NKU vs. OWU

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

NKU OWU
Location Highland Heights, KY Delaware, OH
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 15,801 1,410
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #805 #356
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu owu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU OWU
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $49,262
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $49,262
Room & Board $11,248 $13,745
Avg Net Price $7,259 $27,311
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $36,757
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

NKU OWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 5,324
Admitted 5,939 2,778
Acceptance Rate 86% 52.2%
Enrolled % 27.6% 16.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.54
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 23/30
SAT Range 1030/1290 1123/1358
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 Mar 1, 2024

Academics

NKU OWU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)

Outcomes

NKU OWU
Graduation Rate 37% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $49,600
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $257 $279

Diversity

NKU OWU
% Men 36% 44%
% Women 64% 56%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 82% 70%
% Black 7% 8%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

NKU OWU
% In-State 66% 66%
% Out-of-State 26% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Kentucky University is larger than than OWU based on total student enrollment (15,801 students vs. 1,410 students)

NKU vs. OWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or OWU?

  • Ohio Wesleyan University is 382.6% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($49,262.00 vs. $10,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 140.7% higher at OWU than Northern Kentucky University ($49,262.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than OWU ($7,259 vs. $27,311)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 22.2% lower than costs at Ohio Wesleyan University ($11,248 vs. $13,745)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University as Ohio Wesleyan University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio Wesleyan University students is 226% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($36,757 vs. $11,275)

NKU vs. OWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman OWU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than OWU (52.2%)

NKU vs. OWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or OWU? 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 OWU and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at OWU is higher than Northern Kentucky University (61% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Ohio Wesleyan University earn on average $9,900 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($49,600 vs. $39,700)
  • Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $2,050 lower median federal student loan debt than OWU graduates. ($24,950 vs. $27,000)
  • NKU graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than OWU graduates. ($257 vs. $279)
  • More OWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 53%)

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