Staff report
The Wall Street Journal has recognized NKY’s public higher education institution, Northern Kentucky University, and its premiere private higher education institution, Thomas More University, with rankings that distinguish them both.
• Northern Kentucky University
Ranks as one of the top universities in the country for best value and setting graduates up for successfully lucrative careers. According to WSJ’s 2025 report, NKU ranks 29th out of 500 universities around the country when it comes to best value and is the only public university in the Commonwealth that made the WSJ’s top 100 ranking.
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. That’s 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, according to the report. This ranking clearly highlights NKU’s competitive edge in the region and the state.
“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,” said NKU President Dr. Cady Short-Thompson. “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.”
In the last five years, NKU’s graduation rates have increased and time-to-degree has decreased, meaning NKU students are graduating sooner while incurring less of a financial burden. This recognition reinforces NKU’s reputation as a leading choice for students seeking a high-quality, affordable education in the region and the Commonwealth.
Additionally, WSJ ranked NKU 337th for student experience, 327th for best salaries and 200th for social mobility.
• Thomas More University
Recognized as one of the 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S., ranking 251 among the top 500 colleges and universities in the country, the highest ranking achieved among all schools in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region and second highest among all Kentucky schools.
Thomas More University also achieves noteworthy rankings in subcategories, including:
• Best Salaries: Thomas More ranks highest among all Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky schools and highest in Kentucky for best salaries, at 88. This ranking recognizes the impact of colleges or universities on graduates’ salaries in relation to the cost of attendance.
• Social Mobility: Thomas More ranks highest among all Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky schools and second in Kentucky for social mobility, at 104. This ranking rewards universities that take in the highest proportion of students from lower-income families, while also maintaining high graduation rates and having a positive impact on graduate salaries and minimizing the costs of attending college.
“The value of a Thomas More education is being recognized for not only what occurs in the classroom, but the ROI it brings to our graduates as they enter their careers,” says Thomas More University President Joseph L. Chillo, LP.D. “The ability to align the values of a strong, Catholic liberal arts education with salaries after graduation demonstrates that employers throughout the region and nationally are seeking our graduates because of their knowledge and ability to make an impact in their profession.”
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The WSJ/College Pulse list ranks undergraduate institutions by the value they provide to their students, assessed based on the learning environment, years to pay off net price, degree completion rates, likelihood of higher salaries post-graduation, and diversity. Results are derived from official data from the U.S. Department of Education and the Census Bureau, along with a nationwide survey of 110,000 undergraduate students and recent alumni of the past five years. The survey covers topics like career preparation, learning opportunities, and campus life and is one of the largest ever independent surveys of verified college students in the U.S.