WKU vs. Newberry College

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

WKU Newberry College
Location Bowling Green, KY Newberry, SC
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 16,493 1,312
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #875 #991
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu newberry.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU Newberry College
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $26,350
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $26,350
Room & Board $11,072 $12,000
Avg Net Price $12,625 $19,405
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $24,108
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

WKU Newberry College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 3,196
Admitted 7,276 2,407
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 75.3%
Enrolled % 37.9% 16.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 16/22
SAT Range 980/1170 928/1103
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 Newberry College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

WKU Newberry College
Graduation Rate 50% 35%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $34,700
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $250 $279

Diversity

WKU Newberry College
% Men 37% 55%
% Women 63% 45%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 59%
% Black 10% 26%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 6% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

WKU Newberry College
% In-State 70% 72%
% Out-of-State 29% 24%

Campus

WKU Newberry 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 Newberry College based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 1,312 students)

WKU vs. Newberry College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or Newberry College?

  • Newberry College is 137.1% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($26,350.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.5% higher at WKU than Newberry College ($27,000.00 vs. $26,350.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Newberry College ($12,625 vs. $19,405)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 8.4% lower than costs at Newberry College ($11,072 vs. $12,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Newberry College than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Newberry College students is 135% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($24,108 vs. $10,260)

WKU vs. Newberry College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 89 points higher than at Newberry College (958)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Newberry College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Newberry College students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at WKU (3.42)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Newberry College (75.3%)

WKU vs. Newberry College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Newberry College (50% vs. 35%)
  • Graduates from Western Kentucky University earn on average $2,400 more per year than Newberry College graduates after ten years. ($37,100 vs. $34,700)
  • Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Newberry College graduates. ($24,250 vs. $27,000)
  • WKU graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Newberry College graduates. ($250 vs. $279)
  • More Newberry College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 47%)

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