WKU vs. South Texas College

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

WKU South Texas College
Location Bowling Green, KY McAllen, TX
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 16,759 26,440
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #968
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu southtexascollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU South Texas College
Tuition (In State) $11,436 $4,920
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $7,500
Room & Board $12,043 $8,388
Avg Net Price $12,054 $1,414
Avg Grant Aid $10,906 $6,354
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

WKU South Texas College
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, 2026 Jun 18, 2026

Academics

WKU South Texas College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Business (10%)
  • General Studies (6%)

Outcomes

WKU South Texas College
Graduation Rate 50% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $34,200
Making Student Loan Payments 47% -
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 N/A
Median Loan Payment $250 N/A

Diversity

WKU South Texas College
% Men 4% 18%
% Women 9% 21%
Racial Diversity Low Extremely Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 3%
% Black 10% 0%
% Hispanic 3% 95%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

WKU South Texas College
% In-State 70% 100%
% Out-of-State 29% 0%

Campus

WKU South Texas College
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • South Texas College is larger than than WKU based on total student enrollment (26,440 students vs. 16,759 students)

WKU vs. South Texas College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or South Texas College?

  • Western Kentucky University is 124.2% more expensive to attend than South Texas College for in-state tuition ($11,436.00 vs. $5,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 260% higher at WKU than South Texas College ($27,000.00 vs. $7,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at South Texas College than WKU ($1,414 vs. $12,054)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at South Texas College are 43.6% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($8,388 vs. $12,043)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University as South Texas College (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 71.6% larger than aid received South Texas College ($10,906 vs. $6,354)

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

WKU vs. South Texas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WKU or South Texas 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 South Texas College and WKU.

  • Graduates from Western Kentucky University earn on average $2,900 more per year than South Texas College graduates after ten years. ($37,100 vs. $34,200)

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