WKU vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate

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

WKU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Location Bowling Green, KY Spartanburg, SC
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 16,493 4,913
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #875 #823
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu uscupstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $11,208
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $22,170
Room & Board $11,072 $9,520
Avg Net Price $12,625 $13,835
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $12,038
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

WKU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 3,090
Admitted 7,276 2,428
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 78.6%
Enrolled % 37.9% 28.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 2.53
Typical High School Grades B+ C+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 20/25
SAT Range 980/1170 950/1150
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 University of South Carolina-Upstate
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

WKU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Graduation Rate 50% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $39,300
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $250 $232

Diversity

WKU University of South Carolina-Upstate
% Men 37% 32%
% Women 63% 68%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 56%
% Black 10% 29%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

WKU University of South Carolina-Upstate
% In-State 70% 92%
% Out-of-State 29% 6%

Campus

WKU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than University of South Carolina-Upstate based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 4,913 students)

WKU vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or University of South Carolina-Upstate?

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is 0.9% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($11,208.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.8% higher at WKU than University of South Carolina Upstate ($27,000.00 vs. $22,170.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than University of South Carolina-Upstate ($12,625 vs. $13,835)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Upstate are 16.3% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($9,520 vs. $11,072)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University as University of South Carolina Upstate (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Upstate students is 17.3% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($12,038 vs. $10,260)

WKU vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 97 points higher than at University of South Carolina-Upstate (950)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (20)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.89 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (2.53)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than University of South Carolina-Upstate (78.6%)

WKU vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WKU or University of South Carolina-Upstate? 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 South Carolina-Upstate and WKU.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than University of South Carolina Upstate (50% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Upstate earn on average $2,200 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($39,300 vs. $37,100)
  • University of South Carolina Upstate students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $24,250)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($232 vs. $250)
  • More University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 47%)

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