WKU vs. ETSU

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

WKU ETSU
Location Bowling Green, KY Johnson City, TN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 16,493 13,483
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #875 #652
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu etsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU ETSU
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $7,722
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $11,532
Room & Board $11,072 $9,613
Avg Net Price $12,625 $14,350
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $8,739
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

WKU ETSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 9,609
Admitted 7,276 8,193
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 85.3%
Enrolled % 37.9% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 19/26
SAT Range 980/1170 980/1190
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 ETSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

WKU ETSU
Graduation Rate 50% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $250 $211

Diversity

WKU ETSU
% Men 37% 37%
% Women 63% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 82%
% Black 10% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

WKU ETSU
% In-State 70% 75%
% Out-of-State 29% 23%

Campus

WKU ETSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than ETSU based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 13,483 students)

WKU vs. ETSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or ETSU?

  • Western Kentucky University is 43.9% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $7,722.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 134.1% higher at WKU than East Tennessee State University ($27,000.00 vs. $11,532.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than ETSU ($12,625 vs. $14,350)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 15.2% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($9,613 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at East Tennessee State University than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 17.4% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($10,260 vs. $8,739)

WKU vs. ETSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 21 points higher than at WKU (1047)
  • Incoming WKU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at ETSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than ETSU (85.3%)

WKU vs. ETSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than East Tennessee State University (50% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from East Tennessee State University earn on average $2,900 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $37,100)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $24,250)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($211 vs. $250)
  • More ETSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (50% vs. 47%)

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