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Sacramento State San Francisco State Eastern Murray State University Humboldt State University San Jose State UC Merced Cal State Fullerton Sonoma State University California State University-Fresno Kentucky Cal State East Bay| California State University Chico | Western Kentucky University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
CSU | WKU | ||
| Location | Chico, CA | Bowling Green, KY | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 14,183 | 16,493 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #659 | #875 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | csuchico.edu | wku.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CSU | WKU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,112 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $27,000 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,212 | $11,072 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,517 | $12,625 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,162 | $10,260 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 62% | 99% |
Admission |
CSU | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 21,417 | 7,505 | ||
| Admitted | 20,347 | 7,276 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 95% | 96.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 9.9% | 37.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.37 | 3.42 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 18/24 | 18/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 970/1170 | 980/1170 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Dec 15, 2023 | Aug 1, 2024 |
Academics |
CSU | WKU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
CSU | WKU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 59% | 50% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $52,400 | $37,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 70% | 47% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,000 | $24,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $175 | $250 |
Diversity |
CSU | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 45% | 37% | ||
| % Women | 55% | 63% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 46% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 29% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 3% | ||
| % International | 3% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 7% | 1% |
Students |
CSU | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 97% | 70% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 2% | 29% | ||
Campus |
CSU | WKU | ||
| 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 CSU based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 14,183 students)
CSU vs. WKU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CSU or WKU?
- Western Kentucky University is 93.5% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 53.2% higher at WKU than California State University Chico ($27,000.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than CSU ($12,625 vs. $15,517)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 37.4% lower than costs at California State University Chico ($11,072 vs. $15,212)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than California State University Chico (99% vs. 62%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 12% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($10,260 vs. $9,162)
CSU vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CSU or WKU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WKU or CSU .
- The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 44 points higher than at CSU (1003)
- Incoming WKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at CSU (22)
- Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at CSU (3.37)
- WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than CSU (95%)
CSU vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CSU 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 CSU.
- The graduation rate at CSU is higher than Western Kentucky University (59% vs. 50%)
- Graduates from California State University Chico earn on average $15,300 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($52,400 vs. $37,100)
- California State University Chico students graduate with a $7,250 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($17,000 vs. $24,250)
- CSU graduates are paying $75 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($175 vs. $250)
- More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 47%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/