McPherson College vs. KWC

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

 McPherson College KWC
Location McPherson, KS Owensboro, KY
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 788 834
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Church of Brethren United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcpherson.edu kwc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 McPherson College KWC
Tuition (In State) $34,072 $31,900
Tuition (Out of State) $34,072 $31,900
Room & Board $10,322 $11,526
Avg Net Price $25,490 $20,867
Avg Grant Aid $22,929 $22,561
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 McPherson College KWC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,209 2,009
Admitted 1,013 1,346
Acceptance Rate 83.8% 67%
Enrolled % 23.8% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/24 12/24
SAT Range 936/1126 750/1130
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, 2026

Academics

 McPherson College KWC
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 McPherson College KWC
Graduation Rate 46% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,200 $38,500
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $22,907
Median Loan Payment $268 $236

Diversity

 McPherson College KWC
% Men 0% 3%
% Women 0% 2%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 73%
% Black 10% 15%
% Hispanic 12% 1%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 9%

Students

 McPherson College KWC
% In-State 27% 71%
% Out-of-State 69% 29%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is larger than than McPherson College based on total student enrollment (834 students vs. 788 students)

McPherson College vs. KWC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, McPherson College or KWC?

  • McPherson College is 6.8% more expensive to attend than KWC for in-state tuition ($34,072.00 vs. $31,900.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.8% higher at McPherson College than Kentucky Wesleyan College ($34,072.00 vs. $31,900.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kentucky Wesleyan College than McPherson College ($20,867 vs. $25,490)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McPherson College are 11.7% lower than costs at Kentucky Wesleyan College ($10,322 vs. $11,526)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at McPherson College as Kentucky Wesleyan College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by McPherson College students is 1.6% larger than aid received Kentucky Wesleyan College ($22,929 vs. $22,561)

McPherson College vs. KWC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Kentucky Wesleyan College (1048) is 108 points higher than at McPherson College (940)
  • Incoming KWC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at McPherson College (20)
  • Accepted freshman McPherson College students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at KWC (3.3)
  • McPherson College has a higher acceptance rate (83.8%) than KWC (67%)

McPherson College vs. KWC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, McPherson College or KWC? 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 KWC and McPherson College.

  • The graduation rate at McPherson College is higher than Kentucky Wesleyan College (46% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from McPherson College earn on average $5,700 more per year than KWC graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $38,500)
  • Kentucky Wesleyan College students graduate with a $3,093 lower median federal student loan debt than McPherson College graduates. ($22,907 vs. $26,000)
  • KWC graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than McPherson College graduates. ($236 vs. $268)
  • More McPherson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KWC students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 54%)

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