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Eastern Tennessee Tech Murray State University Kentucky Tennessee Louisville Middle Tennessee State University Georgia State Memphis NKU Austin Peay State University University of Southern Indiana| Western Kentucky University | The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
WKU | UTC | ||
| Location | Bowling Green, KY | Chattanooga, TN | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 16,759 | 11,380 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #968 | #815 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wku.edu | utc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WKU | UTC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,436 | $8,232 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $27,000 | $16,296 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,043 | $10,052 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $12,054 | $13,801 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,906 | $9,834 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 93% |
Admission |
WKU | UTC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,720 | 9,096 | ||
| Admitted | 7,492 | 7,006 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 97% | 77% | ||
| Enrolled % | 37.7% | 34% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.61 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 16/20 | 20/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 820/1010 | 1005/1185 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Required to be considered for admission | ||
| Application Deadline | Aug 1, 2026 | May 1, 2026 |
Academics |
WKU | UTC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 17:1 | ||
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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 | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 8% | ||
| 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% | 88% | ||
| % 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 (16,759 students vs. 11,380 students)
WKU vs. UTC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WKU or UTC?
- Western Kentucky University is 38.9% more expensive to attend than UTC for in-state tuition ($11,436.00 vs. $8,232.00)
- Out of state tuition is 65.7% higher at WKU than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($27,000.00 vs. $16,296.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than UTC ($12,054 vs. $13,801)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are 19.8% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($10,052 vs. $12,043)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (99% vs. 93%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 10.9% larger than aid received The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($10,906 vs. $9,834)
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 (97%) than UTC (77%)
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/