Towson vs Northern Kentucky University (NKU)

Towson University and Northern Kentucky University, both esteemed public universities, offer distinct educational experiences. Towson, located in Maryland, boasts a higher acceptance rate (83%) compared to Northern Kentucky's 78%. While Towson's student body is more diverse, Northern Kentucky has a slightly higher graduation rate (58% vs. 56%). Both universities excel in different areas; Towson is known for its strong programs in education, nursing, and business, while Northern Kentucky shines in engineering, health professions, and business. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these universities' unique offerings, including popular majors, student demographics, and financial aid options, to make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Northern Kentucky University logo

Northern Kentucky University

Towson University logo

Towson University

Overview

Location Highland Heights, Kentucky Towson, Maryland
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 70.0% 85.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 80.3% 87.9%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $40
Undergraduate: $45

Graduate: $45
SAT range 983 - 1210 1040 - 1220
ACT range 20 - 26 21 - 26
Students submitting SAT score 7.0% 28.0%
Students submitting ACT score 84.0% 3.0%
Total number of applicants 6,637 11,616
Total number of admissions given out 5,329 10,213
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,690 2,592
Yield rate 31.7% 25.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $28,010

Out of state: $38,066
In state: $28,126

Out of state: $43,178
Average net price $7,443 $11,076
Tuition
In state: $10,008

Out of state: $20,064
In state: $7,100

Out of state: $22,152
Room & board $11,454
Room/dormitory: $7,632

Meal plan: $6,650
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

99.0%
Average amount $10,343
73.0%
Average amount $9,261
Students receiving federal student loan 43.0%
Average amount $4,988
42.0%
Average amount $5,098
Students taking out private loans 3.0%
Average amount $10,090
5.0%
Average amount $15,576

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 10,814
Men 39.8% Women 60.2%
17,907
Men 40.5% Women 59.5%
Graduate students 5,165
Men 25.9% Women 74.1%
2,949
Men 22.9% Women 77.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A 10.6%
International students 2.0% 1.7%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Small
Dormitory capacity 1,376 5,351
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Ohio Indiana Florida Maryland Maryland New Jersey Pennsylvania New York Virginia

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Education
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Business
Students to faculty ratio 17:1 16:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 47.8% 72.3%
Dropout rate 49.3% 6.8%
Transferred out N/A 18.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
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
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,447
  • Year 2: $107,906
  • Year 3: $122,885
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $73,340
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $94,047
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,795
  • Year 2: $83,768
  • Year 3: $85,948
Information Science/Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $85,262
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,242
  • Year 2: $66,821
  • Year 3: $79,355
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,719
  • Year 2: $66,984
  • Year 3: $69,964
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,483
  • Year 2: $63,666
  • Year 3: $68,130
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,907
  • Year 2: $67,156
  • Year 3: $67,633
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $58,402
  • Year 3: $66,692
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,389
  • Year 2: $62,012
  • Year 3: $65,981

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