Fort Valley State University vs. WKU

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

Fort Valley State University WKU
Location Fort Valley, GA Bowling Green, KY
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 2,763 16,759
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1014 #968
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fvsu.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Fort Valley State University WKU
Tuition (In State) $4,064 $11,436
Tuition (Out of State) $14,786 $27,000
Room & Board $8,372 $12,043
Avg Net Price $11,457 $12,054
Avg Grant Aid $9,432 $10,906
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 99%

Admission

Fort Valley State University WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,080 7,720
Admitted 3,190 7,492
Acceptance Rate 62.8% 97%
Enrolled % 23.3% 37.7%
Avg High School GPA 2.87 3.42
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/19 16/20
SAT Range 795/920 820/1010
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jun 15, 2026 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

Fort Valley State University WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Fort Valley State University WKU
Graduation Rate 33% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $32,000 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 19% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $36,500 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $377 $250

Diversity

Fort Valley State University WKU
% Men 2% 4%
% Women 6% 9%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 76%
% Black 94% 10%
% Hispanic 0% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Fort Valley State University WKU
% In-State 94% 70%
% Out-of-State 6% 29%

Campus

Fort Valley State University WKU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than Fort Valley State University based on total student enrollment (16,759 students vs. 2,763 students)

Fort Valley State University vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Fort Valley State University or WKU?

  • Western Kentucky University is 181.4% more expensive to attend than Fort Valley State University for in-state tuition ($11,436.00 vs. $4,064.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 82.6% higher at WKU than Fort Valley State University ($27,000.00 vs. $14,786.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fort Valley State University than WKU ($11,457 vs. $12,054)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fort Valley State University are 43.8% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($8,372 vs. $12,043)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Fort Valley State University (99% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 15.6% larger than aid received Fort Valley State University ($10,906 vs. $9,432)

Fort Valley State University vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 182 points higher than at Fort Valley State University (865)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Fort Valley State University (18)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.55 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Fort Valley State University (2.87)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (97%) than Fort Valley State University (62.8%)

Fort Valley State University vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Fort Valley State University 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 Fort Valley State University.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Fort Valley State University (50% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Western Kentucky University earn on average $5,100 more per year than Fort Valley State University graduates after ten years. ($37,100 vs. $32,000)
  • Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $12,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Fort Valley State University graduates. ($24,250 vs. $36,500)
  • WKU graduates are paying $127 less per month on federal student loans than Fort Valley State University graduates. ($250 vs. $377)
  • More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fort Valley State University students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 19%)

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