Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Eastern Murray State University Kentucky Louisville UTC NKU University of Southern Indiana Middle Tennessee State University Austin Peay State University KSU University of Missouri-St Louis ETSU| Spalding University | Western Kentucky University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Spalding | WKU | ||
| Location | Louisville, KY | Bowling Green, KY | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,532 | 16,493 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #718 | #875 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | spalding.edu | wku.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Spalding | WKU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $26,900 | $11,112 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,900 | $27,000 | ||
| Room & Board | $8,300 | $11,072 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $26,539 | $12,625 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $16,307 | $10,260 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 99% |
Admission |
Spalding | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 720 | 7,505 | ||
| Admitted | 703 | 7,276 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 97.6% | 96.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 18.8% | 37.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.87 | 3.42 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 16/22 | 18/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 858/1105 | 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 | Aug 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Spalding | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 18:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Spalding | WKU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 42% | 50% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $45,300 | $37,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 44% | 47% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $24,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $250 |
Diversity |
Spalding | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 29% | 37% | ||
| % Women | 71% | 63% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 67% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 20% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 1% |
Students |
Spalding | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 51% | 70% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 29% | ||
Campus |
Spalding | WKU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Western Kentucky University is larger than than Spalding based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 1,532 students)
Spalding vs. WKU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Spalding or WKU?
- Spalding University is 142.1% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($26,900.00 vs. $11,112.00)
- Out of state tuition is 0.4% higher at WKU than Spalding University ($27,000.00 vs. $26,900.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Spalding ($12,625 vs. $26,539)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Spalding University are 33.4% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($8,300 vs. $11,072)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Spalding University as Western Kentucky University (99% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Spalding University students is 58.9% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($16,307 vs. $10,260)
Spalding vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Spalding or WKU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WKU or Spalding .
- The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 77 points higher than at Spalding (970)
- Incoming WKU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Spalding (21)
- Accepted freshman Spalding students have a 0.45 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at WKU (3.42)
- Spalding has a higher acceptance rate (97.6%) than WKU (96.9%)
Spalding vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Spalding 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 Spalding.
- The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Spalding University (50% vs. 42%)
- Graduates from Spalding University earn on average $8,200 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($45,300 vs. $37,100)
- Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than Spalding graduates. ($24,250 vs. $25,000)
- WKU graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Spalding graduates. ($250 vs. $258)
- More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Spalding 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/