National university
#4 Best colleges for criminal justice in KentuckyNorthern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, KY · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $8,191 a year
Median debt at graduation: $23,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In Kentucky
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.52%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.76%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,087 · ACT 21.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.19 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$9,637
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $19,725 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 9,927 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 41% · Women 59% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 38% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 29% |
| Total students | 14,961 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $8,191 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $19,725 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $23,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 52% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 44% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 43% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 55% |
| First-year retention | 76% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $50,220 |
| Admission rate | 68% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $40 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,051 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 25% |
| Average SAT | 1087 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 473–590 |
| SAT math | 480–560 |
| ACT composite | 18–25 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Very good · Top 21% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Industrial technology | |
| Management information systems | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Construction Management | |
| Nursing | |
| Health sciences | |
| Accounting | |
| Finance | |
| Business administration | |
| Business (general) | |
| Marketing | |
| Human resources | |
| Chemistry | |
| Allied health | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Biology | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Communication studies | |
| Design | |
| Political science | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Information science | |
| Public relations | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| History | |
| Music | |
| Psychology | |
| Secondary education | |
| Social work | |
| Journalism | |
| Romance languages | |
| English | |
| Special education | |
| Teacher education | |
| Fine arts | |
| International relations | |
| Theatre |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Anthropology, Counseling and mental health, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Economics, Electrical engineering technology, Engineering Physics, Entrepreneurship, Geography, Geology and earth science, German, Information technology, Managerial economics, Mathematics, Medical Illustration and Informatics, Neuroscience, Other computer and information sciences and support services, Other engineering/engineering-related technologies/technicians, Philosophy, Physics, Physiology and pathology, Pre-law and legal studies, Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education, Social sciences, Sociology, Software and media applications, Statistics.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Health professions | |
| Computer and information sciences | |
| Biology | |
| Communication |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 18% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 16% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $12,712 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Horizon League |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 19 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 5%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 55%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $11,618IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 18% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)About 11 miles away · about 25 minutes by car |
| Town population | 6,444Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | CincinnatiAbout 8 miles away · about 20 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 32°F in January · 76°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Cincinnati Lunken Airport, OH, about 6 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.07 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.03 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Northern Kentucky University’s Compass Score?
- Good (grade B). The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Northern Kentucky University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $8,191 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Northern Kentucky University?
- Northern Kentucky University admitted 68% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Northern Kentucky University’s graduates do?
- 52% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $50,220; the median federal debt at graduation is $23,000.
Ask the school
Something you want to know that isn’t on this page? Ask it here. We send it to the school, and their answer appears on this page. Your name is never shared.
Reviews
Personal experiences from signed-in readers. Reviews are moderated automatically and never change a school’s grades.
No reviews yet.
Sign in to write a review.
My rating and notes
Sign in or create a free account to rate this school privately, keep notes, and save it to your list.
About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 157447
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral/professional university
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Report an error or a newer source
- Respond as this school
Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
Compare side by side: Northern Kentucky vs Florida Gulf Coast · Northern Kentucky vs Kean · Northern Kentucky vs University of Michigan-Flint · Northern Kentucky vs Eastern Kentucky
More in Kentucky · Kentucky rankings