Kentucky vs. WVU

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

 Kentucky WVU
Location Lexington, KY Morgantown, WV
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 31,547 24,741
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #408 #559
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uky.edu wvu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Kentucky WVU
Tuition (In State) $11,496 $9,360
Tuition (Out of State) $30,913 $26,568
Room & Board $14,676 $11,618
Avg Net Price $18,693 $12,202
Avg Grant Aid $14,114 $11,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 94%

Admission

 Kentucky WVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,109 18,206
Admitted 20,979 16,091
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 88.4%
Enrolled % 28.9% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 20/26
SAT Range 1070/1290 1000/1220
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

Academics

 Kentucky WVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

 Kentucky WVU
Graduation Rate 59% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,750 $24,001
Median Loan Payment $235 $248

Diversity

 Kentucky WVU
% Men 40% 47%
% Women 60% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 81%
% Black 8% 5%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

 Kentucky WVU
% In-State 61% 42%
% Out-of-State 37% 57%

Campus

 Kentucky WVU
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

  • University of Kentucky is larger than than WVU based on total student enrollment (31,547 students vs. 24,741 students)

Kentucky vs. WVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kentucky or WVU?

  • University of Kentucky is 22.8% more expensive to attend than WVU for in-state tuition ($11,496.00 vs. $9,360.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.4% higher at Kentucky than West Virginia University ($30,913.00 vs. $26,568.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Virginia University than Kentucky ($12,202 vs. $18,693)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Virginia University are 26.3% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($11,618 vs. $14,676)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at University of Kentucky as West Virginia University (94% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 20.8% larger than aid received West Virginia University ($14,114 vs. $11,685)

Kentucky vs. WVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Kentucky (1143) is 65 points higher than at WVU (1078)
  • Incoming Kentucky students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WVU (24)
  • Accepted freshman Kentucky students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at WVU (3.45)
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than WVU (88.4%)

Kentucky vs. WVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Kentucky is higher than West Virginia University (59% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from University of Kentucky earn on average $400 more per year than WVU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $50,600)
  • University of Kentucky students graduate with a $1,251 lower median federal student loan debt than WVU graduates. ($22,750 vs. $24,001)
  • Kentucky graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than WVU graduates. ($235 vs. $248)
  • More Kentucky graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WVU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 59%)

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