Indian River State College vs. WKU

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

Indian River State College WKU
Location Fort Pierce, FL Bowling Green, KY
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 15,104 16,759
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #968
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website irsc.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Indian River State College WKU
Tuition (In State) $2,496 $11,436
Tuition (Out of State) $9,360 $27,000
Room & Board $8,670 $12,043
Avg Net Price $5,927 $12,054
Avg Grant Aid $5,607 $10,906
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 99%

Admission

Indian River State College WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 7,720
Admitted - 7,492
Acceptance Rate Open 97%
Enrolled % Open 37.7%
Avg High School GPA - 3.42
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/20
SAT Range 820/1010
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 2, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Indian River State College WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 27:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (38%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Engineering Technology (4%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Indian River State College WKU
Graduation Rate - 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $31,600 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,709 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $69 $250

Diversity

Indian River State College WKU
% Men 9% 4%
% Women 14% 9%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 76%
% Black 17% 10%
% Hispanic 20% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Indian River State College WKU
% In-State 99% 70%
% Out-of-State 0% 29%

Campus

Indian River State College WKU
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than Indian River State College based on total student enrollment (16,759 students vs. 15,104 students)

Indian River State College vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Indian River State College or WKU?

  • Western Kentucky University is 358.2% more expensive to attend than Indian River State College for in-state tuition ($11,436.00 vs. $2,496.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 188.5% higher at WKU than Indian River State College ($27,000.00 vs. $9,360.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indian River State College than WKU ($5,927 vs. $12,054)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indian River State College are 38.9% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($8,670 vs. $12,043)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Indian River State College (99% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 94.5% larger than aid received Indian River State College ($10,906 vs. $5,607)

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

Indian River State College vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Indian River State College 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 Indian River State College.

  • Graduates from Western Kentucky University earn on average $5,500 more per year than Indian River State College graduates after ten years. ($37,100 vs. $31,600)
  • Indian River State College students graduate with a $17,541 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($6,709 vs. $24,250)
  • Indian River State College graduates are paying $181 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($69 vs. $250)
  • More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Indian River State College students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 38%)

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