WKU vs. MVNU

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

 WKU MVNU
Location Bowling Green, KY Mount Vernon, OH
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 16,493 1,941
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #875 #623
Religious Affiliation - Church of the Nazarene - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu mvnu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WKU MVNU
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $33,918
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $33,918
Room & Board $11,072 $9,612
Avg Net Price $12,625 $23,391
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $23,202
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 WKU MVNU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 1,070
Admitted 7,276 913
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 85.3%
Enrolled % 37.9% 32.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.55
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 18/25
SAT Range 980/1170 963/1228
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 MVNU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (44%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (4%)

Outcomes

 WKU MVNU
Graduation Rate 50% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $46,100
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $26,536
Median Loan Payment $250 $274

Diversity

 WKU MVNU
% Men 37% 38%
% Women 63% 62%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 85%
% Black 10% 5%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

 WKU MVNU
% In-State 70% 85%
% Out-of-State 29% 13%

Campus

 WKU MVNU
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 MVNU based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 1,941 students)

WKU vs. MVNU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or MVNU?

  • Mount Vernon Nazarene University is 205.2% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($33,918.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.6% higher at MVNU than Western Kentucky University ($33,918.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than MVNU ($12,625 vs. $23,391)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mount Vernon Nazarene University are 15.2% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($9,612 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mount Vernon Nazarene University than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Vernon Nazarene University students is 126.1% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($23,202 vs. $10,260)

WKU vs. MVNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is the same at MVNU (1047)
  • Incoming WKU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at MVNU (23)
  • Accepted freshman MVNU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at WKU (3.42)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than MVNU (85.3%)

WKU vs. MVNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MVNU is higher than Western Kentucky University (57% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Mount Vernon Nazarene University earn on average $9,000 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($46,100 vs. $37,100)
  • Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $2,286 lower median federal student loan debt than MVNU graduates. ($24,250 vs. $26,536)
  • WKU graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than MVNU graduates. ($250 vs. $274)
  • More MVNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 47%)

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