CSU vs. Kentucky

Should I go to Chicago State University or University of Kentucky? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU or Kentucky 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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Chicago State University vs. University of Kentucky comparison
Chicago State University University of Kentucky College 3 College 4
Chicago State University University of Kentucky
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Overview

CSU Kentucky
Location Chicago, IL Lexington, KY
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 2,317 31,547
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #870 #408
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csu.edu uky.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CSU Kentucky
Tuition (In State) $7,656 $11,496
Tuition (Out of State) $7,656 $30,913
Room & Board $13,800 $14,676
Avg Net Price $6,446 $18,693
Avg Grant Aid $15,891 $14,114
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 94%

Admission

CSU Kentucky
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,404 22,109
Admitted 3,592 20,979
Acceptance Rate 48.5% 94.9%
Enrolled % 4.8% 28.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.18 3.59
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/19 21/28
SAT Range 750/963 1070/1290
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 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

CSU Kentucky
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (31%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

CSU Kentucky
Graduation Rate 21% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,300 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 25% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,250 $22,750
Median Loan Payment $323 $235

Diversity

CSU Kentucky
% Men 33% 40%
% Women 67% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 3% 76%
% Black 75% 8%
% Hispanic 8% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 12% 3%

Students

CSU Kentucky
% In-State 77% 61%
% Out-of-State 20% 37%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Kentucky is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (31,547 students vs. 2,317 students)

CSU vs. Kentucky Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or Kentucky?

  • University of Kentucky is 50.2% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($11,496.00 vs. $7,656.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 303.8% higher at Kentucky than Chicago State University ($30,913.00 vs. $7,656.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Chicago State University than Kentucky ($6,446 vs. $18,693)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Chicago State University are 6.3% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($13,800 vs. $14,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kentucky than Chicago State University (94% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Chicago State University students is 12.6% larger than aid received University of Kentucky ($15,891 vs. $14,114)

CSU vs. Kentucky Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Kentucky (1143) is 268 points higher than at CSU (875)
  • Incoming Kentucky students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at CSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Kentucky students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at CSU (3.18)
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than CSU (48.5%)

CSU vs. Kentucky Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU or Kentucky? 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 Kentucky and CSU.

  • The graduation rate at Kentucky is higher than Chicago State University (59% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from University of Kentucky earn on average $12,700 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $38,300)
  • University of Kentucky students graduate with a $8,500 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($22,750 vs. $31,250)
  • Kentucky graduates are paying $88 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($235 vs. $323)
  • More Kentucky graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 25%)

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