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Tennessee Louisville IU UC Auburn Alabama WKU Purdue Ohio State Michigan State Virginia Tech Miami| University of Kentucky | Northern Kentucky University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Kentucky | NKU | ||
| Location | Lexington, KY | Highland Heights, KY | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 31,547 | 15,801 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #408 | #805 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uky.edu | nku.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Kentucky | NKU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,496 | $10,208 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $30,913 | $20,464 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,676 | $11,248 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $18,693 | $7,259 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $14,114 | $11,275 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 94% | 100% |
Admission |
Kentucky | NKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 22,109 | 6,905 | ||
| Admitted | 20,979 | 5,939 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 94.9% | 86% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.9% | 27.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.59 | 3.42 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 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 | Feb 15, 2025 | Aug 15, 2025 |
Academics |
Kentucky | NKU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Kentucky | NKU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 59% | 37% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,000 | $39,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 62% | 53% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,750 | $24,950 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $235 | $257 |
Diversity |
Kentucky | NKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 40% | 36% | ||
| % Women | 60% | 64% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 82% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 4% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 2% | ||
| % International | 3% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
Kentucky | NKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 61% | 66% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 37% | 26% | ||
Campus |
Kentucky | NKU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Kentucky is larger than than NKU based on total student enrollment (31,547 students vs. 15,801 students)
Kentucky vs. NKU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Kentucky or NKU?
- University of Kentucky is 12.6% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($11,496.00 vs. $10,208.00)
- Out of state tuition is 51.1% higher at Kentucky than Northern Kentucky University ($30,913.00 vs. $20,464.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Kentucky ($7,259 vs. $18,693)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 30.5% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($11,248 vs. $14,676)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than University of Kentucky (100% vs. 94%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 25.2% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($14,114 vs. $11,275)
Kentucky vs. NKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Kentucky or NKU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between NKU or Kentucky .
- The average SAT score at University of Kentucky (1143) is 75 points higher than at NKU (1068)
- Incoming Kentucky students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at NKU (23)
- Accepted freshman Kentucky students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at NKU (3.42)
- Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than NKU (86%)
Kentucky vs. NKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Kentucky 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 Kentucky.
- The graduation rate at Kentucky is higher than Northern Kentucky University (59% vs. 37%)
- Graduates from University of Kentucky earn on average $11,300 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $39,700)
- University of Kentucky students graduate with a $2,200 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($22,750 vs. $24,950)
- Kentucky graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($235 vs. $257)
- More Kentucky graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 53%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/