Eastern vs. WVU

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

 Eastern WVU
Location Richmond, KY Morgantown, WV
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 15,008 24,200
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #873 #534
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eku.edu wvu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Eastern WVU
Tuition (In State) $9,830 $9,648
Tuition (Out of State) $20,520 $27,360
Room & Board $11,735 $13,876
Avg Net Price $10,852 $13,691
Avg Grant Aid $11,460 $11,893
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 93%

Admission

 Eastern WVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,082 19,857
Admitted 13,340 17,129
Acceptance Rate 78.1% 86.3%
Enrolled % 20.9% 25.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 20/26
SAT Range 930/1190 1010/1240
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, 2026

Academics

 Eastern WVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

 Eastern WVU
Graduation Rate 38% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,900 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,695 $24,001
Median Loan Payment $245 $248

Diversity

 Eastern WVU
% Men 4% 10%
% Women 11% 13%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 85% 81%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 Eastern WVU
% In-State 92% 43%
% Out-of-State 8% 56%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • West Virginia University is larger than than Eastern based on total student enrollment (24,200 students vs. 15,008 students)

Eastern vs. WVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Eastern or WVU?

  • Eastern Kentucky University is 1.9% more expensive to attend than WVU for in-state tuition ($9,830.00 vs. $9,648.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.3% higher at WVU than Eastern Kentucky University ($27,360.00 vs. $20,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than WVU ($10,852 vs. $13,691)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Kentucky University are 18.2% lower than costs at West Virginia University ($11,735 vs. $13,876)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Kentucky University than West Virginia University (98% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by West Virginia University students is 3.8% larger than aid received Eastern Kentucky University ($11,893 vs. $11,460)

Eastern vs. WVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Virginia University (1078) is 50 points higher than at Eastern (1028)
  • Incoming WVU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Eastern (22)
  • Accepted freshman WVU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at Eastern (3.39)
  • WVU has a higher acceptance rate (86.3%) than Eastern (78.1%)

Eastern vs. WVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WVU is higher than Eastern Kentucky University (57% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from West Virginia University earn on average $12,700 more per year than Eastern graduates after ten years. ($50,600 vs. $37,900)
  • Eastern Kentucky University students graduate with a $306 lower median federal student loan debt than WVU graduates. ($23,695 vs. $24,001)
  • Eastern graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than WVU graduates. ($245 vs. $248)
  • More WVU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Eastern students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 49%)

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