WKU vs. Bluefield State College

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

WKU Bluefield State College
Location Bowling Green, KY Bluefield, WV
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 16,759 1,270
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #968 #986
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu bluefieldstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU Bluefield State College
Tuition (In State) $11,436 $9,240
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $16,560
Room & Board $12,043 $11,327
Avg Net Price $12,054 $14,500
Avg Grant Aid $10,906 $9,634
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 98%

Admission

WKU Bluefield State College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,720 720
Admitted 7,492 628
Acceptance Rate 97% 87.2%
Enrolled % 37.7% 34.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/20 17/22
SAT Range 820/1010 870/1080
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 Bluefield State College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (29%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

WKU Bluefield State College
Graduation Rate 50% 22%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $31,800
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 30%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $250 $196

Diversity

WKU Bluefield State College
% Men 4% 0%
% Women 9% 1%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 76% 85%
% Black 10% 9%
% Hispanic 3% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

WKU Bluefield State College
% In-State 70% 54%
% Out-of-State 29% 46%

Campus

WKU Bluefield State College
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than Bluefield State College based on total student enrollment (16,759 students vs. 1,270 students)

WKU vs. Bluefield State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or Bluefield State College?

  • Western Kentucky University is 23.8% more expensive to attend than Bluefield State College for in-state tuition ($11,436.00 vs. $9,240.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 63% higher at WKU than Bluefield State College ($27,000.00 vs. $16,560.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Bluefield State College ($12,054 vs. $14,500)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bluefield State College are 6.3% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($11,327 vs. $12,043)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Bluefield State College (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 13.2% larger than aid received Bluefield State College ($10,906 vs. $9,634)

WKU vs. Bluefield State College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 113 points higher than at Bluefield State College (934)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Bluefield State College (20)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Bluefield State College (3.41)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (97%) than Bluefield State College (87.2%)

WKU vs. Bluefield State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WKU or Bluefield State College? 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 Bluefield State College and WKU.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Bluefield State College (50% vs. 22%)
  • Graduates from Western Kentucky University earn on average $5,300 more per year than Bluefield State College graduates after ten years. ($37,100 vs. $31,800)
  • Bluefield State College students graduate with a $5,250 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($19,000 vs. $24,250)
  • Bluefield State College graduates are paying $54 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($196 vs. $250)
  • More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bluefield State College students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 30%)

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