UNK vs. UW

Should I go to University of Nebraska at Kearney or University of Wyoming? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNK or UW 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 Nebraska at Kearney vs. University of Wyoming comparison
University of Nebraska at Kearney University of Wyoming College 3 College 4
University of Nebraska at Kearney University of Wyoming
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Overview

UNK UW
Location Kearney, NE Laramie, WY
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 6,041 11,100
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #571 #331
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unk.edu uwyo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNK UW
Tuition (In State) $6,220 $4,800
Tuition (Out of State) $12,036 $19,950
Room & Board $11,390 $11,610
Avg Net Price $16,564 $12,819
Avg Grant Aid $7,282 $8,942
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

UNK UW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,794 5,797
Admitted 5,842 5,564
Acceptance Rate 86% 96%
Enrolled % 14.8% 29.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.24 3.53
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 21/28
SAT Range 1000/1200 1040/1240
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025 Aug 10, 2025

Academics

UNK UW
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

UNK UW
Graduation Rate 61% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,400 $51,400
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,250 $18,500
Median Loan Payment $219 $191

Diversity

UNK UW
% Men 34% 46%
% Women 66% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 76%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 11% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 5% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

UNK UW
% In-State 85% 56%
% Out-of-State 11% 40%

Campus

UNK UW
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 Wyoming is larger than than UNK based on total student enrollment (11,100 students vs. 6,041 students)

UNK vs. UW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNK or UW?

  • University of Nebraska at Kearney is 29.6% more expensive to attend than UW for in-state tuition ($6,220.00 vs. $4,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 65.8% higher at UW than University of Nebraska at Kearney ($19,950.00 vs. $12,036.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wyoming than UNK ($12,819 vs. $16,564)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Nebraska at Kearney are 1.9% lower than costs at University of Wyoming ($11,390 vs. $11,610)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Nebraska at Kearney than University of Wyoming (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Wyoming students is 22.8% larger than aid received University of Nebraska at Kearney ($8,942 vs. $7,282)

UNK vs. UW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Wyoming (1122) is 73 points higher than at UNK (1049)
  • Incoming UW students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UNK (23)
  • Accepted freshman UW students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at UNK (3.24)
  • UW has a higher acceptance rate (96%) than UNK (86%)

UNK vs. UW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNK or UW? 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 UW and UNK.

  • The graduation rate at UNK is higher than University of Wyoming (61% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from University of Wyoming earn on average $8,000 more per year than UNK graduates after ten years. ($51,400 vs. $43,400)
  • University of Wyoming students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than UNK graduates. ($18,500 vs. $21,250)
  • UW graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than UNK graduates. ($191 vs. $219)
  • More UW graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNK students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 71%)

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