 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 UH at Manoa.

  • The graduation rate at UH at Manoa is higher than Northern Kentucky University (55% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from University of Hawaii at Manoa earn on average $9,600 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($49,300 vs. $39,700)
  • University of Hawaii at Manoa students graduate with a $6,200 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($18,750 vs. $24,950)
  • UH at Manoa graduates are paying $64 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($193 vs. $257)
  • More UH at Manoa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 53%)

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