NKU vs. Kent State

Should I go to Northern Kentucky University or Kent State University at Kent? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NKU or Kent State 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. Kent State University at Kent comparison
Northern Kentucky University Kent State University at Kent College 3 College 4
Northern Kentucky University Kent State University at Kent
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Overview

NKU Kent State
Location Highland Heights, KY Kent, OH
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,801 25,854
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #805 #839
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu kent.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Kent State
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $12,304
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $21,410
Room & Board $11,248 $12,676
Avg Net Price $7,259 $19,046
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $9,539
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

NKU Kent State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 20,369
Admitted 5,939 17,929
Acceptance Rate 86% 88%
Enrolled % 27.6% 23.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 18/25
SAT Range 1030/1290 990/1220
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 Aug 1, 2024

Academics

NKU Kent State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

NKU Kent State
Graduation Rate 37% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $40,300
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $25,825
Median Loan Payment $257 $267

Diversity

NKU Kent State
% Men 36% 37%
% Women 64% 63%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 75%
% Black 7% 9%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

NKU Kent State
% In-State 66% 80%
% Out-of-State 26% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Kent State University at Kent is larger than than NKU based on total student enrollment (25,854 students vs. 15,801 students)

NKU vs. Kent State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Kent State?

  • Kent State University at Kent is 20.5% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($12,304.00 vs. $10,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.6% higher at Kent State than Northern Kentucky University ($21,410.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Kent State ($7,259 vs. $19,046)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 12.7% lower than costs at Kent State University at Kent ($11,248 vs. $12,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than Kent State University at Kent (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 18.2% larger than aid received Kent State University at Kent ($11,275 vs. $9,539)

NKU vs. Kent State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Kentucky University (1068) is 1 points higher than at Kent State (1067)
  • Incoming NKU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Kent State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Kent State students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • Kent State has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than NKU (86%)

NKU vs. Kent State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or Kent State? 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 Kent State and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at Kent State is higher than Northern Kentucky University (50% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Kent State University at Kent earn on average $600 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($40,300 vs. $39,700)
  • Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $875 lower median federal student loan debt than Kent State graduates. ($24,950 vs. $25,825)
  • NKU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Kent State graduates. ($257 vs. $267)
  • More NKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kent State students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 46%)

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