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Eastern Murray State University Kentucky Louisville UTC Lenoir-Rhyne University NKU University of Southern Indiana Middle Tennessee State University Austin Peay State University KSU University of Missouri-St Louis| Western Kentucky University | Catawba College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
WKU | Catawba College | ||
| Location | Bowling Green, KY | Salisbury, NC | ||
| Setting | Small City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 16,493 | 1,172 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #875 | #515 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wku.edu | catawba.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WKU | Catawba College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,112 | $32,868 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $27,000 | $32,868 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,072 | $11,576 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $12,625 | $19,701 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,260 | $26,913 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 100% |
Admission |
WKU | Catawba College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,505 | 3,199 | ||
| Admitted | 7,276 | 2,146 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 96.9% | 67.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 37.9% | 13.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.64 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Moderate | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 18/25 | 18/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 980/1170 | 1000/1210 | ||
| 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 | Aug 15, 2025 |
Academics |
WKU | Catawba College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
WKU | Catawba College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 54% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,100 | $42,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 47% | 60% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,250 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $250 | $258 |
Diversity |
WKU | Catawba College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 37% | 48% | ||
| % Women | 63% | 52% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 69% | ||
| % Black | 10% | 19% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 6% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 0% |
Students |
WKU | Catawba College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 70% | 61% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 29% | 34% | ||
Campus |
WKU | Catawba College | ||
| 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 Catawba College based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 1,172 students)
WKU vs. Catawba College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WKU or Catawba College?
- Catawba College is 195.8% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($32,868.00 vs. $11,112.00)
- Out of state tuition is 21.7% higher at Catawba College than Western Kentucky University ($32,868.00 vs. $27,000.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Catawba College ($12,625 vs. $19,701)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 4.6% lower than costs at Catawba College ($11,072 vs. $11,576)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Catawba College than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 162.3% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($26,913 vs. $10,260)
WKU vs. Catawba College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, WKU or Catawba College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Catawba College or WKU .
- The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 57 points higher than at Catawba College (990)
- Incoming WKU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Catawba College (21)
- Accepted freshman Catawba College students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at WKU (3.42)
- WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Catawba College (67.1%)
WKU vs. Catawba College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, WKU or Catawba 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 Catawba College and WKU.
- The graduation rate at Catawba College is higher than Western Kentucky University (54% vs. 50%)
- Graduates from Catawba College earn on average $4,900 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($42,000 vs. $37,100)
- Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than Catawba College graduates. ($24,250 vs. $25,000)
- WKU graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Catawba College graduates. ($250 vs. $258)
- More Catawba College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 47%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/