KWC vs. UVa-Wise

Should I go to Kentucky Wesleyan College or The University of Virginia's College at Wise? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if KWC or UVa-Wise 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. The University of Virginia's College at Wise comparison
Kentucky Wesleyan College The University of Virginia's College at Wise College 3 College 4
Kentucky Wesleyan College The University of Virginia's College at Wise
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Overview

KWC UVa-Wise
Location Owensboro, KY Wise, VA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 813 1,704
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #750
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kwc.edu uvawise.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

KWC UVa-Wise
Tuition (In State) $30,040 $6,040
Tuition (Out of State) $30,040 $25,419
Room & Board $11,175 $11,919
Avg Net Price $20,735 $9,923
Avg Grant Aid $20,036 $14,299
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

KWC UVa-Wise
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,434 835
Admitted 983 631
Acceptance Rate 68.5% 75.6%
Enrolled % 22.4% 39.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/23 19/25
SAT Range 980/1210 915/1160
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

KWC UVa-Wise
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

KWC UVa-Wise
Graduation Rate 44% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,500 $42,100
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,907 $20,827
Median Loan Payment $236 $215

Diversity

KWC UVa-Wise
% Men 51% 40%
% Women 49% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 78%
% Black 15% 12%
% Hispanic 1% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 0%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 9% 7%

Students

KWC UVa-Wise
% In-State 67% 76%
% Out-of-State 32% 21%

Campus

KWC UVa-Wise
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

  • The University of Virginia's College at Wise is larger than than KWC based on total student enrollment (1,704 students vs. 813 students)

KWC vs. UVa-Wise Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KWC or UVa-Wise?

  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is 397.4% more expensive to attend than UVa-Wise for in-state tuition ($30,040.00 vs. $6,040.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.2% higher at KWC than The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($30,040.00 vs. $25,419.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than KWC ($9,923 vs. $20,735)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kentucky Wesleyan College are 6.7% lower than costs at The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($11,175 vs. $11,919)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kentucky Wesleyan College than The University of Virginia's College at Wise (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kentucky Wesleyan College students is 40.1% larger than aid received The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($20,036 vs. $14,299)

KWC vs. UVa-Wise Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Kentucky Wesleyan College (1048) is 106 points higher than at UVa-Wise (942)
  • Incoming KWC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at UVa-Wise (20)
  • Accepted freshman UVa-Wise students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at KWC (3.3)
  • UVa-Wise has a higher acceptance rate (75.6%) than KWC (68.5%)

KWC vs. UVa-Wise Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, KWC or UVa-Wise? 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 UVa-Wise and KWC.

  • The graduation rate at KWC is higher than The University of Virginia's College at Wise (44% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from The University of Virginia's College at Wise earn on average $3,600 more per year than KWC graduates after ten years. ($42,100 vs. $38,500)
  • The University of Virginia's College at Wise students graduate with a $2,080 lower median federal student loan debt than KWC graduates. ($20,827 vs. $22,907)
  • UVa-Wise graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than KWC graduates. ($215 vs. $236)
  • More UVa-Wise graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KWC students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 54%)

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