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Eastern Murray State University Kentucky Louisville UTC NKU University of Southern Indiana Wingate University Middle Tennessee State University Austin Peay State University KSU GWU| Western Kentucky University | Belmont Abbey College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
WKU | BAC | ||
| Location | Bowling Green, KY | Belmont, NC | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 16,759 | 1,650 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #968 | #920 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Roman Catholic | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wku.edu | belmontabbeycollege.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WKU | BAC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,436 | $19,500 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $27,000 | $19,500 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,043 | $12,056 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $12,054 | $23,463 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,906 | $9,098 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 99% |
Admission |
WKU | BAC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,720 | 2,972 | ||
| Admitted | 7,492 | 2,686 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 97% | 90.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 37.7% | 14.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.32 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 16/20 | 17/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 820/1010 | 940/1190 | ||
| 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 |
Academics |
WKU | BAC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
WKU | BAC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 38% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,100 | $41,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 47% | 40% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,250 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $250 | $279 |
Diversity |
WKU | BAC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 3% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 3% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 45% | ||
| % Black | 10% | 22% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 1% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 0% | ||
| % International | 6% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 28% |
Students |
WKU | BAC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 70% | 37% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 29% | 57% | ||
Campus |
WKU | BAC | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Western Kentucky University is larger than than BAC based on total student enrollment (16,759 students vs. 1,650 students)
WKU vs. BAC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WKU or BAC?
- Belmont Abbey College is 70.5% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($19,500.00 vs. $11,436.00)
- Out of state tuition is 38.5% higher at WKU than Belmont Abbey College ($27,000.00 vs. $19,500.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than BAC ($12,054 vs. $23,463)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 0.1% lower than costs at Belmont Abbey College ($12,043 vs. $12,056)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University as Belmont Abbey College (99% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 19.9% larger than aid received Belmont Abbey College ($10,906 vs. $9,098)
WKU vs. BAC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, WKU or BAC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between BAC or WKU .
- The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 26 points higher than at BAC (1021)
- Incoming WKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at BAC (22)
- Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at BAC (3.32)
- WKU has a higher acceptance rate (97%) than BAC (90.4%)
WKU vs. BAC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, WKU or BAC? 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 BAC and WKU.
- The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Belmont Abbey College (50% vs. 38%)
- Graduates from Belmont Abbey College earn on average $4,800 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($41,900 vs. $37,100)
- Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than BAC graduates. ($24,250 vs. $27,000)
- WKU graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than BAC graduates. ($250 vs. $279)
- More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BAC students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 40%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/