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Eastern Murray State University Kentucky Louisville UTC Tennessee State University Central State University NKU University of Southern Indiana Middle Tennessee State University ISU Austin Peay State University| Kentucky State University | Western Kentucky University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
KY State | WKU | ||
| Location | Frankfort, KY | Bowling Green, KY | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,726 | 16,493 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #1014 | #875 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | kysu.edu | wku.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
KY State | WKU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $7,854 | $11,112 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $11,732 | $27,000 | ||
| Room & Board | $8,076 | $11,072 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $11,473 | $12,625 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,257 | $10,260 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 99% |
Admission |
KY State | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 2,870 | 7,505 | ||
| Admitted | 2,626 | 7,276 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 91.5% | 96.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 14.1% | 37.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 2.72 | 3.42 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 14/20 | 18/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 783/978 | 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 |
KY State | WKU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
KY State | WKU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 21% | 50% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $31,000 | $37,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 24% | 47% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $29,000 | $24,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $299 | $250 |
Diversity |
KY State | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 37% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 63% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Low | ||
| HBCU | Yes | No | ||
| % White | 27% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 57% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 9% | 1% |
Students |
KY State | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 23% | 70% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 76% | 29% | ||
Campus |
KY State | WKU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Western Kentucky University is larger than than KY State based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 1,726 students)
KY State vs. WKU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, KY State or WKU?
- Western Kentucky University is 41.5% more expensive to attend than KY State for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $7,854.00)
- Out of state tuition is 130.1% higher at WKU than Kentucky State University ($27,000.00 vs. $11,732.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kentucky State University than WKU ($11,473 vs. $12,625)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kentucky State University are 37.1% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($8,076 vs. $11,072)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Kentucky State University as Western Kentucky University (99% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 24.3% larger than aid received Kentucky State University ($10,260 vs. $8,257)
KY State vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, KY State or WKU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WKU or KY State .
- The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 116 points higher than at KY State (931)
- Incoming WKU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at KY State (20)
- Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.7 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at KY State (2.72)
- WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than KY State (91.5%)
KY State vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, KY State 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 KY State.
- The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Kentucky State University (50% vs. 21%)
- Graduates from Western Kentucky University earn on average $6,100 more per year than KY State graduates after ten years. ($37,100 vs. $31,000)
- Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $4,750 lower median federal student loan debt than KY State graduates. ($24,250 vs. $29,000)
- WKU graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than KY State graduates. ($250 vs. $299)
- More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KY State students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 24%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/