WKU vs. Bryan College

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

 WKU Bryan College
Location Bowling Green, KY Dayton, TN
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 16,759 1,548
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #968
Religious Affiliation - Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu bryan.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WKU Bryan College
Tuition (In State) $11,436 $18,300
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $18,300
Room & Board $12,043 $8,550
Avg Net Price $12,054 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $10,906 $12,650
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 97%

Admission

 WKU Bryan College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,720 -
Admitted 7,492 -
Acceptance Rate 97%
Enrolled % 37.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/20
SAT Range 820/1010
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 WKU Bryan College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (58%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (4%)
  • Psychology (4%)

Outcomes

 WKU Bryan College
Graduation Rate 50% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $40,700
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 N/A
Median Loan Payment $250 N/A

Diversity

 WKU Bryan College
% Men 4% 4%
% Women 9% 6%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 82%
% Black 10% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 WKU Bryan College
% In-State 70% 72%
% Out-of-State 29% 27%

Campus

 WKU Bryan College
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 Bryan College based on total student enrollment (16,759 students vs. 1,548 students)

WKU vs. Bryan College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or Bryan College?

  • Bryan College is 60% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($18,300.00 vs. $11,436.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.5% higher at WKU than Bryan College ($27,000.00 vs. $18,300.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Bryan College ($12,054 vs. $17,105)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bryan College are 40.9% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($8,550 vs. $12,043)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Bryan College (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bryan College students is 16% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($12,650 vs. $10,906)

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 31 points higher than at Bryan College (1016)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Bryan College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Bryan College students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at WKU (3.42)

WKU vs. Bryan College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WKU or Bryan 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 Bryan College and WKU.

  • The graduation rate at Bryan College is higher than Western Kentucky University (56% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Bryan College earn on average $3,600 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($40,700 vs. $37,100)
  • More Bryan College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 47%)

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