Union College vs. WKU

Should I go to Union College or Western Kentucky University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Union 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Union College vs. Western Kentucky University comparison
Union College Western Kentucky University College 3 College 4
Union College Western Kentucky University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Union College WKU
Location Barbourville, KY Bowling Green, KY
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 970 16,493
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #875
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unionky.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Union College WKU
Tuition (In State) $28,737 $11,112
Tuition (Out of State) $28,737 $27,000
Room & Board $8,261 $11,072
Avg Net Price $18,221 $12,625
Avg Grant Aid $23,168 $10,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Union College WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,142 7,505
Admitted 610 7,276
Acceptance Rate 53.4% 96.9%
Enrolled % 32.8% 37.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.15 3.42
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/22 18/25
SAT Range 955/1148 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

Union College WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (24%)
  • Psychology (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Union College WKU
Graduation Rate 32% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,800 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 42% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $248 $250

Diversity

Union College WKU
% Men 57% 37%
% Women 43% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 76%
% Black 12% 10%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 8% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Union College WKU
% In-State 58% 70%
% Out-of-State 28% 29%

Campus

Union 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 Union College based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 970 students)

Union College vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Union College or WKU?

  • Union College is 158.6% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($28,737.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.4% higher at Union College than Western Kentucky University ($28,737.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Union College ($12,625 vs. $18,221)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Union College are 34% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($8,261 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Union College than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Union College students is 125.8% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($23,168 vs. $10,260)

Union College vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 77 points higher than at Union College (970)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Union College (21)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Union College (3.15)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Union College (53.4%)

Union College vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Union 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 Union College.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Union College (50% vs. 32%)
  • Graduates from Western Kentucky University earn on average $2,300 more per year than Union College graduates after ten years. ($37,100 vs. $34,800)
  • Union College students graduate with a $250 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($24,000 vs. $24,250)
  • Union College graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($248 vs. $250)
  • More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Union College students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 42%)

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