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 17,027 24,200
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #687 #534
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bgsu.edu wvu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BGSU WVU
Tuition (In State) $11,611 $9,648
Tuition (Out of State) $19,600 $27,360
Room & Board $11,784 $13,876
Avg Net Price $20,987 $13,691
Avg Grant Aid $8,795 $11,893
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 93%

Admission

 BGSU WVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,629 19,857
Admitted 15,016 17,129
Acceptance Rate 80.6% 86.3%
Enrolled % 20.7% 25.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26 20/26
SAT Range 1020/1230 1010/1240
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 7% 10%
% Women 11% 13%
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 87% 43%
% Out-of-State 12% 56%

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 (24,200 students vs. 17,027 students)

BGSU vs. WVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BGSU or WVU?

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is 20.3% more expensive to attend than WVU for in-state tuition ($11,611.00 vs. $9,648.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.6% higher at WVU than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($27,360.00 vs. $19,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Virginia University than BGSU ($13,691 vs. $20,987)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bowling Green State University Main Campus are 17.8% lower than costs at West Virginia University ($11,784 vs. $13,876)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bowling Green State University Main Campus than West Virginia University (94% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by West Virginia University students is 35.2% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($11,893 vs. $8,795)

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 (86.3%) than BGSU (80.6%)

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/