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Eastern Murray State University Kentucky Louisville UTC NKU University of Southern Indiana UIC Northeastern Illinois University Middle Tennessee State University Austin Peay State University KSU| Chicago State University | Western Kentucky University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
CSU | WKU | ||
| Location | Chicago, IL | Bowling Green, KY | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,324 | 16,759 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #849 | #968 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | csu.edu | wku.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CSU | WKU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,040 | $11,436 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $8,040 | $27,000 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,550 | $12,043 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $9,852 | $12,054 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $19,111 | $10,906 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 95% | 99% |
Admission |
CSU | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 9,458 | 7,720 | ||
| Admitted | 3,832 | 7,492 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 40.5% | 97% | ||
| Enrolled % | 5.8% | 37.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.18 | 3.42 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 15/19 | 16/20 | ||
| SAT Range | 750/963 | 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 | Aug 1, 2025 |
Academics |
CSU | WKU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
CSU | WKU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 21% | 50% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $38,300 | $37,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 25% | 47% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $31,250 | $24,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $323 | $250 |
Diversity |
CSU | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 25% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 3% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 75% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 8% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 0% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 12% | 1% |
Students |
CSU | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 77% | 70% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 20% | 29% | ||
Campus |
CSU | WKU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Western Kentucky University is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (16,759 students vs. 2,324 students)
CSU vs. WKU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CSU or WKU?
- Western Kentucky University is 42.2% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($11,436.00 vs. $8,040.00)
- Out of state tuition is 235.8% higher at WKU than Chicago State University ($27,000.00 vs. $8,040.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Chicago State University than WKU ($9,852 vs. $12,054)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Chicago State University are 4.3% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($11,550 vs. $12,043)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Chicago State University (99% vs. 95%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Chicago State University students is 75.2% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($19,111 vs. $10,906)
CSU vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CSU or WKU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WKU or CSU .
- The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 172 points higher than at CSU (875)
- Incoming WKU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at CSU (18)
- Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at CSU (3.18)
- WKU has a higher acceptance rate (97%) than CSU (40.5%)
CSU vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CSU 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 CSU.
- The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Chicago State University (50% vs. 21%)
- Graduates from Chicago State University earn on average $1,200 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($38,300 vs. $37,100)
- Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $7,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($24,250 vs. $31,250)
- WKU graduates are paying $73 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($250 vs. $323)
- More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 25%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/