Eastern vs. KWC

Deciding between Eastern Kentucky University and Kentucky Wesleyan College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Eastern Kentucky University
Kentucky Wesleyan College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Eastern Richmond, KY
  • KWC Owensboro, KY
  • Setting
  • Eastern Distant Town
  • KWC Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Eastern 15,673
  • KWC 887
  • Type
  • Eastern Public 4 Year
  • KWC Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Eastern #886
  • KWC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Eastern -
  • KWC United Methodist
  • Status
  • Eastern Non-profit
  • KWC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Eastern
  • KWC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Eastern $10,320
  • KWC $34,673
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Eastern $21,230
  • KWC $34,673
  • Room & Board
  • Eastern $12,268
  • KWC $11,855
  • Average Net Price
  • Eastern $12,279
  • KWC $20,999
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Eastern $11,468
  • KWC $25,538
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Eastern 98%
  • KWC 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Eastern 17,024
  • KWC 2,113
  • Admitted
  • Eastern 13,212
  • KWC 1,513
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Eastern 77.6%
  • KWC 71.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Eastern 19.9%
  • KWC 17.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Eastern 980
  • KWC 1010
  • Typical ACT score
  • Eastern 22
  • KWC 19
  • Average High School GPA
  • Eastern 3.39
  • KWC 3.3
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Eastern B+
  • KWC B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Eastern Very Easy
  • KWC Extremely Easy
  • Applicant Competition
  • Eastern
  • KWC Low
  • ACT Range
  • Eastern 19/25
  • KWC 16/23
  • SAT Range
  • Eastern 880/1080
  • KWC 890/1130
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Eastern Test optional
  • KWC Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Eastern Aug 1, 2027
  • KWC

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Eastern 17:1
  • KWC 15:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Eastern
    • Health Professions (16%)
    • Education (16%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
    • Business (9%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • KWC
    • Education (18%)
    • Business (18%)
    • Biology (13%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
    • Psychology (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Eastern 38%
  • KWC 44%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Eastern $37,900
  • KWC $38,500
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Eastern 49%
  • KWC 54%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Eastern $23,695
  • KWC $22,907
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Eastern $245
  • KWC $236

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Eastern 39%
  • KWC 50%
  • % Women
  • Eastern 61%
  • KWC 50%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Eastern Very Low
  • KWC Low
  • HBCU
  • Eastern No
  • KWC No
  • % White
  • Eastern 85%
  • KWC 73%
  • % Asian
  • Eastern 1%
  • KWC 0%
  • % Black
  • Eastern 6%
  • KWC 15%
  • % Hispanic
  • Eastern 2%
  • KWC 1%
  • % Native American
  • Eastern 0%
  • KWC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Eastern 0%
  • KWC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Eastern 2%
  • KWC 0%
  • % International
  • Eastern 2%
  • KWC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Eastern 1%
  • KWC 9%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Eastern 91%
  • KWC 56%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Eastern 9%
  • KWC 38%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Eastern Yes
  • KWC Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Eastern No
  • KWC No
  • Meal Plan
  • Eastern Yes
  • KWC Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Eastern No
  • KWC No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Eastern No
  • KWC No

Comparable Facts

Compare Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, KY with Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, KY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Eastern Kentucky University is larger than KWC based on total student enrollment (15,673 students vs. 887 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Eastern Kentucky University is located in Richmond, KY (Distant Town setting); Kentucky Wesleyan College is in Owensboro, KY (Small City setting).
  • Eastern Kentucky University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Kentucky Wesleyan College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Eastern Kentucky University 17:1; Kentucky Wesleyan College 15:1.

Eastern vs. KWC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Eastern or KWC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than KWC ($12,279 vs. $20,999).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kentucky Wesleyan College are 3.4% lower than at Eastern Kentucky University ($11,855 vs. $12,268).
  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is 236% more expensive for in-state tuition than Eastern (about $24,353 more per year; $34,673.00 vs. $10,320.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 63.3% higher at KWC than at Eastern Kentucky University (about $13,443 more per year; $34,673.00 vs. $21,230.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Kentucky Wesleyan College than at Eastern Kentucky University (100% vs. 98%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kentucky Wesleyan College students is 122.7% larger than aid received by Eastern Kentucky University students ($25,538 vs. $11,468).

Eastern vs. KWC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Eastern or KWC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between KWC and Eastern.

  • The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Kentucky Wesleyan College (1010) is 30 points higher than at Eastern (980).
  • Incoming Eastern students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate) (22 vs. 19 at KWC).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Eastern Kentucky University 880/1080; Kentucky Wesleyan College 890/1130.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Eastern Kentucky University 19/25; Kentucky Wesleyan College 16/23.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Eastern - Test optional; KWC - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Eastern Aug 1, 2027.
  • Enrolled freshman Eastern students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at KWC (3.3).
  • Eastern has a higher acceptance rate (77.6%) than KWC (71.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.9% at Eastern vs. 17.7% at KWC.

Eastern vs. KWC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Eastern and KWC? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • Kentucky Wesleyan College's six-year graduation rate (44%) is higher than Eastern Kentucky University's (38%).
  • Graduates from Kentucky Wesleyan College earn a median of about $600 more per year than Eastern graduates about ten years after starting college ($38,500 vs. $37,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Kentucky Wesleyan College graduates have a $788 lower median loan debt than Eastern graduates ($22,907 vs. $23,695).
  • Among borrowers, KWC graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Eastern graduates ($236 vs. $245).
  • More KWC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Eastern students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 49%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.