BSU vs. WKU

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

 BSU WKU
Location Muncie, IN Bowling Green, KY
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 19,777 16,493
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #875
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU WKU
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $11,112
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $27,000
Room & Board $10,904 $11,072
Avg Net Price $12,615 $12,625
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $10,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 99%

Admission

 BSU WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 7,505
Admitted 15,761 7,276
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 96.9%
Enrolled % 22.1% 37.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 18/25
SAT Range 1090/1260 980/1170
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, 2024

Academics

 BSU WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

 BSU WKU
Graduation Rate 55% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $258 $250

Diversity

 BSU WKU
% Men 35% 37%
% Women 65% 63%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 76%
% Black 8% 10%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 BSU WKU
% In-State 90% 70%
% Out-of-State 9% 29%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than WKU based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 16,493 students)

BSU vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or WKU?

  • Western Kentucky University is 31.8% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.2% higher at WKU than Ball State University ($27,000.00 vs. $25,918.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than WKU ($12,615 vs. $12,625)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 1.5% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($10,904 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Ball State University (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 11.3% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($11,418 vs. $10,260)

BSU vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 23 points higher than at WKU (1047)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at WKU (3.42)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at BSU is higher than Western Kentucky University (55% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Ball State University earn on average $5,400 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $37,100)
  • Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($24,250 vs. $25,000)
  • WKU graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($250 vs. $258)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 47%)

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