Cumberland College vs. WKU

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

Cumberland College WKU
Location Williamsburg, KY Bowling Green, KY
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 18,053 16,493
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #952 #875
Religious Affiliation Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucumberlands.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cumberland College WKU
Tuition (In State) $9,875 $11,112
Tuition (Out of State) $9,875 $27,000
Room & Board $9,300 $11,072
Avg Net Price $14,337 $12,625
Avg Grant Aid $9,822 $10,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

Cumberland College WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,314 7,505
Admitted 1,921 7,276
Acceptance Rate 83% 96.9%
Enrolled % 33.3% 37.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.47 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/23 18/25
SAT Range 960/1160 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 Aug 31, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Cumberland College WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Cumberland College WKU
Graduation Rate 43% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,700 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,956 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $144 $250

Diversity

Cumberland College WKU
% Men 46% 37%
% Women 54% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 76%
% Black 6% 10%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 5% 6%
% Unknown Race 10% 1%

Students

Cumberland College WKU
% In-State 65% 70%
% Out-of-State 28% 29%

Campus

Cumberland College 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 the Cumberlands is larger than than WKU based on total student enrollment (18,053 students vs. 16,493 students)

Cumberland College vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cumberland College or WKU?

  • Western Kentucky University is 12.5% more expensive to attend than Cumberland College for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $9,875.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 173.4% higher at WKU than University of the Cumberlands ($27,000.00 vs. $9,875.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Cumberland College ($12,625 vs. $14,337)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of the Cumberlands are 19.1% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($9,300 vs. $11,072)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at University of the Cumberlands as Western Kentucky University (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 4.5% larger than aid received University of the Cumberlands ($10,260 vs. $9,822)

Cumberland College vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 25 points higher than at Cumberland College (1022)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Cumberland College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Cumberland College students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.47) than students at WKU (3.42)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Cumberland College (83%)

Cumberland College vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cumberland College 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 Cumberland College.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than University of the Cumberlands (50% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Western Kentucky University earn on average $400 more per year than Cumberland College graduates after ten years. ($37,100 vs. $36,700)
  • University of the Cumberlands students graduate with a $10,294 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($13,956 vs. $24,250)
  • Cumberland College graduates are paying $106 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($144 vs. $250)
  • More Cumberland College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (52% vs. 47%)

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