WKU vs. UTC

Should I go to Western Kentucky University or The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WKU or UTC 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. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga comparison
Western Kentucky University The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga College 3 College 4
Western Kentucky University The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
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Overview

WKU UTC
Location Bowling Green, KY Chattanooga, TN
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 16,493 11,283
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #875 #788
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu utc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU UTC
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $7,992
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $24,110
Room & Board $11,072 $9,500
Avg Net Price $12,625 $14,417
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $9,309
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 94%

Admission

WKU UTC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 8,345
Admitted 7,276 6,897
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 82.6%
Enrolled % 37.9% 32.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 20/26
SAT Range 980/1170 1023/1210
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

WKU UTC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

WKU UTC
Graduation Rate 50% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $40,600
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $20,792
Median Loan Payment $250 $214

Diversity

WKU UTC
% Men 37% 42%
% Women 63% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 75%
% Black 10% 11%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

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

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than UTC based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 11,283 students)

WKU vs. UTC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or UTC?

  • Western Kentucky University is 39% more expensive to attend than UTC for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $7,992.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12% higher at WKU than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($27,000.00 vs. $24,110.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than UTC ($12,625 vs. $14,417)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are 16.5% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($9,500 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (99% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 10.2% larger than aid received The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($10,260 vs. $9,309)

WKU vs. UTC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (1087) is 40 points higher than at WKU (1047)
  • Incoming UTC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman UTC students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at WKU (3.42)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than UTC (82.6%)

WKU vs. UTC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (50% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga earn on average $3,500 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($40,600 vs. $37,100)
  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students graduate with a $3,458 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($20,792 vs. $24,250)
  • UTC graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($214 vs. $250)
  • More UTC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 47%)

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