Eastern vs. KWC

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

 Eastern KWC
Location Richmond, KY Owensboro, KY
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 14,324 813
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #854
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eku.edu kwc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Eastern KWC
Tuition (In State) $9,544 $30,040
Tuition (Out of State) $19,922 $30,040
Room & Board $10,360 $11,175
Avg Net Price $10,806 $20,735
Avg Grant Aid $10,583 $20,036
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

 Eastern KWC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,821 1,434
Admitted 10,174 983
Acceptance Rate 64.3% 68.5%
Enrolled % 26.9% 22.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 17/24 17/23
SAT Range 940/1185 980/1210
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 KWC
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 Eastern KWC
Graduation Rate 38% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,900 $38,500
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,695 $22,907
Median Loan Payment $245 $236

Diversity

 Eastern KWC
% Men 39% 51%
% Women 61% 49%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 85% 73%
% Black 6% 15%
% Hispanic 2% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 9%

Students

 Eastern KWC
% In-State 91% 67%
% Out-of-State 9% 32%

Campus

 Eastern KWC
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 KWC based on total student enrollment (14,324 students vs. 813 students)

Eastern vs. KWC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Eastern or KWC?

  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is 214.8% more expensive to attend than Eastern for in-state tuition ($30,040.00 vs. $9,544.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 50.8% higher at KWC than Eastern Kentucky University ($30,040.00 vs. $19,922.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than KWC ($10,806 vs. $20,735)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Kentucky University are 7.9% lower than costs at Kentucky Wesleyan College ($10,360 vs. $11,175)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kentucky Wesleyan College than Eastern Kentucky University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kentucky Wesleyan College students is 89.3% larger than aid received Eastern Kentucky University ($20,036 vs. $10,583)

Eastern vs. KWC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Kentucky Wesleyan College (1048) is 20 points higher than at Eastern (1028)
  • Incoming KWC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Eastern (22)
  • Accepted freshman Eastern students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at KWC (3.3)
  • KWC has a higher acceptance rate (68.5%) than Eastern (64.3%)

Eastern vs. KWC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Eastern or KWC? 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 KWC and Eastern.

  • The graduation rate at KWC is higher than Eastern Kentucky University (44% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Kentucky Wesleyan College earn on average $600 more per year than Eastern graduates after ten years. ($38,500 vs. $37,900)
  • Kentucky Wesleyan College students graduate with a $788 lower median federal student loan debt than Eastern graduates. ($22,907 vs. $23,695)
  • KWC graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Eastern graduates. ($236 vs. $245)
  • More KWC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Eastern students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 49%)

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