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Eastern Murray State University Old Dominion Kentucky Longwood University Louisville JMU UTC VSU Virginia Tech NKU VCU| Western Kentucky University | Radford University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
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 | ||
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| 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 | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 12:1 | ||
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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/