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Eastern Murray State University Kentucky Louisville UTC NKU University of Southern Indiana Middle Tennessee State University Austin Peay State University KSU Campbellsville University University of Missouri-St Louis| Western Kentucky University | Cumberland University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
WKU | CU | ||
| Location | Bowling Green, KY | Lebanon, TN | ||
| Setting | Small City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 16,759 | 3,072 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #968 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wku.edu | cumberland.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WKU | CU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,436 | $26,640 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $27,000 | $26,640 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,043 | $10,360 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $12,054 | $17,669 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,906 | $23,749 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 100% |
Admission |
WKU | CU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,720 | 2,788 | ||
| Admitted | 7,492 | 1,868 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 97% | 67% | ||
| Enrolled % | 37.7% | 36% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Unavailable | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 16/20 | |||
| SAT Range | 820/1010 | |||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Aug 1, 2025 |
Academics |
WKU | CU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
WKU | CU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 34% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,100 | $39,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 47% | 60% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,250 | $21,729 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $250 | $224 |
Diversity |
WKU | CU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 8% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 6% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 63% | ||
| % Black | 10% | 12% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 0% | ||
| % International | 6% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 16% |
Students |
WKU | CU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 70% | 88% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 29% | 8% | ||
Campus |
WKU | CU | ||
| 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 CU based on total student enrollment (16,759 students vs. 3,072 students)
WKU vs. CU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WKU or CU?
- Cumberland University is 132.9% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($26,640.00 vs. $11,436.00)
- Out of state tuition is 1.4% higher at WKU than Cumberland University ($27,000.00 vs. $26,640.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than CU ($12,054 vs. $17,669)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cumberland University are 16.2% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($10,360 vs. $12,043)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Cumberland University than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Cumberland University students is 117.8% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($23,749 vs. $10,906)
WKU vs. CU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, WKU or CU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CU or WKU .
- The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 58 points higher than at CU (989)
- Incoming WKU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at CU (21)
- Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at CU (3.3)
- WKU has a higher acceptance rate (97%) than CU (67%)
WKU vs. CU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, WKU or CU? 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 CU and WKU.
- The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Cumberland University (50% vs. 34%)
- Graduates from Cumberland University earn on average $2,800 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($39,900 vs. $37,100)
- Cumberland University students graduate with a $2,521 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($21,729 vs. $24,250)
- CU graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($224 vs. $250)
- More CU 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/