Eastern vs. WMU

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

Eastern WMU
Location Richmond, KY Kalamazoo, MI
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 15,008 16,693
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #873 #631
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eku.edu wmich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Eastern WMU
Tuition (In State) $9,830 $15,198
Tuition (Out of State) $20,520 $18,998
Room & Board $11,735 $11,713
Avg Net Price $10,852 $20,183
Avg Grant Aid $11,460 $8,217
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 91%

Admission

Eastern WMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,082 20,100
Admitted 13,340 17,020
Acceptance Rate 78.1% 84.7%
Enrolled % 20.9% 14.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 20/27
SAT Range 930/1190 990/1220
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

Eastern WMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)

Outcomes

Eastern WMU
Graduation Rate 38% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,900 $48,900
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,695 $26,633
Median Loan Payment $245 $275

Diversity

Eastern WMU
% Men 4% 8%
% Women 11% 14%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 85% 72%
% Black 6% 12%
% Hispanic 2% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Eastern WMU
% In-State 92% 78%
% Out-of-State 8% 21%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Michigan University is larger than than Eastern based on total student enrollment (16,693 students vs. 15,008 students)

Eastern vs. WMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Eastern or WMU?

  • Western Michigan University is 54.6% more expensive to attend than Eastern for in-state tuition ($15,198.00 vs. $9,830.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8% higher at Eastern than Western Michigan University ($20,520.00 vs. $18,998.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than WMU ($10,852 vs. $20,183)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Michigan University are 0.2% lower than costs at Eastern Kentucky University ($11,713 vs. $11,735)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Kentucky University than Western Michigan University (98% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Kentucky University students is 39.5% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($11,460 vs. $8,217)

Eastern vs. WMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Michigan University (1030) is 2 points higher than at Eastern (1028)
  • Incoming Eastern students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at WMU (22)
  • Accepted freshman WMU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Eastern (3.39)
  • WMU has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than Eastern (78.1%)

Eastern vs. WMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Eastern or WMU? 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 WMU and Eastern.

  • The graduation rate at WMU is higher than Eastern Kentucky University (56% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Western Michigan University earn on average $11,000 more per year than Eastern graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $37,900)
  • Eastern Kentucky University students graduate with a $2,938 lower median federal student loan debt than WMU graduates. ($23,695 vs. $26,633)
  • Eastern graduates are paying $30 less per month on federal student loans than WMU graduates. ($245 vs. $275)
  • More WMU 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/