WKU vs. UVa-Wise

Should I go to Western Kentucky University or The University of Virginia's College at Wise? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WKU or UVa-Wise 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 Virginia's College at Wise comparison
Western Kentucky University The University of Virginia's College at Wise College 3 College 4
Western Kentucky University The University of Virginia's College at Wise
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Overview

WKU UVa-Wise
Location Bowling Green, KY Wise, VA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 16,493 1,704
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #875 #750
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu uvawise.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU UVa-Wise
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $6,040
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $25,419
Room & Board $11,072 $11,919
Avg Net Price $12,625 $9,923
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $14,299
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 98%

Admission

WKU UVa-Wise
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 835
Admitted 7,276 631
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 75.6%
Enrolled % 37.9% 39.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 19/25
SAT Range 980/1170 915/1160
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

WKU UVa-Wise
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

WKU UVa-Wise
Graduation Rate 50% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $42,100
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $20,827
Median Loan Payment $250 $215

Diversity

WKU UVa-Wise
% Men 37% 40%
% Women 63% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 78%
% Black 10% 12%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

WKU UVa-Wise
% In-State 70% 76%
% Out-of-State 29% 21%

Campus

WKU UVa-Wise
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 UVa-Wise based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 1,704 students)

WKU vs. UVa-Wise Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or UVa-Wise?

  • Western Kentucky University is 84% more expensive to attend than UVa-Wise for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $6,040.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.2% higher at WKU than The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($27,000.00 vs. $25,419.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than WKU ($9,923 vs. $12,625)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 7.6% lower than costs at The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($11,072 vs. $11,919)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than The University of Virginia's College at Wise (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Virginia's College at Wise students is 39.4% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($14,299 vs. $10,260)

WKU vs. UVa-Wise Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 105 points higher than at UVa-Wise (942)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at UVa-Wise (20)
  • Accepted freshman UVa-Wise students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at WKU (3.42)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than UVa-Wise (75.6%)

WKU vs. UVa-Wise Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WKU or UVa-Wise? 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 UVa-Wise and WKU.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than The University of Virginia's College at Wise (50% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from The University of Virginia's College at Wise earn on average $5,000 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($42,100 vs. $37,100)
  • The University of Virginia's College at Wise students graduate with a $3,423 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($20,827 vs. $24,250)
  • UVa-Wise graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($215 vs. $250)
  • More UVa-Wise graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 47%)

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