WKU vs. Purdue Northwest

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

WKU Purdue Northwest
Location Bowling Green, KY Hammond, Indiana
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 16,493 8,911
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #875
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu pnw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU Purdue Northwest
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $7,373
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $14,364
Room & Board $11,072 $8,215
Avg Net Price $12,625 $9,162
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $7,070
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 75%

Admission

WKU Purdue Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 5,670
Admitted 7,276 4,129
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 72.8%
Enrolled % 37.9% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/25 18/24
SAT Range 980/1170 950/1170
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

WKU Purdue Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

WKU Purdue Northwest
Graduation Rate 50% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 47% -
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 N/A
Median Loan Payment $250 N/A

Diversity

WKU Purdue Northwest
% Men 37% 44%
% Women 63% 56%
Racial Diversity Low -
HBCU No No
% White 76% 0%
% Black 10% 0%
% Hispanic 3% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

WKU Purdue Northwest
% In-State 70% 87%
% Out-of-State 29% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than Purdue Northwest based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 8,911 students)

WKU vs. Purdue Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or Purdue Northwest?

  • Western Kentucky University is 50.7% more expensive to attend than Purdue Northwest for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $7,373.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 88% higher at WKU than Purdue University Northwest ($27,000.00 vs. $14,364.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Northwest than WKU ($9,162 vs. $12,625)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Northwest are 34.8% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($8,215 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Purdue University Northwest (99% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 45.1% larger than aid received Purdue University Northwest ($10,260 vs. $7,070)

WKU vs. Purdue Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Purdue Northwest (3.19)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Purdue Northwest (72.8%)

WKU vs. Purdue Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WKU or Purdue Northwest? 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 Purdue Northwest and WKU.

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