University of West Georgia vs. WKU

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

University of West Georgia WKU
Location Carrollton, GA Bowling Green, KY
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 12,728 16,759
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #880 #968
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website westga.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of West Georgia WKU
Tuition (In State) $4,371 $11,436
Tuition (Out of State) $15,424 $27,000
Room & Board $11,642 $12,043
Avg Net Price $14,962 $12,054
Avg Grant Aid $8,088 $10,906
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 99%

Admission

University of West Georgia WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,399 7,720
Admitted 4,147 7,492
Acceptance Rate 49.4% 97%
Enrolled % 32.8% 37.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/23 16/20
SAT Range 930/1130 820/1010
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jun 1, 2026 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

University of West Georgia WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

University of West Georgia WKU
Graduation Rate 39% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,400 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $258 $250

Diversity

University of West Georgia WKU
% Men 7% 4%
% Women 27% 9%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 50% 76%
% Black 39% 10%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

University of West Georgia WKU
% In-State 93% 70%
% Out-of-State 5% 29%

Campus

University of West Georgia 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

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than University of West Georgia based on total student enrollment (16,759 students vs. 12,728 students)

University of West Georgia vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of West Georgia or WKU?

  • Western Kentucky University is 161.6% more expensive to attend than University of West Georgia for in-state tuition ($11,436.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 75.1% higher at WKU than University of West Georgia ($27,000.00 vs. $15,424.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than University of West Georgia ($12,054 vs. $14,962)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of West Georgia are 3.4% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($11,642 vs. $12,043)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than University of West Georgia (99% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 34.8% larger than aid received University of West Georgia ($10,906 vs. $8,088)

University of West Georgia vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 102 points higher than at University of West Georgia (945)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at University of West Georgia (20)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at University of West Georgia (3.31)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (97%) than University of West Georgia (49.4%)

University of West Georgia vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of West Georgia 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 University of West Georgia.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than University of West Georgia (50% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from University of West Georgia earn on average $3,300 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($40,400 vs. $37,100)
  • Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than University of West Georgia graduates. ($24,250 vs. $25,000)
  • WKU graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than University of West Georgia graduates. ($250 vs. $258)
  • More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of West Georgia students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 45%)

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