SIUE vs. WKU

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

SIUE WKU
Location Edwardsville, IL Bowling Green, KY
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 12,519 16,493
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #506 #875
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website siue.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SIUE WKU
Tuition (In State) $9,306 $11,112
Tuition (Out of State) $9,306 $27,000
Room & Board $10,272 $11,072
Avg Net Price $13,586 $12,625
Avg Grant Aid $10,649 $10,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 99%

Admission

SIUE WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,325 7,505
Admitted 9,093 7,276
Acceptance Rate 97.5% 96.9%
Enrolled % 20.5% 37.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 18/25
SAT Range 930/1160 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 May 1, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

SIUE WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

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 42% 37%
% Women 58% 63%
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 79% 70%
% Out-of-State 16% 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 (16,493 students vs. 12,519 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 ($11,112.00 vs. $9,306.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 190.1% higher at WKU than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($27,000.00 vs. $9,306.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than SIUE ($12,625 vs. $13,586)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are 7.8% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($10,272 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students is 3.8% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($10,649 vs. $10,260)

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 (97.5%) than WKU (96.9%)

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/