Faulkner vs. WKU

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

 Faulkner WKU
Location Montgomery, AL Bowling Green, KY
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 2,817 16,493
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #865 #875
Religious Affiliation Churches of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website faulkner.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Faulkner WKU
Tuition (In State) $21,930 $11,112
Tuition (Out of State) $21,930 $27,000
Room & Board $8,020 $11,072
Avg Net Price $20,050 $12,625
Avg Grant Aid $16,238 $10,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 99%

Admission

 Faulkner WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,728 7,505
Admitted 1,424 7,276
Acceptance Rate 82.4% 96.9%
Enrolled % 16.7% 37.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 18/25
SAT Range 950/1130 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

Academics

 Faulkner WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (73%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Education (3%)
  • Psychology (2%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (1%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

 Faulkner WKU
Graduation Rate 33% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,500 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,750 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $224 $250

Diversity

 Faulkner WKU
% Men 41% 37%
% Women 59% 63%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 40% 76%
% Black 51% 10%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 Faulkner WKU
% In-State 68% 70%
% Out-of-State 26% 29%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than Faulkner based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 2,817 students)

Faulkner vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Faulkner or WKU?

  • Faulkner University is 97.4% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($21,930.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.1% higher at WKU than Faulkner University ($27,000.00 vs. $21,930.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Faulkner ($12,625 vs. $20,050)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Faulkner University are 38.1% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($8,020 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Faulkner University (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Faulkner University students is 58.3% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($16,238 vs. $10,260)

Faulkner vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 62 points higher than at Faulkner (985)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Faulkner (21)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Faulkner (3.36)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Faulkner (82.4%)

Faulkner vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Faulkner 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 Faulkner.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Faulkner University (50% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Faulkner University earn on average $4,400 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($41,500 vs. $37,100)
  • Faulkner University students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($21,750 vs. $24,250)
  • Faulkner graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($224 vs. $250)
  • More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Faulkner students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 30%)

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