Kentucky vs. WSU

Should I go to University of Kentucky or Wayne State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Kentucky or WSU 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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University of Kentucky vs. Wayne State University comparison
University of Kentucky Wayne State University College 3 College 4
University of Kentucky Wayne State University
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Overview

Kentucky WSU
Location Lexington, KY Detroit, MI
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 31,547 23,630
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #408 #582
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uky.edu wayne.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Kentucky WSU
Tuition (In State) $11,496 $12,933
Tuition (Out of State) $30,913 $29,622
Room & Board $14,676 $11,321
Avg Net Price $18,693 $15,347
Avg Grant Aid $14,114 $10,605
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 96%

Admission

Kentucky WSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,109 14,002
Admitted 20,979 10,547
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 75.3%
Enrolled % 28.9% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 21/28
SAT Range 1070/1290 1040/1260
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 Feb 15, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Kentucky WSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Kentucky WSU
Graduation Rate 59% 26%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 38%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,750 $22,258
Median Loan Payment $235 $230

Diversity

Kentucky WSU
% Men 40% 40%
% Women 60% 60%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 57%
% Black 8% 19%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

Kentucky WSU
% In-State 61% 93%
% Out-of-State 37% 3%

Campus

Kentucky WSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Kentucky is larger than than WSU based on total student enrollment (31,547 students vs. 23,630 students)

Kentucky vs. WSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kentucky or WSU?

  • Wayne State University is 12.5% more expensive to attend than Kentucky for in-state tuition ($12,933.00 vs. $11,496.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.4% higher at Kentucky than Wayne State University ($30,913.00 vs. $29,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than Kentucky ($15,347 vs. $18,693)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State University are 29.6% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($11,321 vs. $14,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wayne State University than University of Kentucky (96% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 33.1% larger than aid received Wayne State University ($14,114 vs. $10,605)

Kentucky vs. WSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Kentucky (1143) is 73 points higher than at WSU (1070)
  • Incoming Kentucky students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Kentucky students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than WSU (75.3%)

Kentucky vs. WSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kentucky or WSU? 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 WSU and Kentucky.

  • The graduation rate at Kentucky is higher than Wayne State University (59% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates of University of Kentucky and WSU have equivalent average earnings after ten years ($51,000 vs. $51,000)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $492 lower median federal student loan debt than Kentucky graduates. ($22,258 vs. $22,750)
  • WSU graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Kentucky graduates. ($230 vs. $235)
  • More Kentucky graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 38%)

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