Home » NKU tops Kentucky college return-on-investment rankings

NKU tops Kentucky college return-on-investment rankings

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. (July 29, 2013) –Northern Kentucky University has been recognized by AffordableCollegesOnline.org as having the greatest lifetime return on investment among Kentucky’s colleges and universities, the organization announced Monday.

nku_student_union(1)AC Online analyzed 114 Kentucky colleges and ranked 11 institutions based on their return on investment according to PayScale’s 2013 College Value Report as well as other factors such as full accreditation, public or private status and four-year degree-granting status. NKU tops the list as providing graduates with the largest earnings difference compared to non-degree holders over 30 years. The report concludes that, on average, NKU alumni earn more than graduates from other Kentucky schools.

“As we continue our strategic planning process, student success has been a central focus for the university,” said NKU President Geoffrey Mearns. “One measure of student success is graduating with the skills and experience needed to launch a successful career. This ranking is an acknowledgment that we offer tremendous educational quality for current and prospective students.”

AC Online consulted a series of highly respected, authoritative data sets such as those provided by the National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System in developing its state rankings. It also considered Carnegie classifications to represent and control for institutional differences and ensure for adequate representation of sampled institutions, students and faculty. It gathered salary data from Payscale.com. The organization also considered tuition and fees.

“These are important lists for prospective students to consider,” said AC Online president Dan Schuessler. “We’ve sifted through comprehensive data sources to find colleges and universities in Kentucky that offer a high quality education with consistent, long-term payoffs in the workplace.”

The AC Online analysis concluded that NKU graduates earn an average of $583,000 more than non-degree holders over a 30-year period.

“Our students and alumni already know that the educational experience they receive at NKU is special,” Mearns said. “They choose Northern because we provide an outstanding learning environment where students at every level have access to renowned faculty and state-of-the-art technology. And we offer this private educational experience at a tuition rate that is equal to and often less than other public institutions.”

Schuessler echoed those sentiments, encouraging students to explore all of their options.

“We aim to educate so that potential students are aware of their options for obtaining a degree and, most importantly, for paying for one,” he said. “What are the most affordable options – online study, two-year, four-year, public or private colleges? What financial aid options are available and what pitfalls should you avoid? Our goal at AffordableCollegesOnline is to keep our finger on the pulse of college-related issues, the latest research, how the government is responding, and help students analyze their options.”

The complete AC Online rankings for Kentucky are as follows:

Institution                                                       ROI                

Northern Kentucky University                          $583,000

University of Kentucky                                       $560,000

University of Louisville                                       $474,800

Bellarmine University                                         $415,000

Spalding University                                             $391,000

Western Kentucky University                            $383,600

Eastern Kentucky University                             $366,100

Murray State University                                     $292,800

Kentucky State University                                  $270,700

Georgetown College                                             $165,800

Morehead State University                                 $90,290

The full Kentucky rankings and other information are available at http://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/online-colleges/kentucky.