IU East vs. WKU

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

IU East WKU
Location Richmond, IN Bowling Green, KY
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 3,039 16,493
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #855 #875
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iue.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IU East WKU
Tuition (In State) $7,274 $11,112
Tuition (Out of State) $20,634 $27,000
Room & Board $9,412 $11,072
Avg Net Price $8,837 $12,625
Avg Grant Aid $7,874 $10,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 99%

Admission

IU East WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,586 7,505
Admitted 1,230 7,276
Acceptance Rate 77.6% 96.9%
Enrolled % 28.4% 37.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/26 18/25
SAT Range 960/1200 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 18, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

IU East WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

IU East WKU
Graduation Rate 19% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $32,900 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 40% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $211 $250

Diversity

IU East WKU
% Men 35% 37%
% Women 65% 63%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 76%
% Black 4% 10%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

IU East WKU
% In-State 74% 70%
% Out-of-State 25% 29%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than IU East based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 3,039 students)

IU East vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU East or WKU?

  • Western Kentucky University is 52.8% more expensive to attend than IU East for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $7,274.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.9% higher at WKU than Indiana University East ($27,000.00 vs. $20,634.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University East than WKU ($8,837 vs. $12,625)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University East are 17.6% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($9,412 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Indiana University East (99% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 30.3% larger than aid received Indiana University East ($10,260 vs. $7,874)

IU East vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 86 points higher than at IU East (961)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at IU East (21)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at IU East (3.41)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than IU East (77.6%)

IU East vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU East 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 IU East.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Indiana University East (50% vs. 19%)
  • Graduates from Western Kentucky University earn on average $4,200 more per year than IU East graduates after ten years. ($37,100 vs. $32,900)
  • Indiana University East students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $24,250)
  • IU East graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($211 vs. $250)
  • More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU East students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 40%)

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