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Eastern Murray State University Kentucky Louisville UTC NKU University of Southern Indiana Middle Tennessee State University Austin Peay State University KSU University of Missouri-St Louis ETSU| Dalton State College | Western Kentucky University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
DSC | WKU | ||
| Location | Dalton, GA | Bowling Green, KY | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 4,902 | 16,759 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #968 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | daltonstate.edu | wku.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
DSC | WKU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $2,563 | $11,436 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,469 | $27,000 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,128 | $12,043 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $5,083 | $12,054 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $6,205 | $10,906 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 89% | 99% |
Admission |
DSC | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | - | 7,720 | ||
| Admitted | - | 7,492 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | Open | 97% | ||
| Enrolled % | Open | 37.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.1 | 3.42 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 16/20 | |||
| SAT Range | 820/1010 | |||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | |||
| Application Deadline | Jul 1, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 |
Academics |
DSC | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
DSC | WKU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 16% | 50% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $32,500 | $37,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 42% | 47% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,887 | $24,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $153 | $250 |
Diversity |
DSC | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 6% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 64% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 22% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 1% | 3% | ||
| % International | 3% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 1% |
Students |
DSC | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 99% | 70% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 1% | 29% | ||
Campus |
DSC | WKU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Western Kentucky University is larger than than DSC based on total student enrollment (16,759 students vs. 4,902 students)
DSC vs. WKU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, DSC or WKU?
- Western Kentucky University is 346.2% more expensive to attend than DSC for in-state tuition ($11,436.00 vs. $2,563.00)
- Out of state tuition is 185.1% higher at WKU than Dalton State College ($27,000.00 vs. $9,469.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dalton State College than WKU ($5,083 vs. $12,054)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dalton State College are 18.9% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($10,128 vs. $12,043)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Dalton State College (99% vs. 89%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 75.8% larger than aid received Dalton State College ($10,906 vs. $6,205)
Which college is harder to get into, DSC or WKU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WKU or DSC .
- Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at DSC (3.1)
DSC vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, DSC 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 DSC.
- The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Dalton State College (50% vs. 16%)
- Graduates from Western Kentucky University earn on average $4,600 more per year than DSC graduates after ten years. ($37,100 vs. $32,500)
- Dalton State College students graduate with a $9,363 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($14,887 vs. $24,250)
- DSC graduates are paying $97 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($153 vs. $250)
- More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former DSC students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 42%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/