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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 RU University of Missouri-St Louis| Western Kentucky University | The University of Virginia's College at Wise | College 3 | College 4 | |
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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 | ||
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| 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 | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 14:1 | ||
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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/