IU Southeast vs. WKU

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

IU Southeast WKU
Location New Albany, IN Bowling Green, KY
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 3,672 16,493
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #809 #875
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ius.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IU Southeast WKU
Tuition (In State) $7,274 $11,112
Tuition (Out of State) $20,634 $27,000
Room & Board $11,012 $11,072
Avg Net Price $8,264 $12,625
Avg Grant Aid $7,262 $10,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 99%

Admission

IU Southeast WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,923 7,505
Admitted 1,639 7,276
Acceptance Rate 85.2% 96.9%
Enrolled % 37% 37.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 18/25
SAT Range 1000/1190 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

IU Southeast WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (23%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

IU Southeast WKU
Graduation Rate 27% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,300 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,261 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $209 $250

Diversity

IU Southeast WKU
% Men 38% 37%
% Women 62% 63%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 85% 76%
% Black 6% 10%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

IU Southeast WKU
% In-State 82% 70%
% Out-of-State 17% 29%

Campus

IU Southeast WKU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No 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 IU Southeast based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 3,672 students)

IU Southeast vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU Southeast or WKU?

  • Western Kentucky University is 52.8% more expensive to attend than IU Southeast for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $7,274.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.9% higher at WKU than Indiana University Southeast ($27,000.00 vs. $20,634.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Southeast than WKU ($8,264 vs. $12,625)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Southeast are 0.5% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($11,012 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Indiana University Southeast (99% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 41.3% larger than aid received Indiana University Southeast ($10,260 vs. $7,262)

IU Southeast vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 92 points higher than at IU Southeast (955)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at IU Southeast (21)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at IU Southeast (3.31)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than IU Southeast (85.2%)

IU Southeast vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU Southeast 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 Southeast.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Indiana University Southeast (50% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from Indiana University Southeast earn on average $1,200 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($38,300 vs. $37,100)
  • Indiana University Southeast students graduate with a $3,989 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($20,261 vs. $24,250)
  • IU Southeast graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($209 vs. $250)
  • More IU Southeast graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 47%)

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