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Tennessee Louisville IU Eastern UC Murray State University Auburn Alabama Purdue Ohio State Michigan State Virginia Tech| University of Kentucky | Western Kentucky University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
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 | ||
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| 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 | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 18:1 | ||
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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/