Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
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 | Bethel University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
WKU | Bethel | ||
| Location | Bowling Green, KY | McKenzie, TN | ||
| Setting | Small City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 16,493 | 4,686 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #875 | #1002 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Cumberland Presbyterian | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wku.edu | bethelu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WKU | Bethel | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,112 | $16,222 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $27,000 | $16,222 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,072 | $13,446 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $12,625 | $13,858 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,260 | $13,396 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 96% |
Admission |
WKU | Bethel | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,505 | 2,489 | ||
| Admitted | 7,276 | 2,210 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 96.9% | 88.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 37.9% | 20.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.6 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 18/25 | 16/22 | ||
| SAT Range | 980/1170 | 928/1130 | ||
| 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 | Bethel | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 17:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
WKU | Bethel | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 32% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,100 | $42,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 47% | 33% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,250 | $28,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $250 | $292 |
Diversity |
WKU | Bethel | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 37% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 63% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 46% | ||
| % Black | 10% | 40% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 1% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 5% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 1% | ||
| % International | 6% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 5% |
Students |
WKU | Bethel | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 70% | 80% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 29% | 19% | ||
Campus |
WKU | Bethel | ||
| 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 Bethel based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 4,686 students)
WKU vs. Bethel Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WKU or Bethel?
- Bethel University is 46% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($16,222.00 vs. $11,112.00)
- Out of state tuition is 66.4% higher at WKU than Bethel University ($27,000.00 vs. $16,222.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Bethel ($12,625 vs. $13,858)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 21.4% lower than costs at Bethel University ($11,072 vs. $13,446)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Bethel University (99% vs. 96%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Bethel University students is 30.6% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($13,396 vs. $10,260)
WKU vs. Bethel Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, WKU or Bethel? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Bethel or WKU .
- The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 119 points higher than at Bethel (928)
- Incoming WKU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Bethel (20)
- Accepted freshman Bethel students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at WKU (3.42)
- WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Bethel (88.8%)
WKU vs. Bethel Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, WKU or Bethel? 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 Bethel and WKU.
- The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Bethel University (50% vs. 32%)
- Graduates from Bethel University earn on average $5,600 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($42,700 vs. $37,100)
- Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Bethel graduates. ($24,250 vs. $28,250)
- WKU graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than Bethel graduates. ($250 vs. $292)
- More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bethel students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 33%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/