Criminal justice
Ranked #138 of 379 for valueCriminal Justice and Corrections · 43 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $55,835
- Ranked-college median: $55,481
- Median debt
- $24,368
- Ranked-college median: $21,500
Northern Kentucky University acceptance rate
Acceptance rate: 67.7% (fall admissions, CollegesRef 2026–27 edition). 5,329 of 6,637 applicants were admitted. Middle 50% test scores: SAT Reading & Writing 473–590, SAT Math 480–560, ACT 18–25. Admissions details
What we know
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025- Students
- 8,246
Larger than 87% of colleges
National median 1,603
Northern Kentucky UniversityMiddle half of collegesNational median
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Northern Kentucky University admitted 67.7% of 6,637 applicants.
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
- Applicants6,637
67.7% of applicants were admitted
- Admitted5,329
30.6% of admitted students enrolled (yield)
- Enrolled (first-year)1,631
Middle 50% test scores
- SAT Reading & Writing
- 473–590
- 200800
- SAT Math
- 480–560
- 200800
- ACT Composite
- 18–25
- 136
Your chances
Check your chancesYour SAT or ACT against Northern Kentucky University- SAT, middle 50%
- 953–1150
- ACT, middle 50%
- 18–25
Cost & financial aid
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
Average net price
$8,976
What students paid per year on average after grants and scholarships. Your price depends on family income.
Published price vs. what students paid
- In-state tuition & fees
- $11,496
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $22,752
- Average net price
- $8,976
Students receiving Pell Grants
- Pell Grant recipients
- 31.2%
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Plan your costs for Northern Kentucky University
- Can I afford it?Loan payment against what its graduates earn
- How much can I borrow?Federal loan limits and what is left to cover
- Will I get a Pell Grant?Estimate this year's award from your SAI
- What would I repay?Monthly payments on $27,000 of loans
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A PDF that applies the 2026–27 federal aid rules to you and up to three colleges: Pell Grant, loan limits, the gap left and repayment.
Start with the Pell Grant estimator See a sample reportOutcomes
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
54.4%
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
75.5%
First-year retention
Students who return for a second year
Median earnings
$55,024
Former students who received federal aid
Where Northern Kentucky University ranks
- #138Best colleges for criminal justiceof 379 ranked
- #162Best colleges for biologyof 680 ranked
- #185Best colleges for businessof 986 ranked
Programs at Northern Kentucky University
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard, field of study, 2025
Bachelor's majors where Northern Kentucky University is ranked in CollegesRef's value rankings. Earnings are medians 4 years after graduating, for graduates who received federal aid; the tick on each bar marks the median of all ranked colleges in that field.
Biology
Ranked #162 of 680 for valueBiology, General · 74 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $56,999
- Ranked-college median: $58,001
- Median debt
- $14,450
- Ranked-college median: $20,717
Business
Ranked #185 of 986 for valueBusiness Administration, Management and Operations · 371 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $67,319
- Ranked-college median: $64,860
- Median debt
- $20,000
- Ranked-college median: $21,375
Communications
Ranked #210 of 388 for valueCommunication and Media Studies · 57 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $53,082
- Ranked-college median: $56,130
- Median debt
- $23,000
- Ranked-college median: $19,593
Computer science
Ranked #291 of 466 for valueComputer and Information Sciences, General · 121 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $82,982
- Ranked-college median: $97,375
- Median debt
- $20,606
- Ranked-college median: $19,500
Education
Ranked #363 of 521 for valueTeacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods · 108 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $42,709
- Ranked-college median: $48,822
- Median debt
- $21,875
- Ranked-college median: $21,500
Psychology
Ranked #376 of 814 for valuePsychology, General · 134 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $47,280
- Ranked-college median: $51,007
- Median debt
- $18,984
- Ranked-college median: $21,000
Nursing
Ranked #377 of 686 for valueRegistered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · 239 graduates
- Earnings 4 yrs after
- $77,404
- Ranked-college median: $85,171
- Median debt
- $18,000
- Ranked-college median: $20,938
Academics
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
Total students
8,246
Academic calendar
Semester
Carnegie classification
Doctoral/professional university
A Doctoral and Professional Degree University (which undergraduates attend).
Colleges like Northern Kentucky University
Murray State University-KentuckyMurray, KY
Eastern Kentucky UniversityRichmond, KY
Morehead State UniversityMorehead, KY
Location & details
Where the campus is, how far it sits from a major city, and other colleges within reach.
Northern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights, KY, United States
Distances are straight-line miles, not driving distance. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, tiles by OpenFreeMap and OpenMapTiles.
Campus
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, KY, United States
- Public
- Doctoral/professional university
Large suburb
Inside an urbanized area but outside a principal city.
- City
- Suburb (this campus)
- Town
- Rural
Nearest major cityCincinnati, OH · about 6 mi
In the city250 mi
- Calendar
- Semester
- Website
- nku.edu
Colleges nearby
Thomas More University5.7 miCrestview Hills
Beckfield College-Florence9.6 miFlorence- Gateway Community and Technical College10.3 miFlorence
- Maysville Community and Technical College45 miMaysville
Georgetown College-Kentucky57 miGeorgetown
Kentucky State University61 miFrankfort
Colleges nearby
- Thomas More University6 mi from Northern Kentucky University
- Beckfield College-Florence10 mi from Northern Kentucky University
- Gateway Community and Technical College10 mi from Northern Kentucky University
- Maysville Community and Technical College45 mi from Northern Kentucky University
Still have a question?
Ask about admissions, cost or campus life at Northern Kentucky University. Answers come from CollegesRef data.
Ask CollegesRefSpecial features
What sets this college apart, grouped by theme, each with what it means and the data or editorial tag behind it.
CollegesRef editorial
Cost & aid
Affordable
Lower cost than many comparable colleges for a typical family.
Average net price $8,976 a year after aid
Athletics
NCAA Division I · The largest programs and athletic scholarships; big-time game days.
- D-INCAA Division I (this college)
- D-IINCAA Division II
- D-IIINCAA Division III
- NAIANAIA
- NJCAANJCAA
Tagged by CollegesRef editors as a big-time athletics school.
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Admit rate, net price and outcomes for Northern Kentucky University and Murray State University-Kentucky, side by side.
Compare with Murray State University-KentuckyFrequently asked questions
What is the Northern Kentucky University acceptance rate for 2026?
Northern Kentucky University admitted 67.7% of 6,637 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, the most recent release. That is the figure colleges report to the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
How much is Northern Kentucky University tuition?
In-state tuition at Northern Kentucky University is $11,496 and out-of-state tuition is $22,752 a year before financial aid in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition. The average net price after grants is $8,976 a year.
What is the average net price at Northern Kentucky University?
The average net price at Northern Kentucky University, what first-time, full-time students paid after grants and scholarships, was $8,976 a year in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition. Your own price depends on family income; the college's net price calculator gives a personal estimate.
What is the graduation rate at Northern Kentucky University?
54.4% of first-time, full-time students at Northern Kentucky University graduate within six years (150% of normal time), according to the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
What colleges are similar to Northern Kentucky University?
The closest matches are Murray State University, Eastern Kentucky University, and Morehead State University, based on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile.
Sources
Last checked Nov 3, 2026
- Admissions
- U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
- Cost
- U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
- Outcomes
- U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
- Enrollment
- U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
Figures come from federal reporting. Text marked “CollegesRef editorial” is our own summary, and similar-college lists come from CollegesRef matching. How we source data
