Louisville vs. NKU

Should I go to University of Louisville or Northern Kentucky University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Louisville 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Kentucky WKU University of Toledo Eastern WVU Ohio State Bellarmine University IU Murray State University LSU UC Xavier
University of Louisville vs. Northern Kentucky University comparison
University of Louisville Northern Kentucky University College 3 College 4
University of Louisville Northern Kentucky University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Louisville NKU
Location Louisville, KY Highland Heights, KY
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 22,017 15,801
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #382 #805
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website louisville.edu nku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Louisville NKU
Tuition (In State) $12,324 $10,208
Tuition (Out of State) $28,670 $20,464
Room & Board $10,668 $11,248
Avg Net Price $19,327 $7,259
Avg Grant Aid $12,216 $11,275
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

Louisville NKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,462 6,905
Admitted 12,608 5,939
Acceptance Rate 81.5% 86%
Enrolled % 23.2% 27.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/27 19/25
SAT Range 1070/1270 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

Louisville NKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Louisville NKU
Graduation Rate 51% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,200 $39,700
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,656 $24,950
Median Loan Payment $203 $257

Diversity

Louisville NKU
% Men 44% 36%
% Women 56% 64%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 82%
% Black 11% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Louisville NKU
% In-State 73% 66%
% Out-of-State 27% 26%

Campus

Louisville 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 Louisville is larger than than NKU based on total student enrollment (22,017 students vs. 15,801 students)

Louisville vs. NKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Louisville or NKU?

  • University of Louisville is 20.7% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($12,324.00 vs. $10,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 40.1% higher at Louisville than Northern Kentucky University ($28,670.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Louisville ($7,259 vs. $19,327)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Louisville are 5.4% lower than costs at Northern Kentucky University ($10,668 vs. $11,248)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than University of Louisville (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Louisville students is 8.3% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($12,216 vs. $11,275)

Louisville vs. NKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Louisville (1159) is 91 points higher than at NKU (1068)
  • Incoming Louisville students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at NKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Louisville students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Louisville (81.5%)

Louisville vs. NKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Louisville 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 Louisville.

  • The graduation rate at Louisville is higher than Northern Kentucky University (51% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from University of Louisville earn on average $5,500 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($45,200 vs. $39,700)
  • University of Louisville students graduate with a $5,294 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($19,656 vs. $24,950)
  • Louisville graduates are paying $54 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($203 vs. $257)
  • More Louisville graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 53%)

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