Blackburn College vs. WKU

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

Blackburn College WKU
Location Carlinville, IL Bowling Green, KY
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 382 16,493
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #875
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blackburn.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Blackburn College WKU
Tuition (In State) $26,055 $11,112
Tuition (Out of State) $26,055 $27,000
Room & Board $9,020 $11,072
Avg Net Price $21,575 $12,625
Avg Grant Aid $14,112 $10,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Blackburn College WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 783 7,505
Admitted 504 7,276
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 96.9%
Enrolled % 21% 37.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.42
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/24 18/25
SAT Range 888/1125 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

Blackburn College WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Blackburn College WKU
Graduation Rate 48% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,400 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $268 $250

Diversity

Blackburn College WKU
% Men 44% 37%
% Women 56% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 76%
% Black 13% 10%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Blackburn College WKU
% In-State 70% 70%
% Out-of-State 30% 29%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than Blackburn College based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 382 students)

Blackburn College vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Blackburn College or WKU?

  • Blackburn College is 134.5% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($26,055.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.6% higher at WKU than Blackburn College ($27,000.00 vs. $26,055.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Blackburn College ($12,625 vs. $21,575)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Blackburn College are 22.7% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($9,020 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Blackburn College than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Blackburn College students is 37.5% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($14,112 vs. $10,260)

Blackburn College vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 42 points higher than at Blackburn College (1005)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Blackburn College (22)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Blackburn College (3.23)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Blackburn College (64.4%)

Blackburn College vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Blackburn College 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 Blackburn College.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Blackburn College (50% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Blackburn College earn on average $3,300 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($40,400 vs. $37,100)
  • Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Blackburn College graduates. ($24,250 vs. $26,000)
  • WKU graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Blackburn College graduates. ($250 vs. $268)
  • More Blackburn College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 47%)

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