BGSU vs. WVU

Should I go to Bowling Green State University Main Campus or West Virginia University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BGSU or WVU 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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Bowling Green State University Main Campus vs. West Virginia University comparison
Bowling Green State University Main Campus West Virginia University College 3 College 4
Bowling Green State University Main Campus West Virginia University
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Overview

 BGSU WVU
Location Bowling Green, OH Morgantown, WV
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 16,920 24,741
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #728 #559
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bgsu.edu wvu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BGSU WVU
Tuition (In State) $11,272 $9,360
Tuition (Out of State) $19,845 $26,568
Room & Board $12,584 $11,618
Avg Net Price $20,485 $12,202
Avg Grant Aid $8,898 $11,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 94%

Admission

 BGSU WVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,447 18,206
Admitted 13,723 16,091
Acceptance Rate 78.7% 88.4%
Enrolled % 21.4% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 20/26
SAT Range 990/1200 1000/1220
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 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

 BGSU WVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

 BGSU WVU
Graduation Rate 58% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,600 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $24,001
Median Loan Payment $268 $248

Diversity

 BGSU WVU
% Men 42% 47%
% Women 58% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 81%
% Black 10% 5%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 BGSU WVU
% In-State 88% 42%
% Out-of-State 11% 57%

Campus

 BGSU WVU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • West Virginia University is larger than than BGSU based on total student enrollment (24,741 students vs. 16,920 students)

BGSU vs. WVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BGSU or WVU?

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is 20.4% more expensive to attend than WVU for in-state tuition ($11,272.00 vs. $9,360.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.9% higher at WVU than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($26,568.00 vs. $19,845.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Virginia University than BGSU ($12,202 vs. $20,485)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Virginia University are 8.3% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($11,618 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bowling Green State University Main Campus than West Virginia University (95% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by West Virginia University students is 31.3% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($11,685 vs. $8,898)

BGSU vs. WVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Virginia University (1078) is 66 points higher than at BGSU (1012)
  • Incoming WVU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at BGSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BGSU students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at WVU (3.45)
  • WVU has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than BGSU (78.7%)

BGSU vs. WVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BGSU or WVU? 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 WVU and BGSU.

  • The graduation rate at BGSU is higher than West Virginia University (58% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from West Virginia University earn on average $7,000 more per year than BGSU graduates after ten years. ($50,600 vs. $43,600)
  • West Virginia University students graduate with a $1,999 lower median federal student loan debt than BGSU graduates. ($24,001 vs. $26,000)
  • WVU graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than BGSU graduates. ($248 vs. $268)
  • More WVU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BGSU students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 53%)

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