WKU vs. BAC

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

 WKU BAC
Location Bowling Green, KY Belmont, NC
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 16,493 1,501
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #875 #921
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu belmontabbeycollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WKU BAC
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $18,500
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $18,500
Room & Board $11,072 $11,658
Avg Net Price $12,625 $23,522
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $9,266
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 WKU BAC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 2,757
Admitted 7,276 2,679
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 97.2%
Enrolled % 37.9% 14.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.32
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 18/26
SAT Range 980/1170 950/1140
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, 2025

Academics

 WKU BAC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

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 37% 53%
% Women 63% 47%
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 (16,493 students vs. 1,501 students)

WKU vs. BAC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or BAC?

  • Belmont Abbey College is 66.5% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($18,500.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.9% higher at WKU than Belmont Abbey College ($27,000.00 vs. $18,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than BAC ($12,625 vs. $23,522)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 5.3% lower than costs at Belmont Abbey College ($11,072 vs. $11,658)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Belmont Abbey College than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 10.7% larger than aid received Belmont Abbey College ($10,260 vs. $9,266)

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)
  • BAC has a higher acceptance rate (97.2%) than WKU (96.9%)

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/