NKU vs. UNC Charlotte

Should I go to Northern Kentucky University or University of North Carolina at Charlotte? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NKU or UNC Charlotte 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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Northern Kentucky University vs. University of North Carolina at Charlotte comparison
Northern Kentucky University University of North Carolina at Charlotte College 3 College 4
Northern Kentucky University University of North Carolina at Charlotte
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Overview

NKU UNC Charlotte
Location Highland Heights, KY Charlotte, NC
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 15,801 29,551
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #805 #562
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu uncc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU UNC Charlotte
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $3,812
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $17,936
Room & Board $11,248 $12,896
Avg Net Price $7,259 $13,951
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $7,907
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 60%

Admission

NKU UNC Charlotte
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 21,355
Admitted 5,939 17,007
Acceptance Rate 86% 79.6%
Enrolled % 27.6% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 20/27
SAT Range 1030/1290 1070/1290
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, 2024 Jun 1, 2024

Academics

NKU UNC Charlotte
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

NKU UNC Charlotte
Graduation Rate 37% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $257 $237

Diversity

NKU UNC Charlotte
% Men 36% 49%
% Women 64% 51%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 82% 60%
% Black 7% 17%
% Hispanic 3% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

NKU UNC Charlotte
% In-State 66% 89%
% Out-of-State 26% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte is larger than than NKU based on total student enrollment (29,551 students vs. 15,801 students)

NKU vs. UNC Charlotte Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or UNC Charlotte?

  • Northern Kentucky University is 167.8% more expensive to attend than UNC Charlotte for in-state tuition ($10,208.00 vs. $3,812.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.1% higher at NKU than University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($20,464.00 vs. $17,936.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than UNC Charlotte ($7,259 vs. $13,951)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 14.7% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($11,248 vs. $12,896)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (100% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 42.6% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($11,275 vs. $7,907)

NKU vs. UNC Charlotte Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Charlotte (1093) is 25 points higher than at NKU (1068)
  • Incoming UNC Charlotte students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at NKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman UNC Charlotte students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than UNC Charlotte (79.6%)

NKU vs. UNC Charlotte Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or UNC Charlotte? 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 UNC Charlotte and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at UNC Charlotte is higher than Northern Kentucky University (53% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from University of North Carolina at Charlotte earn on average $8,900 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $39,700)
  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte students graduate with a $1,950 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($23,000 vs. $24,950)
  • UNC Charlotte graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($237 vs. $257)
  • More UNC Charlotte graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 53%)

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