WKU vs. RU

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

WKU RU
Location Bowling Green, KY Radford, VA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 16,493 7,718
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #875 #566
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu radford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU RU
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $8,156
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $20,246
Room & Board $11,072 $10,567
Avg Net Price $12,625 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $9,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 96%

Admission

WKU RU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 11,442
Admitted 7,276 10,680
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 93.3%
Enrolled % 37.9% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 19/23
SAT Range 980/1170 960/1160
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 RU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

WKU RU
Graduation Rate 50% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $250 $237

Diversity

WKU RU
% Men 37% 33%
% Women 63% 67%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 71%
% Black 10% 13%
% Hispanic 3% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

WKU RU
% In-State 70% 89%
% Out-of-State 29% 11%

Campus

WKU RU
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 RU based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 7,718 students)

WKU vs. RU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or RU?

  • Western Kentucky University is 36.2% more expensive to attend than RU for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $8,156.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.4% higher at WKU than Radford University ($27,000.00 vs. $20,246.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than RU ($12,625 vs. $17,105)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Radford University are 4.8% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($10,567 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Radford University (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 5.4% larger than aid received Radford University ($10,260 vs. $9,733)

WKU vs. RU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at RU (3.31)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than RU (93.3%)

WKU vs. RU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at RU is higher than Western Kentucky University (56% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Radford University earn on average $10,300 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $37,100)
  • Radford University students graduate with a $1,250 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($23,000 vs. $24,250)
  • RU graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($237 vs. $250)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 47%)

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