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Eastern Murray State University Kentucky Louisville UTC NKU University of Southern Indiana Middle Tennessee State University Austin Peay State University KSU University of Missouri-St Louis ETSU| Western Kentucky University | Southern Wesleyan University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
WKU | SWU | ||
| Location | Bowling Green, KY | Central, SC | ||
| Setting | Small City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 16,493 | 1,175 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #875 | #826 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Wesleyan | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wku.edu | edu. | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WKU | SWU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,112 | $26,520 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $27,000 | $26,520 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,072 | $9,650 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $12,625 | $17,639 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,260 | $19,636 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 100% |
Admission |
WKU | SWU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,505 | 846 | ||
| Admitted | 7,276 | 433 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 96.9% | 51.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 37.9% | 34.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 4.0 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A/A+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 18/25 | 19/23 | ||
| SAT Range | 980/1170 | 1013/1160 | ||
| 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 | SWU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
WKU | SWU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 42% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,100 | $44,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 47% | 50% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,250 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $250 | $279 |
Diversity |
WKU | SWU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 37% | 33% | ||
| % Women | 63% | 67% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 63% | ||
| % Black | 10% | 28% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 2% | ||
| % International | 6% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
WKU | SWU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 70% | 58% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 29% | 42% | ||
Campus |
WKU | SWU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Western Kentucky University is larger than than SWU based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 1,175 students)
WKU vs. SWU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WKU or SWU?
- Southern Wesleyan University is 138.7% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($26,520.00 vs. $11,112.00)
- Out of state tuition is 1.8% higher at WKU than Southern Wesleyan University ($27,000.00 vs. $26,520.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than SWU ($12,625 vs. $17,639)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Wesleyan University are 14.7% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($9,650 vs. $11,072)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Wesleyan University than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Southern Wesleyan University students is 91.4% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($19,636 vs. $10,260)
WKU vs. SWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, WKU or SWU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SWU or WKU .
- Accepted freshman SWU students have a 0.58 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at WKU (3.42)
- WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than SWU (51.2%)
WKU vs. SWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, WKU or SWU? 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 SWU and WKU.
- The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Southern Wesleyan University (50% vs. 42%)
- Graduates from Southern Wesleyan University earn on average $7,700 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($44,800 vs. $37,100)
- Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than SWU graduates. ($24,250 vs. $27,000)
- WKU graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than SWU graduates. ($250 vs. $279)
- More SWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (50% vs. 47%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/