NKU vs. Penn State New Kensington

Should I go to Northern Kentucky University or Penn State New Kensington? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NKU or Penn State New Kensington 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
Northern Kentucky University vs. Penn State New Kensington comparison
Northern Kentucky University Penn State New Kensington College 3 College 4
Northern Kentucky University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

NKU Penn State New Kensington
Location Highland Heights, KY Upper Burrell, PA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 15,801 460
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #805
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Penn State New Kensington
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $23,086
Room & Board $11,248 $12,984
Avg Net Price $7,259 $19,757
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $7,860
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 93%

Admission

NKU Penn State New Kensington
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 678
Admitted 5,939 620
Acceptance Rate 86% 91.4%
Enrolled % 27.6% 21.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 22/30
SAT Range 1030/1290 1080/1210
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

Academics

NKU Penn State New Kensington
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)

Outcomes

NKU Penn State New Kensington
Graduation Rate 37% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $257 $277

Diversity

NKU Penn State New Kensington
% Men 36% 60%
% Women 64% 40%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 87%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

NKU Penn State New Kensington
% In-State 66% 85%
% Out-of-State 26% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Kentucky University is larger than than Penn State New Kensington based on total student enrollment (15,801 students vs. 460 students)

NKU vs. Penn State New Kensington Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Penn State New Kensington?

  • Penn State New Kensington is 35.4% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $10,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.8% higher at Penn State New Kensington than Northern Kentucky University ($23,086.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Penn State New Kensington ($7,259 vs. $19,757)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 15.4% lower than costs at Penn State New Kensington ($11,248 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than Penn State New Kensington (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 43.4% larger than aid received Penn State New Kensington ($11,275 vs. $7,860)

NKU vs. Penn State New Kensington Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Kentucky University (1068) is 88 points higher than at Penn State New Kensington (980)
  • Incoming NKU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Penn State New Kensington (21)
  • Penn State New Kensington has a higher acceptance rate (91.4%) than NKU (86%)

NKU vs. Penn State New Kensington Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or Penn State New Kensington? 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 Penn State New Kensington and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State New Kensington is higher than Northern Kentucky University (40% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Penn State New Kensington earn on average $15,600 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $39,700)
  • Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $1,868 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State New Kensington graduates. ($24,950 vs. $26,818)
  • NKU graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State New Kensington graduates. ($257 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State New Kensington graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 53%)

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