KWC vs. BGSU

Should I go to Kentucky Wesleyan College or Bowling Green State University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if KWC or BGSU 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 Wesleyan College vs. Bowling Green State University Main Campus comparison
Kentucky Wesleyan College Bowling Green State University Main Campus College 3 College 4
Kentucky Wesleyan College Bowling Green State University Main Campus
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Overview

 KWC BGSU
Location Owensboro, KY Bowling Green, OH
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 813 16,920
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #728
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kwc.edu bgsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 KWC BGSU
Tuition (In State) $30,040 $11,272
Tuition (Out of State) $30,040 $19,845
Room & Board $11,175 $12,584
Avg Net Price $20,735 $20,485
Avg Grant Aid $20,036 $8,898
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 95%

Admission

 KWC BGSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,434 17,447
Admitted 983 13,723
Acceptance Rate 68.5% 78.7%
Enrolled % 22.4% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/23 20/25
SAT Range 980/1210 990/1200
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 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

 KWC BGSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 KWC BGSU
Graduation Rate 44% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,500 $43,600
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,907 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $236 $268

Diversity

 KWC BGSU
% Men 51% 42%
% Women 49% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 78%
% Black 15% 10%
% Hispanic 1% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 9% 2%

Students

 KWC BGSU
% In-State 67% 88%
% Out-of-State 32% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is larger than than KWC based on total student enrollment (16,920 students vs. 813 students)

KWC vs. BGSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KWC or BGSU?

  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is 166.5% more expensive to attend than BGSU for in-state tuition ($30,040.00 vs. $11,272.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 51.4% higher at KWC than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($30,040.00 vs. $19,845.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bowling Green State University Main Campus than KWC ($20,485 vs. $20,735)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kentucky Wesleyan College are 12.6% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($11,175 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kentucky Wesleyan College than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (100% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kentucky Wesleyan College students is 125.2% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($20,036 vs. $8,898)

KWC vs. BGSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Kentucky Wesleyan College (1048) is 36 points higher than at BGSU (1012)
  • Incoming KWC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at BGSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BGSU students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at KWC (3.3)
  • BGSU has a higher acceptance rate (78.7%) than KWC (68.5%)

KWC vs. BGSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, KWC or BGSU? 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 BGSU and KWC.

  • The graduation rate at BGSU is higher than Kentucky Wesleyan College (58% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Bowling Green State University Main Campus earn on average $5,100 more per year than KWC graduates after ten years. ($43,600 vs. $38,500)
  • Kentucky Wesleyan College students graduate with a $3,093 lower median federal student loan debt than BGSU graduates. ($22,907 vs. $26,000)
  • KWC graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than BGSU graduates. ($236 vs. $268)
  • More KWC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BGSU students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 53%)

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