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Eastern Murray State University Kentucky Louisville UTC NKU University of Southern Indiana Middle Tennessee State University Austin Peay State University KSU University of Missouri-St Louis ETSU| Western Kentucky University | Art Academy of Cincinnati | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
WKU | AAC | ||
| Location | Bowling Green, KY | Cincinnati, OH | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 16,759 | 259 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #968 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wku.edu | artacademy.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WKU | AAC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,436 | $37,500 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $27,000 | $37,500 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,043 | $10,325 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $12,054 | $28,899 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,906 | $19,277 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 100% |
Admission |
WKU | AAC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,720 | 1,056 | ||
| Admitted | 7,492 | 350 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 97% | 33.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 37.7% | 16.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.1 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Unavailable | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 16/20 | |||
| SAT Range | 820/1010 | |||
| 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 1, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 |
Academics |
WKU | AAC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
WKU | AAC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 44% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,100 | $30,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 47% | 55% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,250 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $250 | $279 |
Diversity |
WKU | AAC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 2% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 79% | ||
| % Black | 10% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 6% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
WKU | AAC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 70% | 58% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 29% | 42% | ||
Campus |
WKU | AAC | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Western Kentucky University is larger than than AAC based on total student enrollment (16,759 students vs. 259 students)
WKU vs. AAC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WKU or AAC?
- Art Academy of Cincinnati is 227.9% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($37,500.00 vs. $11,436.00)
- Out of state tuition is 38.9% higher at AAC than Western Kentucky University ($37,500.00 vs. $27,000.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than AAC ($12,054 vs. $28,899)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Art Academy of Cincinnati are 16.6% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($10,325 vs. $12,043)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Art Academy of Cincinnati than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Art Academy of Cincinnati students is 76.8% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($19,277 vs. $10,906)
WKU vs. AAC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, WKU or AAC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between AAC or WKU .
- The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 84 points higher than at AAC (963)
- Incoming WKU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at AAC (21)
- Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at AAC (3.1)
- WKU has a higher acceptance rate (97%) than AAC (33.1%)
WKU vs. AAC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, WKU or AAC? 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 AAC and WKU.
- The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Art Academy of Cincinnati (50% vs. 44%)
- Graduates from Western Kentucky University earn on average $6,700 more per year than AAC graduates after ten years. ($37,100 vs. $30,400)
- Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than AAC graduates. ($24,250 vs. $27,000)
- WKU graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than AAC graduates. ($250 vs. $279)
- More AAC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 47%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/