Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Eastern Murray State University San Francisco State Kentucky Cal State Long Beach Cal State Fullerton Sacramento State Louisville CSUDH California State University-Fresno California State University-San Bernardino UTC| California State University Los Angeles | Western Kentucky University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Cal State LA | WKU | ||
| Location | Los Angeles, CA | Bowling Green, KY | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 25,080 | 16,759 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #941 | #968 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calstatela.edu | wku.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal State LA | WKU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,436 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $27,000 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,658 | $12,043 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $4,551 | $12,054 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,478 | $10,906 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 93% | 99% |
Admission |
Cal State LA | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 32,748 | 7,720 | ||
| Admitted | 30,106 | 7,492 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 91.9% | 97% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12% | 37.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.31 | 3.42 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 15/20 | 16/20 | ||
| SAT Range | 870/1060 | 820/1010 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 19, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Cal State LA | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 18:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Cal State LA | WKU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 36% | 50% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $46,900 | $37,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 57% | 47% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $12,920 | $24,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $133 | $250 |
Diversity |
Cal State LA | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 7% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 63% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
Cal State LA | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 99% | 70% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 0% | 29% | ||
Campus |
Cal State LA | WKU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California State University Los Angeles is larger than than WKU based on total student enrollment (25,080 students vs. 16,759 students)
Cal State LA vs. WKU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal State LA or WKU?
- Western Kentucky University is 99.2% more expensive to attend than Cal State LA for in-state tuition ($11,436.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 53.2% higher at WKU than California State University Los Angeles ($27,000.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Los Angeles than WKU ($4,551 vs. $12,054)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 54.9% lower than costs at California State University Los Angeles ($12,043 vs. $18,658)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than California State University Los Angeles (99% vs. 93%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Los Angeles students is 14.4% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($12,478 vs. $10,906)
Cal State LA vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal State LA or WKU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WKU or Cal State LA .
- The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 173 points higher than at Cal State LA (874)
- Incoming WKU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Cal State LA (18)
- Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Cal State LA (3.31)
- WKU has a higher acceptance rate (97%) than Cal State LA (91.9%)
Cal State LA vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal State LA 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 Cal State LA.
- The graduation rate at WKU is higher than California State University Los Angeles (50% vs. 36%)
- Graduates from California State University Los Angeles earn on average $9,800 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($46,900 vs. $37,100)
- California State University Los Angeles students graduate with a $11,330 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($12,920 vs. $24,250)
- Cal State LA graduates are paying $117 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($133 vs. $250)
- More Cal State LA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 47%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/