IPFW vs. WKU

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

 IPFW WKU
Location Fort Wayne, IN Bowling Green, KY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 9,069 16,493
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #848 #875
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ipfw.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IPFW WKU
Tuition (In State) $7,815 $11,112
Tuition (Out of State) $20,403 $27,000
Room & Board $10,111 $11,072
Avg Net Price $11,951 $12,625
Avg Grant Aid $7,432 $10,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

 IPFW WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,853 7,505
Admitted 4,721 7,276
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 96.9%
Enrolled % 25.6% 37.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26 18/25
SAT Range 980/1210 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

 IPFW WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

 IPFW WKU
Graduation Rate 26% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,600 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $253 $250

Diversity

 IPFW WKU
% Men 48% 37%
% Women 52% 63%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 76%
% Black 5% 10%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 IPFW WKU
% In-State 85% 70%
% Out-of-State 11% 29%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than IPFW based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 9,069 students)

IPFW vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IPFW or WKU?

  • Western Kentucky University is 42.2% more expensive to attend than IPFW for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $7,815.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32.3% higher at WKU than Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne ($27,000.00 vs. $20,403.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne than WKU ($11,951 vs. $12,625)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne are 9.5% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($10,111 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 38.1% larger than aid received Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne ($10,260 vs. $7,432)

IPFW vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 52 points higher than at IPFW (995)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at IPFW (22)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at IPFW (3.37)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than IPFW (80.7%)

IPFW vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IPFW 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 IPFW.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne (50% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne earn on average $1,500 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($38,600 vs. $37,100)
  • Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $250 lower median federal student loan debt than IPFW graduates. ($24,250 vs. $24,500)
  • WKU graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than IPFW graduates. ($250 vs. $253)
  • More IPFW graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 47%)

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