UNK vs. NWOSU

Should I go to University of Nebraska at Kearney or Northwestern Oklahoma State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNK or NWOSU 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 Nebraska at Kearney vs. Northwestern Oklahoma State University comparison
University of Nebraska at Kearney Northwestern Oklahoma State University College 3 College 4
University of Nebraska at Kearney
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Overview

 UNK NWOSU
Location Kearney, NE Alva, OK
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 6,017 1,929
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #574 #866
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unk.edu nwosu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNK NWOSU
Tuition (In State) $6,450 $5,448
Tuition (Out of State) $12,418 $11,142
Room & Board $11,936 $5,520
Avg Net Price $16,249 $12,067
Avg Grant Aid $8,779 $9,880
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 98%

Admission

 UNK NWOSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,253 1,293
Admitted 6,222 859
Acceptance Rate 85.8% 66.4%
Enrolled % 14.6% 39.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.24 3.42
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/25 16/22
SAT Range 970/1150 868/1090
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 UNK NWOSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Agriculture (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

 UNK NWOSU
Graduation Rate 61% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,400 $40,400
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,250 $14,315
Median Loan Payment $219 $148

Diversity

 UNK NWOSU
% Men 8% 3%
% Women 22% 8%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 79% 63%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 11% 8%
% Native American 0% 7%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 5% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

 UNK NWOSU
% In-State 86% 73%
% Out-of-State 9% 24%

Campus

 UNK NWOSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Nebraska at Kearney is larger than than NWOSU based on total student enrollment (6,017 students vs. 1,929 students)

UNK vs. NWOSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNK or NWOSU?

  • University of Nebraska at Kearney is 18.4% more expensive to attend than NWOSU for in-state tuition ($6,450.00 vs. $5,448.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.5% higher at UNK than Northwestern Oklahoma State University ($12,418.00 vs. $11,142.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern Oklahoma State University than UNK ($12,067 vs. $16,249)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern Oklahoma State University are 116.2% lower than costs at University of Nebraska at Kearney ($5,520 vs. $11,936)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern Oklahoma State University than University of Nebraska at Kearney (98% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern Oklahoma State University students is 12.5% larger than aid received University of Nebraska at Kearney ($9,880 vs. $8,779)

UNK vs. NWOSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Nebraska at Kearney (1049) is 99 points higher than at NWOSU (950)
  • Incoming UNK students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at NWOSU (20)
  • Accepted freshman NWOSU students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at UNK (3.24)
  • UNK has a higher acceptance rate (85.8%) than NWOSU (66.4%)

UNK vs. NWOSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNK or NWOSU? 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 NWOSU and UNK.

  • The graduation rate at UNK is higher than Northwestern Oklahoma State University (61% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from University of Nebraska at Kearney earn on average $3,000 more per year than NWOSU graduates after ten years. ($43,400 vs. $40,400)
  • Northwestern Oklahoma State University students graduate with a $6,935 lower median federal student loan debt than UNK graduates. ($14,315 vs. $21,250)
  • NWOSU graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than UNK graduates. ($148 vs. $219)
  • More UNK graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NWOSU students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 55%)

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