Northern Kentucky University (NKU) vs Case Western Reserve University (CWRU)

Northern Kentucky University and Case Western Reserve University, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to their students. Northern Kentucky University, located in Highland Heights, Kentucky, is a public university with an acceptance rate of 88%, while Case Western Reserve University, situated in Cleveland, Ohio, is a private research university with a more selective acceptance rate of 31%. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs, with popular majors at Northern Kentucky University including Business, Education, and Nursing, and popular majors at Case Western Reserve University including Engineering, Biology, and Computer Science. While Northern Kentucky University boasts a larger student body with a higher percentage of female students, Case Western Reserve University has a slightly higher graduation rate. To help you make an informed decision about your higher education journey, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these aspects and more, allowing you to assess which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Case Western Reserve University logo

Case Western Reserve University

Northern Kentucky University logo

Northern Kentucky University

Overview

Location Cleveland, Ohio Highland Heights, Kentucky
Campus setting City: Large Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 94.0% 70.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 30.2% 80.3%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $40
SAT range 1410 - 1530 983 - 1210
ACT range 32 - 35 20 - 26
Students submitting SAT score 39.0% 7.0%
Students submitting ACT score 31.0% 84.0%
Total number of applicants 33,232 6,637
Total number of admissions given out 10,049 5,329
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,606 1,690
Yield rate 16.0% 31.7%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $74,114
In state: $28,010

Out of state: $38,066
Average net price $38,166 $7,443
Tuition $54,020
In state: $10,008

Out of state: $20,064
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,584

Meal plan: $6,898
$11,454
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

81.0%
Average amount $33,761
99.0%
Average amount $10,343
Students receiving federal student loan 61.0%
Average amount $5,091
43.0%
Average amount $4,988
Students taking out private loans 7.0%
Average amount $11,016
3.0%
Average amount $10,090

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 5,792
Men 52.5% Women 47.5%
10,814
Men 39.8% Women 60.2%
Graduate students 6,350
Men 45.1% Women 54.9%
5,165
Men 25.9% Women 74.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Very Low
Out-of-state students 79.8% N/A
International students 19.2% 2.0%
Campus local/setting City: Large Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 4,494 1,376
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Ohio New York Illinois Pennsylvania California Ohio Indiana Florida Maryland

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Legal Profession
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Education
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 17:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 84.4% 47.8%
Dropout rate 15.1% 49.3%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $166,462
  • Year 2: $165,486
  • Year 3: $172,180
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $162,463
  • Year 3: $149,793
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $93,570
  • Year 2: $106,935
  • Year 3: $130,724
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $112,016
  • Year 2: $104,192
  • Year 3: $106,740
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $106,684
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $81,427
  • Year 2: $85,860
  • Year 3: $102,295
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,016
  • Year 2: $90,856
  • Year 3: $89,798
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,820
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $88,856
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,006
  • Year 2: $71,575
  • Year 3: $87,454
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,394
  • Year 2: $73,949
  • Year 3: $87,134
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $98,497
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $92,665
  • Year 2: $90,245
  • Year 3: $95,400
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,690
  • Year 2: $101,406
  • Year 3: $91,600
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,069
  • Year 2: $81,333
  • Year 3: $79,768
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,058
  • Year 2: $67,420
  • Year 3: $74,689
Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,266
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $72,692
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,922
  • Year 2: $59,071
  • Year 3: $66,724
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,135
  • Year 2: $59,534
  • Year 3: $65,990
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,914
  • Year 2: $56,867
  • Year 3: $62,291
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,900
  • Year 2: $50,856
  • Year 3: $61,904

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