WKU vs. Erskine College

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

WKU Erskine College
Location Bowling Green, KY Due West, SC
Setting Small City Distant Rural
Enrollment 16,493 956
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #875
Religious Affiliation - Reformed Presbyterian Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu erskine.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU Erskine College
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $34,435
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $34,435
Room & Board $11,072 $12,450
Avg Net Price $12,625 $36,581
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $16,834
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

WKU Erskine College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 1,585
Admitted 7,276 844
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 53.2%
Enrolled % 37.9% 31.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.26
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/25 17/23
SAT Range 980/1170 920/1150
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 Erskine College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)

Outcomes

WKU Erskine College
Graduation Rate 50% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $40,300
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $26,750
Median Loan Payment $250 $276

Diversity

WKU Erskine College
% Men 37% 67%
% Women 63% 33%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 67%
% Black 10% 13%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 13%

Students

WKU Erskine College
% In-State 70% 49%
% Out-of-State 29% 33%

Campus

WKU Erskine College
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 Erskine College based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 956 students)

WKU vs. Erskine College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or Erskine College?

  • Erskine College is 209.9% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($34,435.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.5% higher at Erskine College than Western Kentucky University ($34,435.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Erskine College ($12,625 vs. $36,581)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 12.4% lower than costs at Erskine College ($11,072 vs. $12,450)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Erskine College than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Erskine College students is 64.1% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($16,834 vs. $10,260)

WKU vs. Erskine College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 54 points higher than at Erskine College (993)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Erskine College (21)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Erskine College (3.26)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Erskine College (53.2%)

WKU vs. Erskine College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WKU or Erskine 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 Erskine College and WKU.

  • The graduation rate at Erskine College is higher than Western Kentucky University (55% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Erskine College earn on average $3,200 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($40,300 vs. $37,100)
  • Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Erskine College graduates. ($24,250 vs. $26,750)
  • WKU graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Erskine College graduates. ($250 vs. $276)
  • More Erskine College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 47%)

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