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Southern Illinois University Eastern Murray State University Kentucky Louisville EIU UTC Wright State Northern Illinois Illinois ISU NKU| Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | Western Kentucky University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
SIUE | WKU | ||
| Location | Edwardsville, IL | Bowling Green, KY | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 12,045 | 16,759 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #554 | #968 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | siue.edu | wku.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
SIUE | WKU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,576 | $11,436 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,576 | $27,000 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,562 | $12,043 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,182 | $12,054 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,934 | $10,906 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 90% | 99% |
Admission |
SIUE | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 8,937 | 7,720 | ||
| Admitted | 8,688 | 7,492 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 97.2% | 97% | ||
| Enrolled % | 18.4% | 37.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.54 | 3.42 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 20/26 | 16/20 | ||
| SAT Range | 900/1160 | 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 | May 1, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 |
Academics |
SIUE | WKU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
SIUE | WKU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 52% | 50% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,000 | $37,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 61% | 47% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,430 | $24,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $221 | $250 |
Diversity |
SIUE | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 15% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 73% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 15% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 4% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 1% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
SIUE | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 98% | 70% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 2% | 29% | ||
Campus |
SIUE | WKU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Western Kentucky University is larger than than SIUE based on total student enrollment (16,759 students vs. 12,045 students)
SIUE vs. WKU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, SIUE or WKU?
- Western Kentucky University is 19.4% more expensive to attend than SIUE for in-state tuition ($11,436.00 vs. $9,576.00)
- Out of state tuition is 182% higher at WKU than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($27,000.00 vs. $9,576.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than SIUE ($12,054 vs. $15,182)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are 14% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($10,562 vs. $12,043)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (99% vs. 90%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 9.8% larger than aid received Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($10,906 vs. $9,934)
SIUE vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, SIUE or WKU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WKU or SIUE .
- The average SAT score at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (1070) is 23 points higher than at WKU (1047)
- Incoming SIUE students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at WKU (23)
- Accepted freshman SIUE students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at WKU (3.42)
- SIUE has a higher acceptance rate (97.2%) than WKU (97%)
SIUE vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, SIUE 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 SIUE.
- The graduation rate at SIUE is higher than Western Kentucky University (52% vs. 50%)
- Graduates from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earn on average $9,900 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($47,000 vs. $37,100)
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students graduate with a $2,820 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($21,430 vs. $24,250)
- SIUE graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($221 vs. $250)
- More SIUE graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 47%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/