Louisville vs. WVU

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

 Louisville WVU
Location Louisville, KY Morgantown, WV
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 22,139 24,200
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #411 #534
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website louisville.edu wvu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Louisville WVU
Tuition (In State) $12,632 $9,648
Tuition (Out of State) $28,978 $27,360
Room & Board $11,690 $13,876
Avg Net Price $18,808 $13,691
Avg Grant Aid $13,148 $11,893
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 93%

Admission

 Louisville WVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,821 19,857
Admitted 11,937 17,129
Acceptance Rate 80.5% 86.3%
Enrolled % 26.1% 25.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/27 20/26
SAT Range 1020/1250 1010/1240
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, 2026

Academics

 Louisville WVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

 Louisville WVU
Graduation Rate 51% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,200 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,656 $24,001
Median Loan Payment $203 $248

Diversity

 Louisville WVU
% Men 12% 10%
% Women 15% 13%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 81%
% Black 11% 5%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

 Louisville WVU
% In-State 74% 43%
% Out-of-State 25% 56%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • West Virginia University is larger than than Louisville based on total student enrollment (24,200 students vs. 22,139 students)

Louisville vs. WVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Louisville or WVU?

  • University of Louisville is 30.9% more expensive to attend than WVU for in-state tuition ($12,632.00 vs. $9,648.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.9% higher at Louisville than West Virginia University ($28,978.00 vs. $27,360.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Virginia University than Louisville ($13,691 vs. $18,808)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Louisville are 18.7% lower than costs at West Virginia University ($11,690 vs. $13,876)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Louisville than West Virginia University (95% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Louisville students is 10.6% larger than aid received West Virginia University ($13,148 vs. $11,893)

Louisville vs. WVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Louisville (1159) is 81 points higher than at WVU (1078)
  • Incoming Louisville students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at WVU (24)
  • Accepted freshman Louisville students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at WVU (3.45)
  • WVU has a higher acceptance rate (86.3%) than Louisville (80.5%)

Louisville vs. WVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Louisville 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 Louisville.

  • The graduation rate at WVU is higher than University of Louisville (57% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from West Virginia University earn on average $5,400 more per year than Louisville graduates after ten years. ($50,600 vs. $45,200)
  • University of Louisville students graduate with a $4,345 lower median federal student loan debt than WVU graduates. ($19,656 vs. $24,001)
  • Louisville graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than WVU graduates. ($203 vs. $248)
  • More WVU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Louisville students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 58%)

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