WKU vs. Ole Miss

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

WKU Ole Miss
Location Bowling Green, KY University, MS
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 16,493 22,300
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #875 #329
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu olemiss.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU Ole Miss
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $9,072
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $26,292
Room & Board $11,072 $11,490
Avg Net Price $12,625 $14,289
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $13,720
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 77%

Admission

WKU Ole Miss
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 22,311
Admitted 7,276 21,727
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 97.4%
Enrolled % 37.9% 20.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 22/29
SAT Range 980/1170 1030/1220
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

Academics

WKU Ole Miss
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (28%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

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 37% 42%
% Women 63% 58%
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% 35%
% Out-of-State 29% 63%

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 (22,300 students vs. 16,493 students)

WKU vs. Ole Miss Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or Ole Miss?

  • Western Kentucky University is 22.5% more expensive to attend than Ole Miss for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $9,072.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.7% higher at WKU than University of Mississippi ($27,000.00 vs. $26,292.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Ole Miss ($12,625 vs. $14,289)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 3.8% lower than costs at University of Mississippi ($11,072 vs. $11,490)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than University of Mississippi (99% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Mississippi students is 33.7% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($13,720 vs. $10,260)

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 (97.4%) than WKU (96.9%)

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/