Northern Kentucky University was recognized by The Wall Street Journal as one of the top universities in the country for best value and setting graduates up for their careers.
According to The Wall Street Journal’s 2025 report, NKU ranks 29th out of 500 universities nationwide when it comes to its value. NKU is the only public university in the region and the commonwealth that made the top 100 rankings.
This is the second year in a row that The Wall Street Journal has recognized NKU for best value.
The report focuses on how quickly a degree from NKU pays for its cost through the salary earned by the student after graduation. According to the study, it takes graduates one year and one month to pay off the net price of a degree from NKU. This is one year faster than the time it would take a graduate to pay off a degree from the University of Kentucky and two years and five months faster than the University of Cincinnati.
“What NKU offers is exactly what the American public has been asking for—an affordable, high-quality education that leads to prepared graduates in lucrative careers,” NKU President Cady Short-Thompson said in a press release. “The talented faculty and committed staff at NKU give students more than they pay for, and their successful outcomes are our proof point. I’m proud of what these rankings signify.”
According to the university, NKU’s graduation rates have increased in the last five years, and time-to-degree has decreased.
Additionally, The Wall Street Journal ranked NKU 337 for student experience, 327 for best salaries and 200 for social mobility.
