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Eastern Murray State University Kentucky Louisville UTC NKU University of Southern Indiana WVU Marshall University Middle Tennessee State University Austin Peay State University KSU| Western Kentucky University | University of Charleston | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
WKU | University of Charleston | ||
| Location | Bowling Green, KY | Charleston, WV | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 16,493 | 3,059 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #875 | #691 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wku.edu | ucwv.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WKU | University of Charleston | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,112 | $31,400 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $27,000 | $31,400 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,072 | $10,200 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $12,625 | $21,308 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,260 | $22,422 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 100% |
Admission |
WKU | University of Charleston | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,505 | 1,571 | ||
| Admitted | 7,276 | 1,064 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 96.9% | 67.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 37.9% | 25% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.13 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 18/25 | 19/23 | ||
| SAT Range | 980/1170 | 985/1160 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Aug 1, 2025 |
Academics |
WKU | University of Charleston | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 16:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
WKU | University of Charleston | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 51% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,100 | $45,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 47% | 58% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,250 | $20,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $250 | $211 |
Diversity |
WKU | University of Charleston | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 37% | 60% | ||
| % Women | 63% | 40% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 58% | ||
| % Black | 10% | 9% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 0% | ||
| % International | 6% | 7% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 22% |
Students |
WKU | University of Charleston | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 70% | 57% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 29% | 30% | ||
Campus |
WKU | University of Charleston | ||
| 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 University of Charleston based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 3,059 students)
WKU vs. University of Charleston Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WKU or University of Charleston?
- University of Charleston is 182.6% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($31,400.00 vs. $11,112.00)
- Out of state tuition is 16.3% higher at University of Charleston than Western Kentucky University ($31,400.00 vs. $27,000.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than University of Charleston ($12,625 vs. $21,308)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Charleston are 8.5% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($10,200 vs. $11,072)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Charleston than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Charleston students is 118.5% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($22,422 vs. $10,260)
WKU vs. University of Charleston Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, WKU or University of Charleston? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between University of Charleston or WKU .
- The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 53 points higher than at University of Charleston (994)
- Incoming WKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at University of Charleston (22)
- Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at University of Charleston (3.13)
- WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than University of Charleston (67.7%)
WKU vs. University of Charleston Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, WKU or University of Charleston? 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 University of Charleston and WKU.
- The graduation rate at University of Charleston is higher than Western Kentucky University (51% vs. 50%)
- Graduates from University of Charleston earn on average $8,100 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($45,200 vs. $37,100)
- University of Charleston students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $24,250)
- University of Charleston graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($211 vs. $250)
- More University of Charleston graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 47%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/