WKU vs. Montreat College

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

WKU Montreat College
Location Bowling Green, KY Montreat, NC
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 16,493 972
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #875
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu montreat.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU Montreat College
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $30,250
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $30,250
Room & Board $11,072 $10,670
Avg Net Price $12,625 $25,485
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $17,519
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

WKU Montreat College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 1,440
Admitted 7,276 980
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 68.1%
Enrolled % 37.9% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.07
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/25 21/28
SAT Range 980/1170 1030/1220
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 Montreat College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (65%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (4%)

Outcomes

WKU Montreat College
Graduation Rate 50% 35%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $40,900
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $250 $258

Diversity

WKU Montreat College
% Men 37% 50%
% Women 63% 50%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 64%
% Black 10% 16%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

WKU Montreat College
% In-State 70% 52%
% Out-of-State 29% 44%

Campus

WKU Montreat 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 Montreat College based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 972 students)

WKU vs. Montreat College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or Montreat College?

  • Montreat College is 172.2% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($30,250.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12% higher at Montreat College than Western Kentucky University ($30,250.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Montreat College ($12,625 vs. $25,485)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Montreat College are 3.8% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($10,670 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Montreat College than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Montreat College students is 70.8% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($17,519 vs. $10,260)

WKU vs. Montreat College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 87 points higher than at Montreat College (960)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Montreat College (21)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.35 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Montreat College (3.07)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Montreat College (68.1%)

WKU vs. Montreat College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Montreat College (50% vs. 35%)
  • Graduates from Montreat College earn on average $3,800 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($40,900 vs. $37,100)
  • Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than Montreat College graduates. ($24,250 vs. $25,000)
  • WKU graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Montreat College graduates. ($250 vs. $258)
  • More Montreat College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 47%)

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