Piedmont College vs. WKU

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

Piedmont College WKU
Location Demorest, GA Bowling Green, KY
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 1,843 16,493
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #522 #875
Religious Affiliation United Church of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website piedmont.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Piedmont College WKU
Tuition (In State) $28,970 $11,112
Tuition (Out of State) $28,970 $27,000
Room & Board $11,562 $11,072
Avg Net Price $18,792 $12,625
Avg Grant Aid $24,065 $10,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Piedmont College WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,331 7,505
Admitted 1,500 7,276
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 96.9%
Enrolled % 20.1% 37.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 18/25
SAT Range 990/1200 980/1170
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 15, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Piedmont College WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (40%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (4%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Piedmont College WKU
Graduation Rate 46% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,000 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,736 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $245 $250

Diversity

Piedmont College WKU
% Men 28% 37%
% Women 72% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 76%
% Black 9% 10%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 6%
% Unknown Race 10% 1%

Students

Piedmont College WKU
% In-State 85% 70%
% Out-of-State 14% 29%

Campus

Piedmont 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 Piedmont College based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 1,843 students)

Piedmont College vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Piedmont College or WKU?

  • Piedmont College is 160.7% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($28,970.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.3% higher at Piedmont College than Western Kentucky University ($28,970.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Piedmont College ($12,625 vs. $18,792)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 4.4% lower than costs at Piedmont College ($11,072 vs. $11,562)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Piedmont College than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Piedmont College students is 134.6% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($24,065 vs. $10,260)

Piedmont College vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 52 points higher than at Piedmont College (995)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Piedmont College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Piedmont College students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at WKU (3.42)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Piedmont College (64.4%)

Piedmont College vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Piedmont 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 Piedmont College.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Piedmont College (50% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Piedmont College earn on average $3,900 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($41,000 vs. $37,100)
  • Piedmont College students graduate with a $514 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($23,736 vs. $24,250)
  • Piedmont College graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($245 vs. $250)
  • More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Piedmont College students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 44%)

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