Eastern vs. WKU

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

Eastern WKU
Location Richmond, KY Bowling Green, KY
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 14,324 16,493
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #854 #875
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eku.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Eastern WKU
Tuition (In State) $9,544 $11,112
Tuition (Out of State) $19,922 $27,000
Room & Board $10,360 $11,072
Avg Net Price $10,806 $12,625
Avg Grant Aid $10,583 $10,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 99%

Admission

Eastern WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,821 7,505
Admitted 10,174 7,276
Acceptance Rate 64.3% 96.9%
Enrolled % 26.9% 37.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/24 18/25
SAT Range 940/1185 980/1170
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Eastern WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Eastern WKU
Graduation Rate 38% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,900 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,695 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $245 $250

Diversity

Eastern WKU
% Men 39% 37%
% Women 61% 63%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 85% 76%
% Black 6% 10%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Eastern WKU
% In-State 91% 70%
% Out-of-State 9% 29%

Campus

Eastern WKU
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

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than Eastern based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 14,324 students)

Eastern vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Eastern or WKU?

  • Western Kentucky University is 16.4% more expensive to attend than Eastern for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $9,544.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.5% higher at WKU than Eastern Kentucky University ($27,000.00 vs. $19,922.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than WKU ($10,806 vs. $12,625)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Kentucky University are 6.9% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($10,360 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Eastern Kentucky University (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Kentucky University students is 3.1% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($10,583 vs. $10,260)

Eastern vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 19 points higher than at Eastern (1028)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Eastern (22)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Eastern (3.39)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Eastern (64.3%)

Eastern vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Eastern 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 Eastern.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Eastern Kentucky University (50% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Eastern Kentucky University earn on average $800 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($37,900 vs. $37,100)
  • Eastern Kentucky University students graduate with a $555 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($23,695 vs. $24,250)
  • Eastern graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($245 vs. $250)
  • More Eastern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (49% vs. 47%)

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