Eastern vs. KY State

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

 Eastern KY State
Location Richmond, KY Frankfort, KY
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 14,324 1,726
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #854 #1014
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eku.edu kysu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Eastern KY State
Tuition (In State) $9,544 $7,854
Tuition (Out of State) $19,922 $11,732
Room & Board $10,360 $8,076
Avg Net Price $10,806 $11,473
Avg Grant Aid $10,583 $8,257
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 99%

Admission

 Eastern KY State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,821 2,870
Admitted 10,174 2,626
Acceptance Rate 64.3% 91.5%
Enrolled % 26.9% 14.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 2.72
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/24 14/20
SAT Range 940/1185 783/978
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Eastern KY State
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 Eastern KY State
Graduation Rate 38% 21%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,900 $31,000
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 24%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,695 $29,000
Median Loan Payment $245 $299

Diversity

 Eastern KY State
% Men 39% 42%
% Women 61% 58%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No Yes
% White 85% 27%
% Black 6% 57%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 9%

Students

 Eastern KY State
% In-State 91% 23%
% Out-of-State 9% 76%

Campus

 Eastern KY State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Eastern Kentucky University is larger than than KY State based on total student enrollment (14,324 students vs. 1,726 students)

Eastern vs. KY State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Eastern or KY State?

  • Eastern Kentucky University is 21.5% more expensive to attend than KY State for in-state tuition ($9,544.00 vs. $7,854.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 69.8% higher at Eastern than Kentucky State University ($19,922.00 vs. $11,732.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than KY State ($10,806 vs. $11,473)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kentucky State University are 28.3% lower than costs at Eastern Kentucky University ($8,076 vs. $10,360)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kentucky State University than Eastern Kentucky University (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Kentucky University students is 28.2% larger than aid received Kentucky State University ($10,583 vs. $8,257)

Eastern vs. KY State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Eastern Kentucky University (1028) is 97 points higher than at KY State (931)
  • Incoming Eastern students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at KY State (20)
  • Accepted freshman Eastern students have a 0.67 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at KY State (2.72)
  • KY State has a higher acceptance rate (91.5%) than Eastern (64.3%)

Eastern vs. KY State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Eastern or KY State? 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 KY State and Eastern.

  • The graduation rate at Eastern is higher than Kentucky State University (38% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Eastern Kentucky University earn on average $6,900 more per year than KY State graduates after ten years. ($37,900 vs. $31,000)
  • Eastern Kentucky University students graduate with a $5,305 lower median federal student loan debt than KY State graduates. ($23,695 vs. $29,000)
  • Eastern graduates are paying $54 less per month on federal student loans than KY State graduates. ($245 vs. $299)
  • More Eastern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KY State students, three years after graduation. (49% vs. 24%)

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