WKU vs. Ohio State University-Newark Campus

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

WKU Ohio State University-Newark Campus
Location Bowling Green, KY Newark, OH
Setting Small City Small Suburban
Enrollment 16,759 2,422
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #968
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu osu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU Ohio State University-Newark Campus
Tuition (In State) $11,436 $8,937
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $34,443
Room & Board $12,043 $12,106
Avg Net Price $12,054 $13,843
Avg Grant Aid $10,906 $6,839
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 64%

Admission

WKU Ohio State University-Newark Campus
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,720 -
Admitted 7,492 -
Acceptance Rate 97% Open
Enrolled % 37.7% Open
Avg High School GPA 3.42 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
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, 2025 Jul 14, 2025

Academics

WKU Ohio State University-Newark Campus
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 28:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (49%)
  • Education (21%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Business (6%)

Outcomes

WKU Ohio State University-Newark Campus
Graduation Rate 50% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $250 $222

Diversity

WKU Ohio State University-Newark Campus
% Men 4% 2%
% Women 9% 3%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 72%
% Black 10% 13%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

WKU Ohio State University-Newark Campus
% In-State 70% 100%
% Out-of-State 29% 0%

Campus

WKU Ohio State University-Newark Campus
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than Ohio State University-Newark Campus based on total student enrollment (16,759 students vs. 2,422 students)

WKU vs. Ohio State University-Newark Campus Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or Ohio State University-Newark Campus?

  • Western Kentucky University is 28% more expensive to attend than Ohio State University-Newark Campus for in-state tuition ($11,436.00 vs. $8,937.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.6% higher at Ohio State University-Newark Campus than Western Kentucky University ($34,443.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Ohio State University-Newark Campus ($12,054 vs. $13,843)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 0.5% lower than costs at Ohio State University Newark Campus ($12,043 vs. $12,106)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Ohio State University Newark Campus (99% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 59.5% larger than aid received Ohio State University Newark Campus ($10,906 vs. $6,839)

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

WKU vs. Ohio State University-Newark Campus Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WKU or Ohio State University-Newark Campus? 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 Ohio State University-Newark Campus and WKU.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Ohio State University Newark Campus (50% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Ohio State University Newark Campus earn on average $13,500 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($50,600 vs. $37,100)
  • Ohio State University Newark Campus students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,250)
  • Ohio State University-Newark Campus graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($222 vs. $250)
  • More Ohio State University-Newark Campus graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 47%)

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