Berea College vs. WKU

Should I go to Berea College or Western Kentucky University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Berea College or WKU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Berea College vs. Western Kentucky University comparison
Berea College Western Kentucky University College 3 College 4
Berea College Western Kentucky University
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Overview

Berea College WKU
Location Berea, KY Bowling Green, KY
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 1,433 16,493
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #875
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berea.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Berea College WKU
Tuition (In State) $44,300 $11,112
Tuition (Out of State) $44,300 $27,000
Room & Board $7,742 $11,072
Avg Net Price $2,020 $12,625
Avg Grant Aid $55,298 $10,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Berea College WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,217 7,505
Admitted 545 7,276
Acceptance Rate 24.6% 96.9%
Enrolled % 64.8% 37.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 23/27 18/25
SAT Range 1136/1298 980/1170
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Mar 31, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Berea College WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Berea College WKU
Graduation Rate - 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,100 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $5,800 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $59 $250

Diversity

Berea College WKU
% Men 41% 37%
% Women 59% 63%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 60% 76%
% Black 16% 10%
% Hispanic 8% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 8% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Berea College WKU
% In-State 45% 70%
% Out-of-State 46% 29%

Campus

Berea College WKU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than Berea College based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 1,433 students)

Berea College vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Berea College or WKU?

  • Berea College is 298.7% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($44,300.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 64.1% higher at Berea College than Western Kentucky University ($44,300.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Berea College than WKU ($2,020 vs. $12,625)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Berea College are 43% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($7,742 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Berea College than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Berea College students is 439% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($55,298 vs. $10,260)

Berea College vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Berea College or WKU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WKU or Berea College .

  • The average SAT score at Berea College (1117) is 70 points higher than at WKU (1047)
  • Incoming Berea College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Berea College students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at WKU (3.42)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Berea College (24.6%)

Berea College vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Berea College or WKU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between WKU and Berea College.

  • Graduates from Western Kentucky University earn on average $1,000 more per year than Berea College graduates after ten years. ($37,100 vs. $36,100)
  • Berea College students graduate with a $18,450 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($5,800 vs. $24,250)
  • Berea College graduates are paying $191 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($59 vs. $250)
  • More Berea College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 47%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/