Kentucky vs. WKU

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

Kentucky WKU
Location Lexington, KY Bowling Green, KY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 31,547 16,493
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #408 #875
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uky.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Kentucky WKU
Tuition (In State) $11,496 $11,112
Tuition (Out of State) $30,913 $27,000
Room & Board $14,676 $11,072
Avg Net Price $18,693 $12,625
Avg Grant Aid $14,114 $10,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 99%

Admission

Kentucky WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,109 7,505
Admitted 20,979 7,276
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 96.9%
Enrolled % 28.9% 37.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 18/25
SAT Range 1070/1290 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 Feb 15, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Kentucky WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Kentucky WKU
Graduation Rate 59% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,750 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $235 $250

Diversity

Kentucky WKU
% Men 40% 37%
% Women 60% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 76%
% Black 8% 10%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Kentucky WKU
% In-State 61% 70%
% Out-of-State 37% 29%

Campus

Kentucky 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

  • University of Kentucky is larger than than WKU based on total student enrollment (31,547 students vs. 16,493 students)

Kentucky vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kentucky or WKU?

  • University of Kentucky is 3.5% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($11,496.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.5% higher at Kentucky than Western Kentucky University ($30,913.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Kentucky ($12,625 vs. $18,693)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 32.6% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($11,072 vs. $14,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than University of Kentucky (99% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 37.6% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($14,114 vs. $10,260)

Kentucky vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Kentucky (1143) is 96 points higher than at WKU (1047)
  • Incoming Kentucky students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Kentucky students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at WKU (3.42)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Kentucky (94.9%)

Kentucky vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kentucky 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 Kentucky.

  • The graduation rate at Kentucky is higher than Western Kentucky University (59% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from University of Kentucky earn on average $13,900 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $37,100)
  • University of Kentucky students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($22,750 vs. $24,250)
  • Kentucky graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($235 vs. $250)
  • More Kentucky graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 47%)

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