Palm Beach State College vs. WKU

Should I go to Palm Beach State College or Western Kentucky University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Palm Beach State College or WKU 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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Palm Beach State College vs. Western Kentucky University comparison
Palm Beach State College Western Kentucky University College 3 College 4
Palm Beach State College Western Kentucky University
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Overview

Palm Beach State College WKU
Location Lake Worth, FL Bowling Green, KY
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 24,369 16,759
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #968
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website palmbeachstate.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Palm Beach State College WKU
Tuition (In State) $3,030 $11,436
Tuition (Out of State) $10,890 $27,000
Room & Board $12,825 $12,043
Avg Net Price $10,320 $12,054
Avg Grant Aid $6,330 $10,906
% Receiving Grant Aid 67% 99%

Admission

Palm Beach State College WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 7,720
Admitted - 7,492
Acceptance Rate Open 97%
Enrolled % Open 37.7%
Avg High School GPA - 3.42
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/20
SAT Range 820/1010
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 20, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Palm Beach State College WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 29:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (54%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Palm Beach State College WKU
Graduation Rate - 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,000 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $5,750 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $59 $250

Diversity

Palm Beach State College WKU
% Men 6% 4%
% Women 10% 9%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 35% 76%
% Black 25% 10%
% Hispanic 28% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Palm Beach State College WKU
% In-State 99% 70%
% Out-of-State 1% 29%

Campus

Palm Beach State College WKU
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Palm Beach State College is larger than than WKU based on total student enrollment (24,369 students vs. 16,759 students)

Palm Beach State College vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palm Beach State College or WKU?

  • Western Kentucky University is 277.4% more expensive to attend than Palm Beach State College for in-state tuition ($11,436.00 vs. $3,030.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 147.9% higher at WKU than Palm Beach State College ($27,000.00 vs. $10,890.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Palm Beach State College than WKU ($10,320 vs. $12,054)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 6.5% lower than costs at Palm Beach State College ($12,043 vs. $12,825)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Palm Beach State College (99% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 72.3% larger than aid received Palm Beach State College ($10,906 vs. $6,330)

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

Palm Beach State College vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Palm Beach State 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 Palm Beach State College.

  • Graduates from Western Kentucky University earn on average $1,100 more per year than Palm Beach State College graduates after ten years. ($37,100 vs. $36,000)
  • Palm Beach State College students graduate with a $18,500 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($5,750 vs. $24,250)
  • Palm Beach State College graduates are paying $191 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($59 vs. $250)
  • More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palm Beach State College students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 38%)

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