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Eastern Murray State University Kentucky Louisville UTC NKU University of Southern Indiana Middle Tennessee State University Austin Peay State University KSU University of Missouri-St Louis ETSU| Paine College | Western Kentucky University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Paine College | WKU | ||
| Location | Augusta, GA | Bowling Green, KY | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 344 | 16,759 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #968 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | United Methodist | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | paine.edu | wku.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Paine College | WKU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $12,706 | $11,436 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $12,706 | $27,000 | ||
| Room & Board | $7,512 | $12,043 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,048 | $12,054 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,316 | $10,906 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 99% |
Admission |
Paine College | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 2,253 | 7,720 | ||
| Admitted | 1,878 | 7,492 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 83.4% | 97% | ||
| Enrolled % | 6.4% | 37.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 2.81 | 3.42 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 15/19 | 16/20 | ||
| SAT Range | 776/976 | 820/1010 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jul 1, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Paine College | WKU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Paine College | WKU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 27% | 50% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $28,400 | $37,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 15% | 47% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $35,750 | $24,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $369 | $250 |
Diversity |
Paine College | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 1% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | Yes | No | ||
| % White | 2% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 89% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 3% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
Paine College | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 73% | 70% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 26% | 29% | ||
Campus |
Paine College | WKU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Western Kentucky University is larger than than Paine College based on total student enrollment (16,759 students vs. 344 students)
Paine College vs. WKU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Paine College or WKU?
- Paine College is 11.1% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($12,706.00 vs. $11,436.00)
- Out of state tuition is 112.5% higher at WKU than Paine College ($27,000.00 vs. $12,706.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Paine College ($12,054 vs. $17,048)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Paine College are 60.3% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($7,512 vs. $12,043)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Paine College than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 5.7% larger than aid received Paine College ($10,906 vs. $10,316)
Paine College vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Paine College or WKU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WKU or Paine College .
- The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 298 points higher than at Paine College (749)
- Incoming WKU students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Paine College (16)
- Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.61 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Paine College (2.81)
- WKU has a higher acceptance rate (97%) than Paine College (83.4%)
Paine College vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Paine College or WKU? 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 WKU and Paine College.
- The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Paine College (50% vs. 27%)
- Graduates from Western Kentucky University earn on average $8,700 more per year than Paine College graduates after ten years. ($37,100 vs. $28,400)
- Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $11,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Paine College graduates. ($24,250 vs. $35,750)
- WKU graduates are paying $119 less per month on federal student loans than Paine College graduates. ($250 vs. $369)
- More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Paine College students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 15%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/