WKU vs. Lane College

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

WKU Lane College
Location Bowling Green, KY Jackson, TN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 16,759 822
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #968
Religious Affiliation - Christian Methodist Episcopal - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu lanecollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU Lane College
Tuition (In State) $11,436 $9,270
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $9,270
Room & Board $12,043 $7,610
Avg Net Price $12,054 $13,384
Avg Grant Aid $10,906 $10,229
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 94%

Admission

WKU Lane College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,720 -
Admitted 7,492 -
Acceptance Rate 97%
Enrolled % 37.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 2.57
Typical High School Grades B+ C+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/20
SAT Range 820/1010
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026 Aug 21, 2026

Academics

WKU Lane College
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 (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

WKU Lane College
Graduation Rate 50% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $25,000
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 12%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $36,464
Median Loan Payment $250 $377

Diversity

WKU Lane College
% Men 4% 34%
% Women 9% 28%
Racial Diversity Low Extremely Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 76% 1%
% Black 10% 97%
% Hispanic 3% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

WKU Lane College
% In-State 70% 61%
% Out-of-State 29% 38%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than Lane College based on total student enrollment (16,759 students vs. 822 students)

WKU vs. Lane College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or Lane College?

  • Western Kentucky University is 23.4% more expensive to attend than Lane College for in-state tuition ($11,436.00 vs. $9,270.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 191.3% higher at WKU than Lane College ($27,000.00 vs. $9,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Lane College ($12,054 vs. $13,384)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lane College are 58.3% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($7,610 vs. $12,043)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Lane College (99% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 6.6% larger than aid received Lane College ($10,906 vs. $10,229)

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 289 points higher than at Lane College (758)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Lane College (16)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.85 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Lane College (2.57)

WKU vs. Lane College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Lane College (50% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Western Kentucky University earn on average $12,100 more per year than Lane College graduates after ten years. ($37,100 vs. $25,000)
  • Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $12,214 lower median federal student loan debt than Lane College graduates. ($24,250 vs. $36,464)
  • WKU graduates are paying $127 less per month on federal student loans than Lane College graduates. ($250 vs. $377)
  • More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lane College students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 12%)

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