NKU vs. Roanoke College

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

NKU Roanoke College
Location Highland Heights, KY Salem, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 15,801 1,826
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #805 #419
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu roanoke.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU Roanoke College
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $33,510
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $33,510
Room & Board $11,248 $15,366
Avg Net Price $7,259 $29,169
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $36,176
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

NKU Roanoke College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 5,055
Admitted 5,939 4,032
Acceptance Rate 86% 79.8%
Enrolled % 27.6% 12.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 22/28
SAT Range 1030/1290 1070/1260
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, 2025

Academics

NKU Roanoke College
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%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • History (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

NKU Roanoke College
Graduation Rate 37% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $51,200
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $257 $279

Diversity

NKU Roanoke College
% Men 36% 46%
% Women 64% 54%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 82%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

NKU Roanoke College
% In-State 66% 58%
% Out-of-State 26% 40%

Campus

NKU Roanoke College
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 Roanoke College based on total student enrollment (15,801 students vs. 1,826 students)

NKU vs. Roanoke College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or Roanoke College?

  • Roanoke College is 228.3% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($33,510.00 vs. $10,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 63.8% higher at Roanoke College than Northern Kentucky University ($33,510.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Roanoke College ($7,259 vs. $29,169)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 36.6% lower than costs at Roanoke College ($11,248 vs. $15,366)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University as Roanoke College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Roanoke College students is 220.9% larger than aid received Northern Kentucky University ($36,176 vs. $11,275)

NKU vs. Roanoke College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Roanoke College (1092) is 24 points higher than at NKU (1068)
  • Incoming Roanoke College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at NKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Roanoke College students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Roanoke College (79.8%)

NKU vs. Roanoke College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU or Roanoke College? 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 Roanoke College and NKU.

  • The graduation rate at Roanoke College is higher than Northern Kentucky University (69% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Roanoke College earn on average $11,500 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($51,200 vs. $39,700)
  • Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $2,050 lower median federal student loan debt than Roanoke College graduates. ($24,950 vs. $27,000)
  • NKU graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Roanoke College graduates. ($257 vs. $279)
  • More Roanoke College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 53%)

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