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Murray State University Kentucky Louisville UTC NKU University of Southern Indiana Morehead State University Middle Tennessee State University Austin Peay State University KSU Cumberland College University of Missouri-St Louis| Eastern Kentucky University | Western Kentucky University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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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 | ||
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| 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 | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 18:1 | ||
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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/