WKU vs. CULVER

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

 WKU CULVER
Location Bowling Green, KY Canton, MO
Setting Small City Remote Rural
Enrollment 16,759 1,069
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #968 #973
Religious Affiliation - Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu culver.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WKU CULVER
Tuition (In State) $11,436 $29,420
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $29,420
Room & Board $12,043 $9,505
Avg Net Price $12,054 $22,103
Avg Grant Aid $10,906 $20,951
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 WKU CULVER
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,720 1,351
Admitted 7,492 1,324
Acceptance Rate 97% 98%
Enrolled % 37.7% 18.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.37
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/20 19/25
SAT Range 820/1010 970/1080
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, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 WKU CULVER
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%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

 WKU CULVER
Graduation Rate 50% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $40,600
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $250 $258

Diversity

 WKU CULVER
% Men 4% 6%
% Women 9% 7%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 71%
% Black 10% 13%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 6% 8%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 WKU CULVER
% In-State 70% 36%
% Out-of-State 29% 63%

Campus

 WKU CULVER
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 CULVER based on total student enrollment (16,759 students vs. 1,069 students)

WKU vs. CULVER Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or CULVER?

  • Culver Stockton College is 157.3% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($29,420.00 vs. $11,436.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9% higher at CULVER than Western Kentucky University ($29,420.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than CULVER ($12,054 vs. $22,103)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Culver Stockton College are 26.7% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($9,505 vs. $12,043)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Culver Stockton College than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Culver Stockton College students is 92.1% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($20,951 vs. $10,906)

WKU vs. CULVER Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 79 points higher than at CULVER (968)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at CULVER (21)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at CULVER (3.37)
  • CULVER has a higher acceptance rate (98%) than WKU (97%)

WKU vs. CULVER Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WKU or CULVER? 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 CULVER and WKU.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Culver Stockton College (50% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Culver Stockton College earn on average $3,500 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($40,600 vs. $37,100)
  • Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than CULVER graduates. ($24,250 vs. $25,000)
  • WKU graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than CULVER graduates. ($250 vs. $258)
  • More CULVER graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 47%)

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