Louisville vs. WKU

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

Louisville WKU
Location Louisville, KY Bowling Green, KY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 22,017 16,493
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #382 #875
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website louisville.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Louisville WKU
Tuition (In State) $12,324 $11,112
Tuition (Out of State) $28,670 $27,000
Room & Board $10,668 $11,072
Avg Net Price $19,327 $12,625
Avg Grant Aid $12,216 $10,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 99%

Admission

Louisville WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,462 7,505
Admitted 12,608 7,276
Acceptance Rate 81.5% 96.9%
Enrolled % 23.2% 37.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/27 18/25
SAT Range 1070/1270 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

Louisville WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Louisville WKU
Graduation Rate 51% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,200 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,656 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $203 $250

Diversity

Louisville WKU
% Men 44% 37%
% Women 56% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 76%
% Black 11% 10%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Louisville WKU
% In-State 73% 70%
% Out-of-State 27% 29%

Campus

Louisville WKU
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

  • University of Louisville is larger than than WKU based on total student enrollment (22,017 students vs. 16,493 students)

Louisville vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Louisville or WKU?

  • University of Louisville is 10.9% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($12,324.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.2% higher at Louisville than Western Kentucky University ($28,670.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Louisville ($12,625 vs. $19,327)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Louisville are 3.8% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($10,668 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than University of Louisville (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Louisville students is 19.1% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($12,216 vs. $10,260)

Louisville vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Louisville (1159) is 112 points higher than at WKU (1047)
  • Incoming Louisville students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at WKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Louisville students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at WKU (3.42)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Louisville (81.5%)

Louisville vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Louisville 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 Louisville.

  • The graduation rate at Louisville is higher than Western Kentucky University (51% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from University of Louisville earn on average $8,100 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($45,200 vs. $37,100)
  • University of Louisville students graduate with a $4,594 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($19,656 vs. $24,250)
  • Louisville graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($203 vs. $250)
  • More Louisville graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 47%)

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