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Alabama Mississippi State Eastern Tennessee Murray State University Arkansas Kentucky Auburn Louisville LSU Memphis UTC| Western Kentucky University | University of Mississippi | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
WKU | Ole Miss | ||
| Location | Bowling Green, KY | University, MS | ||
| Setting | Small City | Remote Town | ||
| Enrollment | 16,759 | 24,043 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #968 | #352 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wku.edu | olemiss.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WKU | Ole Miss | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,436 | $9,252 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $27,000 | $26,820 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,043 | $12,040 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $12,054 | $14,946 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,906 | $13,070 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 78% |
Admission |
WKU | Ole Miss | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,720 | 27,837 | ||
| Admitted | 7,492 | 27,218 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 97% | 97.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 37.7% | 19.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.6 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 16/20 | 21/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 820/1010 | 1020/1210 | ||
| 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, 2026 |
Academics |
WKU | Ole Miss | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
WKU | Ole Miss | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 60% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,100 | $52,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 47% | 60% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,250 | $20,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $250 | $206 |
Diversity |
WKU | Ole Miss | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 8% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 13% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 78% | ||
| % Black | 10% | 14% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 2% | ||
| % International | 6% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 0% |
Students |
WKU | Ole Miss | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 70% | 30% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 29% | 69% | ||
Campus |
WKU | Ole Miss | ||
| 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
- University of Mississippi is larger than than WKU based on total student enrollment (24,043 students vs. 16,759 students)
WKU vs. Ole Miss Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WKU or Ole Miss?
- Western Kentucky University is 23.6% more expensive to attend than Ole Miss for in-state tuition ($11,436.00 vs. $9,252.00)
- Out of state tuition is 0.7% higher at WKU than University of Mississippi ($27,000.00 vs. $26,820.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Ole Miss ($12,054 vs. $14,946)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Mississippi are 0% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($12,040 vs. $12,043)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than University of Mississippi (99% vs. 78%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Mississippi students is 19.8% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($13,070 vs. $10,906)
WKU vs. Ole Miss Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, WKU or Ole Miss? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Ole Miss or WKU .
- The average SAT score at University of Mississippi (1118) is 71 points higher than at WKU (1047)
- Incoming Ole Miss students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WKU (23)
- Accepted freshman Ole Miss students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at WKU (3.42)
- Ole Miss has a higher acceptance rate (97.8%) than WKU (97%)
WKU vs. Ole Miss Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, WKU or Ole Miss? 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 Ole Miss and WKU.
- The graduation rate at Ole Miss is higher than Western Kentucky University (60% vs. 50%)
- Graduates from University of Mississippi earn on average $15,600 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($52,700 vs. $37,100)
- University of Mississippi students graduate with a $4,250 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($20,000 vs. $24,250)
- Ole Miss graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($206 vs. $250)
- More Ole Miss graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 47%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/