KWC vs. Memphis

Should I go to Kentucky Wesleyan College or University of Memphis? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if KWC or Memphis 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. University of Memphis comparison
Kentucky Wesleyan College University of Memphis College 3 College 4
Kentucky Wesleyan College University of Memphis
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Overview

 KWC Memphis
Location Owensboro, KY Memphis, TN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 813 21,917
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #883
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kwc.edu memphis.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 KWC Memphis
Tuition (In State) $30,040 $8,352
Tuition (Out of State) $30,040 $12,576
Room & Board $11,175 $10,126
Avg Net Price $20,735 $13,873
Avg Grant Aid $20,036 $9,625
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

 KWC Memphis
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,434 15,767
Admitted 983 14,916
Acceptance Rate 68.5% 94.6%
Enrolled % 22.4% 16.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/23 17/24
SAT Range 980/1210 930/1230
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 1, 2025

Academics

 KWC Memphis
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)

Outcomes

 KWC Memphis
Graduation Rate 44% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,500 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 37%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,907 $25,250
Median Loan Payment $236 $261

Diversity

 KWC Memphis
% Men 51% 40%
% Women 49% 60%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 73% 50%
% Black 15% 37%
% Hispanic 1% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 9% 0%

Students

 KWC Memphis
% In-State 67% 81%
% Out-of-State 32% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Memphis is larger than than KWC based on total student enrollment (21,917 students vs. 813 students)

KWC vs. Memphis Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KWC or Memphis?

  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is 259.7% more expensive to attend than Memphis for in-state tuition ($30,040.00 vs. $8,352.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 138.9% higher at KWC than University of Memphis ($30,040.00 vs. $12,576.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Memphis than KWC ($13,873 vs. $20,735)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Memphis are 10.4% lower than costs at Kentucky Wesleyan College ($10,126 vs. $11,175)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kentucky Wesleyan College than University of Memphis (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kentucky Wesleyan College students is 108.2% larger than aid received University of Memphis ($20,036 vs. $9,625)

KWC vs. Memphis Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Kentucky Wesleyan College (1048) is 19 points higher than at Memphis (1029)
  • Incoming KWC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Memphis (22)
  • Accepted freshman Memphis students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at KWC (3.3)
  • Memphis has a higher acceptance rate (94.6%) than KWC (68.5%)

KWC vs. Memphis Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at KWC is higher than University of Memphis (44% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from University of Memphis earn on average $3,700 more per year than KWC graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $38,500)
  • Kentucky Wesleyan College students graduate with a $2,343 lower median federal student loan debt than Memphis graduates. ($22,907 vs. $25,250)
  • KWC graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than Memphis graduates. ($236 vs. $261)
  • More KWC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Memphis students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 37%)

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