KWC vs. AQ

Deciding between Kentucky Wesleyan College and Aquinas College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Kentucky Wesleyan College
Aquinas College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • KWC Owensboro, KY
  • AQ Grand Rapids, MI
  • Setting
  • KWC Small City
  • AQ Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • KWC 887
  • AQ 1,157
  • Type
  • KWC Private 4 Year
  • AQ Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • KWC
  • AQ #753
  • Religious Affiliation
  • KWC United Methodist
  • AQ Roman Catholic
  • Status
  • KWC Non-profit
  • AQ Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • KWC
  • AQ

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • KWC $34,673
  • AQ $40,218
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • KWC $34,673
  • AQ $40,218
  • Room & Board
  • KWC $11,855
  • AQ $11,680
  • Average Net Price
  • KWC $20,999
  • AQ $18,018
  • Average Grant Aid
  • KWC $25,538
  • AQ $33,535
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • KWC 100%
  • AQ 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • KWC 2,113
  • AQ 2,193
  • Admitted
  • KWC 1,513
  • AQ 1,971
  • Acceptance Rate
  • KWC 71.6%
  • AQ 89.9%
  • Enrolled
  • KWC 17.7%
  • AQ 11.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • KWC 1010
  • AQ 1030
  • Typical ACT score
  • KWC 19
  • AQ 23
  • Average High School GPA
  • KWC 3.3
  • AQ 3.52
  • Typical High School Grades
  • KWC B+
  • AQ A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • KWC Extremely Easy
  • AQ Easy
  • Applicant Competition
  • KWC Low
  • AQ
  • ACT Range
  • KWC 16/23
  • AQ 20/26
  • SAT Range
  • KWC 890/1130
  • AQ 910/1140
  • Submit Test Scores
  • KWC Test optional
  • AQ Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • KWC
  • AQ

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • KWC 15:1
  • AQ 10:1
  • Popular Majors
  • KWC
    • Education (18%)
    • Business (18%)
    • Biology (13%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
    • Psychology (8%)
  • AQ
    • Business (15%)
    • Social Sciences (11%)
    • Education (9%)
    • Psychology (7%)
    • Biology (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • KWC 44%
  • AQ 52%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • KWC $38,500
  • AQ $40,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • KWC 54%
  • AQ 60%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • KWC $22,907
  • AQ $26,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • KWC $236
  • AQ $268

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • KWC 50%
  • AQ 47%
  • % Women
  • KWC 50%
  • AQ 53%
  • Racial Diversity
  • KWC Low
  • AQ Very Low
  • HBCU
  • KWC No
  • AQ No
  • % White
  • KWC 73%
  • AQ 82%
  • % Asian
  • KWC 0%
  • AQ 1%
  • % Black
  • KWC 15%
  • AQ 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • KWC 1%
  • AQ 6%
  • % Native American
  • KWC 0%
  • AQ 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • KWC 0%
  • AQ 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • KWC 0%
  • AQ 3%
  • % International
  • KWC 0%
  • AQ 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • KWC 9%
  • AQ 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • KWC 56%
  • AQ 87%
  • % Out-of-State
  • KWC 38%
  • AQ 10%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • KWC Yes
  • AQ Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • KWC No
  • AQ No
  • Meal Plan
  • KWC Yes
  • AQ Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • KWC No
  • AQ Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • KWC No
  • AQ No

Comparable Facts

Compare Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, KY with Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, MI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Aquinas College is larger than KWC based on total student enrollment (1,157 students vs. 887 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is located in Owensboro, KY (Small City setting); Aquinas College is in Grand Rapids, MI (Midsize City setting).
  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Aquinas College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Kentucky Wesleyan College 15:1; Aquinas College 10:1.

KWC vs. AQ Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KWC or AQ? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Aquinas College than KWC ($18,018 vs. $20,999).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Aquinas College are 1.5% lower than at Kentucky Wesleyan College ($11,680 vs. $11,855).
  • Aquinas College is 16% more expensive for in-state tuition than KWC (about $5,545 more per year; $40,218.00 vs. $34,673.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 16% higher at AQ than at Kentucky Wesleyan College (about $5,545 more per year; $40,218.00 vs. $34,673.00).
  • The same share of students receive grant aid at Kentucky Wesleyan College as at Aquinas College (100% vs. 100%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Aquinas College students is 31.3% larger than aid received by Kentucky Wesleyan College students ($33,535 vs. $25,538).

KWC vs. AQ Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, KWC or AQ? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between AQ and KWC.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Aquinas College (1030) is 20 points higher than at KWC (1010).
  • Incoming AQ students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (23 vs. 19 at KWC).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Kentucky Wesleyan College 890/1130; Aquinas College 910/1140.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Kentucky Wesleyan College 16/23; Aquinas College 20/26.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: KWC - Test optional; AQ - Test optional.
  • Accepted freshman AQ students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at KWC (3.3).
  • AQ has a higher acceptance rate (89.9%) than KWC (71.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.7% at KWC vs. 11.8% at AQ.

KWC vs. AQ Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for KWC and AQ? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Aquinas College's six-year graduation rate (52%) is higher than Kentucky Wesleyan College's (44%).
  • Graduates from Aquinas College earn a median of about $1,500 more per year than KWC graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,000 vs. $38,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Kentucky Wesleyan College graduates have a $3,093 lower median loan debt than AQ graduates ($22,907 vs. $26,000).
  • Among borrowers, KWC graduates have an estimated $32 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than AQ graduates ($236 vs. $268).
  • More AQ graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KWC students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 54%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.