University of West Alabama vs. Watkins Institute

Should I go to University of West Alabama or Watkins College of Art Design & Film? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of West Alabama or Watkins Institute 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 West Alabama vs. Watkins College of Art Design & Film comparison
University of West Alabama Watkins College of Art Design & Film College 3 College 4
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Overview

 University of West Alabama Watkins Institute
Location Livingston, AL Nashville, TN
Setting Remote Rural Large City
Enrollment 5,860 193
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1007
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uwa.edu watkins.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 University of West Alabama Watkins Institute
Tuition (In State) $9,100 $22,800
Tuition (Out of State) $18,200 $22,800
Room & Board $7,820 $11,000
Avg Net Price $13,786 -
Avg Grant Aid $9,291 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 0%

Admission

 University of West Alabama Watkins Institute
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,131 -
Admitted 2,156 -
Acceptance Rate 68.9%
Enrolled % 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.16 3.33
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/21
SAT Range 880/980
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 10, 2025

Academics

 University of West Alabama Watkins Institute
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (27%)
  • Health Professions (24%)
  • Business (14%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)

Outcomes

 University of West Alabama Watkins Institute
Graduation Rate 28% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,500 $38,700
Making Student Loan Payments 36% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,489 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $273 $279

Diversity

 University of West Alabama Watkins Institute
% Men 25% 37%
% Women 75% 63%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 45% 69%
% Black 40% 15%
% Hispanic 2% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

 University of West Alabama Watkins Institute
% In-State 81% 72%
% Out-of-State 13% 24%

Campus

 University of West Alabama Watkins Institute
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of West Alabama is larger than than Watkins Institute based on total student enrollment (5,860 students vs. 193 students)

University of West Alabama vs. Watkins Institute Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of West Alabama or Watkins Institute?

  • Watkins College of Art Design & Film is 150.5% more expensive to attend than University of West Alabama for in-state tuition ($22,800.00 vs. $9,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.3% higher at Watkins Institute than University of West Alabama ($22,800.00 vs. $18,200.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of West Alabama are 40.7% lower than costs at Watkins College of Art Design & Film ($7,820 vs. $11,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of West Alabama than Watkins College of Art Design & Film (89% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of West Alabama students is ?% larger than aid received Watkins College of Art Design & Film ($9,291 vs. $0)

Which college is harder to get into, University of West Alabama or Watkins Institute? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Watkins Institute or University of West Alabama .

  • The average SAT score at Watkins College of Art Design & Film (1003) is 73 points higher than at University of West Alabama (930)
  • Incoming Watkins Institute students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at University of West Alabama (20)
  • Accepted freshman Watkins Institute students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at University of West Alabama (3.16)

University of West Alabama vs. Watkins Institute Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of West Alabama or Watkins Institute? 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 Watkins Institute and University of West Alabama.

  • The graduation rate at Watkins Institute is higher than University of West Alabama (37% vs. 28%)
  • Graduates from Watkins College of Art Design & Film earn on average $200 more per year than University of West Alabama graduates after ten years. ($38,700 vs. $38,500)
  • University of West Alabama students graduate with a $511 lower median federal student loan debt than Watkins Institute graduates. ($26,489 vs. $27,000)
  • University of West Alabama graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Watkins Institute graduates. ($273 vs. $279)
  • More Watkins Institute graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of West Alabama students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 36%)

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