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ECU Eastern CofC Murray State University Kentucky UofSC Louisville UTC Clemson Winthrop University UNCW Lander University| Western Kentucky University | Coastal Carolina University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
WKU | Coastal Carolina | ||
| Location | Bowling Green, KY | Conway, SC | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 16,493 | 10,337 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #875 | #821 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wku.edu | coastal.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WKU | Coastal Carolina | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,112 | $11,460 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $27,000 | $28,310 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,072 | $10,628 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $12,625 | $14,016 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,260 | $10,610 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 88% |
Admission |
WKU | Coastal Carolina | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,505 | 17,161 | ||
| Admitted | 7,276 | 13,493 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 96.9% | 78.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 37.9% | 19.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.72 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 18/25 | 20/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 980/1170 | 1020/1190 | ||
| 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 | Coastal Carolina | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 16:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
WKU | Coastal Carolina | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 46% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,100 | $42,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 47% | 54% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,250 | $24,930 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $250 | $257 |
Diversity |
WKU | Coastal Carolina | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 37% | 45% | ||
| % Women | 63% | 55% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 68% | ||
| % Black | 10% | 20% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 5% | ||
| % International | 6% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 0% |
Students |
WKU | Coastal Carolina | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 70% | 31% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 29% | 68% | ||
Campus |
WKU | Coastal Carolina | ||
| 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 Coastal Carolina based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 10,337 students)
WKU vs. Coastal Carolina Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WKU or Coastal Carolina?
- Coastal Carolina University is 3.1% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($11,460.00 vs. $11,112.00)
- Out of state tuition is 4.9% higher at Coastal Carolina than Western Kentucky University ($28,310.00 vs. $27,000.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Coastal Carolina ($12,625 vs. $14,016)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Coastal Carolina University are 4.2% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($10,628 vs. $11,072)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Coastal Carolina University (99% vs. 88%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Coastal Carolina University students is 3.4% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($10,610 vs. $10,260)
WKU vs. Coastal Carolina Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, WKU or Coastal Carolina? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Coastal Carolina or WKU .
- The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 38 points higher than at Coastal Carolina (1009)
- Incoming WKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Coastal Carolina (22)
- Accepted freshman Coastal Carolina students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at WKU (3.42)
- WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Coastal Carolina (78.6%)
WKU vs. Coastal Carolina Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, WKU or Coastal Carolina? 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 Coastal Carolina and WKU.
- The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Coastal Carolina University (50% vs. 46%)
- Graduates from Coastal Carolina University earn on average $5,100 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $37,100)
- Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $680 lower median federal student loan debt than Coastal Carolina graduates. ($24,250 vs. $24,930)
- WKU graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Coastal Carolina graduates. ($250 vs. $257)
- More Coastal Carolina graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 47%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/