WKU vs. Memphis

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

WKU Memphis
Location Bowling Green, KY Memphis, TN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 16,493 21,917
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #875 #883
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu memphis.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU Memphis
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $8,352
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $12,576
Room & Board $11,072 $10,126
Avg Net Price $12,625 $13,873
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $9,625
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 98%

Admission

WKU Memphis
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 15,767
Admitted 7,276 14,916
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 94.6%
Enrolled % 37.9% 16.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 17/24
SAT Range 980/1170 930/1230
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 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

WKU Memphis
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)

Outcomes

WKU Memphis
Graduation Rate 50% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 37%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $25,250
Median Loan Payment $250 $261

Diversity

WKU Memphis
% Men 37% 40%
% Women 63% 60%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 50%
% Black 10% 37%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

WKU Memphis
% In-State 70% 81%
% Out-of-State 29% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Memphis is larger than than WKU based on total student enrollment (21,917 students vs. 16,493 students)

WKU vs. Memphis Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or Memphis?

  • Western Kentucky University is 33% more expensive to attend than Memphis for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $8,352.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 114.7% higher at WKU than University of Memphis ($27,000.00 vs. $12,576.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Memphis ($12,625 vs. $13,873)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Memphis are 9.3% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($10,126 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than University of Memphis (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 6.6% larger than aid received University of Memphis ($10,260 vs. $9,625)

WKU vs. Memphis Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 18 points higher than at Memphis (1029)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Memphis (22)
  • Accepted freshman Memphis students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at WKU (3.42)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Memphis (94.6%)

WKU vs. Memphis Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than University of Memphis (50% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from University of Memphis earn on average $5,100 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $37,100)
  • Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Memphis graduates. ($24,250 vs. $25,250)
  • WKU graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Memphis graduates. ($250 vs. $261)
  • More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Memphis students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 37%)

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