KY State vs. WSSU

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

KY State WSSU
Location Frankfort, KY Winston-Salem, NC
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 1,689 4,776
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1018 #953
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kysu.edu wssu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

KY State WSSU
Tuition (In State) $8,088 $3,401
Tuition (Out of State) $12,134 $14,057
Room & Board $8,186 $11,484
Avg Net Price $9,672 $12,948
Avg Grant Aid $9,850 $9,254
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 88%

Admission

KY State WSSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,001 9,273
Admitted 1,852 6,357
Acceptance Rate 92.6% 68.6%
Enrolled % 18.6% 13.9%
Avg High School GPA 2.72 3.01
Typical High School Grades B- B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/20 14/18
SAT Range 820/1010 820/1050
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 Feb 15, 2026

Academics

KY State WSSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

KY State WSSU
Graduation Rate 21% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $31,000 $35,700
Making Student Loan Payments 24% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $29,000 $25,663
Median Loan Payment $299 $265

Diversity

KY State WSSU
% Men 4% 2%
% Women 5% 9%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU Yes Yes
% White 27% 16%
% Black 57% 72%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 9% 2%

Students

KY State WSSU
% In-State 35% 77%
% Out-of-State 64% 22%

Campus

KY State WSSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Winston Salem State University is larger than than KY State based on total student enrollment (4,776 students vs. 1,689 students)

KY State vs. WSSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KY State or WSSU?

  • Kentucky State University is 137.8% more expensive to attend than WSSU for in-state tuition ($8,088.00 vs. $3,401.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.8% higher at WSSU than Kentucky State University ($14,057.00 vs. $12,134.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kentucky State University than WSSU ($9,672 vs. $12,948)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kentucky State University are 40.3% lower than costs at Winston Salem State University ($8,186 vs. $11,484)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kentucky State University than Winston Salem State University (98% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kentucky State University students is 6.4% larger than aid received Winston Salem State University ($9,850 vs. $9,254)

KY State vs. WSSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Kentucky State University (931) is 61 points higher than at WSSU (870)
  • Incoming KY State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at WSSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman WSSU students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.01) than students at KY State (2.72)
  • KY State has a higher acceptance rate (92.6%) than WSSU (68.6%)

KY State vs. WSSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, KY State or WSSU? 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 WSSU and KY State.

  • The graduation rate at WSSU is higher than Kentucky State University (41% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Winston Salem State University earn on average $4,700 more per year than KY State graduates after ten years. ($35,700 vs. $31,000)
  • Winston Salem State University students graduate with a $3,337 lower median federal student loan debt than KY State graduates. ($25,663 vs. $29,000)
  • WSSU graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than KY State graduates. ($265 vs. $299)
  • More WSSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KY State students, three years after graduation. (33% vs. 24%)

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