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Eastern Murray State University Kentucky Louisville UTC NKU Reinhardt University University of Southern Indiana Middle Tennessee State University Austin Peay State University KSU University of Missouri-St Louis| Shorter University | Western Kentucky University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Shorter | WKU | ||
| Location | Rome, GA | Bowling Green, KY | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,447 | 16,759 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #977 | #968 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Baptist | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | shorter.edu | wku.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Shorter | WKU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $23,514 | $11,436 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $23,514 | $27,000 | ||
| Room & Board | $9,784 | $12,043 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,692 | $12,054 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $18,168 | $10,906 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 99% |
Admission |
Shorter | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 783 | 7,720 | ||
| Admitted | 759 | 7,492 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 96.9% | 97% | ||
| Enrolled % | 35.4% | 37.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.25 | 3.42 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 17/23 | 16/20 | ||
| SAT Range | 900/1130 | 820/1010 | ||
| 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 25, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Shorter | WKU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Shorter | WKU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 47% | 50% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,300 | $37,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 38% | 47% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $28,418 | $24,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $293 | $250 |
Diversity |
Shorter | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 5% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 62% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 24% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 4% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
Shorter | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 81% | 70% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 16% | 29% | ||
Campus |
Shorter | 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 Shorter based on total student enrollment (16,759 students vs. 1,447 students)
Shorter vs. WKU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Shorter or WKU?
- Shorter University is 105.6% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($23,514.00 vs. $11,436.00)
- Out of state tuition is 14.8% higher at WKU than Shorter University ($27,000.00 vs. $23,514.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Shorter ($12,054 vs. $16,692)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shorter University are 23.1% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($9,784 vs. $12,043)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Shorter University than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Shorter University students is 66.6% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($18,168 vs. $10,906)
Shorter vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Shorter or WKU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WKU or Shorter .
- The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 78 points higher than at Shorter (969)
- Incoming WKU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Shorter (21)
- Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Shorter (3.25)
- WKU has a higher acceptance rate (97%) than Shorter (96.9%)
Shorter vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Shorter 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 Shorter.
- The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Shorter University (50% vs. 47%)
- Graduates from Shorter University earn on average $12,200 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($49,300 vs. $37,100)
- Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $4,168 lower median federal student loan debt than Shorter graduates. ($24,250 vs. $28,418)
- WKU graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than Shorter graduates. ($250 vs. $293)
- More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shorter 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/