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Northern Kentucky University

#934 in US ranking Highland Heights, KY
Type:
Public
Programs:
4 years or more

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Cost

Cost / year
$19,772
Tuition & fees
$11,880
Avg. aid
$8,760
Receiving aid
99%

Admissions

Acceptance rate
68%
SAT range
953–1150
ACT range
18–25

Outcomes

Graduation rate
52%
Median salary
$49,140
1 yr after graduation

What does Northern Kentucky University offer in terms of athletics?

The NKU Norse compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Horizon League. Varsity offerings include basketball, soccer, cross-country, golf and other sports; the exact roster and recruiting process depend on the team.

Varsity competition is different from club sports, intramurals and general recreation. Students who do not play on an NCAA team can look to campus recreation for fitness facilities and participation options. A prospective varsity athlete should discuss recruiting, team eligibility and any potential athletic aid directly with the coaching and athletics staff rather than assume that playing a sport brings a scholarship.

What student groups and Associations are available at Northern Kentucky University?

NKU students can take part in recognized organizations spanning academic interests, service, identity and culture, performance, and student governance. The Student Government Association provides a route into campus representation, while The Northerner offers student journalism experience.

There are also opportunities associated with theater, choral performance and student radio. Organization activity and membership rules can change from year to year. A student looking for a particular club should check the current organization directory and its recent events, rather than rely on an older list of registered groups.

Who studies at Northern Kentucky University?

NKU enrolled 15,347 students in the reported institutional figures. Its student body includes first-time entrants, transfer students and older learners, making it more varied in educational path than a campus composed mainly of recent high school graduates.

About 69% of students were Kentucky residents and 29% came from other U.S. states in the reported geographic breakdown. The university enrolled 1,510 first-time degree- or certificate-seeking undergraduates and 896 transfer-in students. Its reported student-to-faculty ratio was 17 to 1; that is an institution-wide measure, not a promised class size.

Age counts show students across the adult years as well as in traditional college-age groups. Students evaluating whether they will find peers with similar schedules or responsibilities may learn more from a program's course times and student activities than from a single campus-wide average.

How does student life look like at Northern Kentucky University?

Everyday life at NKU is shaped by its combination of residential students and a large commuting population. About 13% of students were reported as living on campus and 86% as commuting; those rounded figures should be read as a broad description rather than an exact division of every student.

Orientation and first-year programming offer structured ways to learn the campus, while the student union, recreation facilities, performances and campus events create opportunities to meet people outside class. For commuters, the usefulness of an activity often depends on when it takes place relative to classes, work and the trip home. Students considering NKU should look at the actual weekly schedule of their intended program alongside the activities that interest them.

What libraries are available to students at Northern Kentucky University?

W. Frank Steely Library is NKU's main academic library. Students can use its collections, study spaces and research support, as well as electronic articles, journals and databases that extend access beyond the physical building.

Research help can be particularly useful when an assignment requires scholarly or subject-specific sources rather than a general web search. Students should check current library hours, room-reservation rules and remote-access instructions when planning evening, group or off-campus study. Law students should also review the specialized resources available through the Chase College of Law library.

Northern Kentucky University Student Life for 2027

Total enrollment

15347

Full Time Degree Seeking Freshmen

1458

Member of Athletic Associations

NCAA

Total staff

494 full time, 500 part time

Veterans affair office

No

Northern Kentucky University Student Body

Undergraduate vs. graduate students

Undergraduate: 10,163
Graduate: 5,184

Full-time vs. part-time students

Full-time: 8,554
Part-time: 6,793

Full-time degree-seeking students by gender

Women: 888
Men: 570

Students by race/ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino: 405
Black or African American: 664
White: 5,462
American Indian or Alaska Native: 8
Asian: 134
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 3
Two or more races: 247
Unknown: 1,097

Freshly enrolled students' age

Under 25 years
Over 25 years

Data last updated on November 2, 2026

Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026

Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.

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