Cost of NKU
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $19,772 |
|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $11,496 |
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| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $22,752 |
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| Housing and food (on campus) | $12,924 |
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| Books and supplies | $1,000 |
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| Average net price after aid | $8,976 |
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Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|
| $0–30,000 | $6,260 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $6,642 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $8,734 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $10,740 |
| $110,001+ | $8,740 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships (in-state students). Get your own estimate with NKU's net price calculator ↗.
Majors and programs at NKU
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (63)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 470 | $80,553 | $18,000 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | 52 | $78,309 | $21,706 |
| Construction Management | 56 | $72,723 | $19,450 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 260 | $70,719 | $20,606 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 42 | $67,780 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | — | $60,071 | $21,098 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | — | $59,723 | $18,500 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences | 144 | $58,209 | $18,750 |
| Business/Commerce | 1 | $56,782 | $20,146 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 111 | $56,138 | $19,500 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 712 | $56,062 | $20,000 |
| Marketing | — | $54,470 | $19,125 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 114 | $54,300 | $20,500 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 34 | $48,555 | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 109 | $43,299 | $23,000 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 100 | $42,922 | $24,368 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 121 | $42,670 | $23,250 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | — | $42,596 | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | — | $42,238 | $18,938 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 24 | $40,941 | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 74 | $40,153 | $24,139 |
| Biology | 142 | $39,645 | $14,450 |
| Journalism | 101 | $39,539 | $24,487 |
| Psychology | 226 | $38,721 | $18,984 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 239 | $38,668 | $21,875 |
| Social Work | 107 | $38,461 | $21,417 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 79 | $37,870 | $24,906 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 21 | $36,074 | — |
| History | 86 | $35,408 | $21,500 |
| Social Sciences | 9 | $35,129 | — |
| Information Science/Studies | 39 | $34,844 | $24,704 |
| English Language and Literature | 57 | $33,902 | $27,000 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 94 | $28,374 | $18,669 |
| Anthropology | 25 | — | $16,500 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | — | — | — |
| Chemistry | 26 | — | — |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 12 | — | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 7 | — | — |
| Data Analytics | 6 | — | — |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 7 | — | — |
| Economics | 28 | — | — |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | 19 | — | — |
| Engineering Physics | — | — | — |
| Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other | 14 | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 1 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 7 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 4 | — | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 10 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 18 | — | — |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | 8 | — | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 13 | — | — |
| Music | 21 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 27 | — | — |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | 18 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 10 | — | — |
| Physics | 7 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 31 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 8 | — | — |
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education | 10 | — | — |
| Sociology | 16 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 21 | — | — |
| Statistics | 11 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 19 | — | — |
Certificate programs (5)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 3 | — | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 8 | — | — |
| Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians | 3 | — | — |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | 2 | — | — |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 4 | — | — |
Associate's degree programs (3)
Master's degree programs (26)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 1,287 | $105,703 | $46,546 |
| Business/Commerce | 806 | $91,837 | $30,035 |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | 34 | $84,212 | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 29 | $69,781 | — |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences | 12 | $67,400 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | 94 | $66,323 | $27,725 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 74 | $61,564 | $21,200 |
| Public Administration | 31 | $55,692 | — |
| Social Work | 182 | $52,322 | $46,714 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 22 | $51,041 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 88 | $48,770 | $17,731 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 37 | $48,127 | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 14 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 11 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 5 | — | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 64 | — | $30,810 |
| Education | 32 | — | $32,151 |
| English Language and Literature | 19 | — | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 44 | — | $32,500 |
| History | 24 | — | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 27 | — | — |
| Information Science/Studies | 40 | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | — | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 2 | — | — |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | 30 | — | — |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 6 | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (2)
Professional degree programs (3)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|
| Law | 228 | $61,985 | $106,454 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 204 | — | — |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | — | — | — |
Graduate certificate programs (13)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 15 | — | — |
| Business/Corporate Communications | — | — | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 4 | — | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | — | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 1 | — | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 1 | — | — |
| Homeland Security | 2 | — | — |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 1 | — | — |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | 1 | — | — |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | — | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 185 | — | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 12 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 9 | — | — |
Similar colleges in Kentucky
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|
| Murray State University | Murray | $7,350 | 86% | $48,482 |
| Western Kentucky University | Bowling Green | $11,789 | 94% | $48,408 |
| Eastern Kentucky University | Richmond | $11,925 | 78% | $50,885 |
| University of Louisville | Louisville | $14,960 | 79% | $60,032 |
| Morehead State University | Morehead | $9,912 | 77% | $47,134 |
| University of Kentucky | Lexington | $18,868 | 93% | $63,924 |
| Kentucky State University | Frankfort | $17,637 | 96% | $42,650 |
All colleges in Kentucky →
Frequently asked questions
What is NKU's acceptance rate?
Northern Kentucky University admits 68% of applicants. Admitted students average 1,087 on the SAT.
How much does NKU cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $19,772 a year (tuition and fees: $11,496 in-state, $22,752 out-of-state). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $8,976 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $6,260.
How much do NKU graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $55,024 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 10th of 29 similar colleges in Kentucky. The best-paid bachelor's program is registered nursing, nursing administration, nursing research and clinical nursing ($80,553 a year after graduation).
What is NKU's graduation rate?
54% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 76% of first-year students return for a second year.