KWC vs. WKU

Deciding between Kentucky Wesleyan College and Western Kentucky University? 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
Western Kentucky University

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • KWC Owensboro, KY
  • WKU Bowling Green, KY
  • Setting
  • KWC Small City
  • WKU Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • KWC 887
  • WKU 16,291
  • Type
  • KWC Private 4 Year
  • WKU Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • KWC
  • WKU #970
  • Religious Affiliation
  • KWC United Methodist
  • WKU -
  • Status
  • KWC Non-profit
  • WKU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • KWC
  • WKU

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • KWC $34,673
  • WKU $11,652
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • KWC $34,673
  • WKU $27,000
  • Room & Board
  • KWC $11,855
  • WKU $12,582
  • Average Net Price
  • KWC $20,999
  • WKU $12,548
  • Average Grant Aid
  • KWC $25,538
  • WKU $10,921
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • KWC 100%
  • WKU 99%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • KWC 2,113
  • WKU 9,840
  • Admitted
  • KWC 1,513
  • WKU 9,237
  • Acceptance Rate
  • KWC 71.6%
  • WKU 93.9%
  • Enrolled
  • KWC 17.7%
  • WKU 30.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • KWC 1010
  • WKU 950
  • Typical ACT score
  • KWC 19
  • WKU 18
  • Average High School GPA
  • KWC 3.3
  • WKU 3.42
  • Typical High School Grades
  • KWC B+
  • WKU B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • KWC Extremely Easy
  • WKU Extremely Easy
  • Applicant Competition
  • KWC Low
  • WKU
  • ACT Range
  • KWC 16/23
  • WKU 16/21
  • SAT Range
  • KWC 890/1130
  • WKU 840/1050
  • Submit Test Scores
  • KWC Test optional
  • WKU Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • KWC
  • WKU Aug 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • KWC 15:1
  • WKU 19:1
  • Popular Majors
  • KWC
    • Education (18%)
    • Business (18%)
    • Biology (13%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
    • Psychology (8%)
  • WKU
    • Business (16%)
    • Education (12%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
    • Social Sciences (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • KWC 44%
  • WKU 50%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • KWC $38,500
  • WKU $37,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • KWC 54%
  • WKU 47%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • KWC $22,907
  • WKU $24,250
  • Median Loan Payment
  • KWC $236
  • WKU $250

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • KWC 50%
  • WKU 38%
  • % Women
  • KWC 50%
  • WKU 62%
  • Racial Diversity
  • KWC Low
  • WKU Low
  • HBCU
  • KWC No
  • WKU No
  • % White
  • KWC 73%
  • WKU 76%
  • % Asian
  • KWC 0%
  • WKU 1%
  • % Black
  • KWC 15%
  • WKU 10%
  • % Hispanic
  • KWC 1%
  • WKU 3%
  • % Native American
  • KWC 0%
  • WKU 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • KWC 0%
  • WKU 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • KWC 0%
  • WKU 3%
  • % International
  • KWC 0%
  • WKU 6%
  • % Unknown Race
  • KWC 9%
  • WKU 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • KWC 56%
  • WKU 66%
  • % Out-of-State
  • KWC 38%
  • WKU 33%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, KY with Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Western Kentucky University is larger than KWC based on total student enrollment (16,291 students vs. 887 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is located in Owensboro, KY (Small City setting); Western Kentucky University is in Bowling Green, KY (Small City setting).
  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Western Kentucky University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Kentucky Wesleyan College 15:1; Western Kentucky University 19:1.

KWC vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KWC or WKU? 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 Western Kentucky University than KWC ($12,548 vs. $20,999).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kentucky Wesleyan College are 5.8% lower than at Western Kentucky University ($11,855 vs. $12,582).
  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is 197.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than WKU (about $23,021 more per year; $34,673.00 vs. $11,652.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 28.4% higher at KWC than at Western Kentucky University (about $7,673 more per year; $34,673.00 vs. $27,000.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Kentucky Wesleyan College than at Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kentucky Wesleyan College students is 133.8% larger than aid received by Western Kentucky University students ($25,538 vs. $10,921).

KWC vs. WKU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, KWC or WKU? 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 WKU and KWC.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Kentucky Wesleyan College (1010) is 60 points higher than at WKU (950).
  • Incoming KWC students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (19 vs. 18 at WKU).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Kentucky Wesleyan College 890/1130; Western Kentucky University 840/1050.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Kentucky Wesleyan College 16/23; Western Kentucky University 16/21.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: KWC - Test optional; WKU - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: WKU Aug 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at KWC (3.3).
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (93.9%) than KWC (71.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.7% at KWC vs. 30.2% at WKU.

KWC vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for KWC and WKU? 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).

  • Western Kentucky University's six-year graduation rate (50%) is higher than Kentucky Wesleyan College's (44%).
  • Graduates from Kentucky Wesleyan College earn a median of about $1,400 more per year than WKU graduates about ten years after starting college ($38,500 vs. $37,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Kentucky Wesleyan College graduates have a $1,343 lower median loan debt than WKU graduates ($22,907 vs. $24,250).
  • Among borrowers, KWC graduates have an estimated $14 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than WKU graduates ($236 vs. $250).
  • More KWC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 47%)

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.