KWC vs. CU

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

KWC CU
Location Owensboro, KY Lebanon, TN
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 813 2,588
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kwc.edu cumberland.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

KWC CU
Tuition (In State) $30,040 $25,200
Tuition (Out of State) $30,040 $25,200
Room & Board $11,175 $8,990
Avg Net Price $20,735 $18,528
Avg Grant Aid $20,036 $22,145
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

KWC CU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,434 2,137
Admitted 983 1,415
Acceptance Rate 68.5% 66.2%
Enrolled % 22.4% 44.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 17/23
SAT Range 980/1210
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

KWC CU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Health Professions (46%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Biology (4%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (4%)

Outcomes

KWC CU
Graduation Rate 44% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,500 $39,900
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,907 $21,729
Median Loan Payment $236 $224

Diversity

KWC CU
% Men 51% 42%
% Women 49% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 73% 63%
% Black 15% 12%
% Hispanic 1% 3%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 0%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 9% 16%

Students

KWC CU
% In-State 67% 88%
% Out-of-State 32% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Cumberland University is larger than than KWC based on total student enrollment (2,588 students vs. 813 students)

KWC vs. CU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KWC or CU?

  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is 19.2% more expensive to attend than CU for in-state tuition ($30,040.00 vs. $25,200.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.2% higher at KWC than Cumberland University ($30,040.00 vs. $25,200.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cumberland University than KWC ($18,528 vs. $20,735)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cumberland University are 24.3% lower than costs at Kentucky Wesleyan College ($8,990 vs. $11,175)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Kentucky Wesleyan College as Cumberland University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cumberland University students is 10.5% larger than aid received Kentucky Wesleyan College ($22,145 vs. $20,036)

KWC vs. CU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Kentucky Wesleyan College (1048) is 59 points higher than at CU (989)
  • Incoming KWC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at CU (21)
  • Accepted freshman KWC students have at the same average high school GPA (3.3) as students at CU (3.3)
  • KWC has a higher acceptance rate (68.5%) than CU (66.2%)

KWC vs. CU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, KWC or CU? 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 CU and KWC.

  • The graduation rate at KWC is higher than Cumberland University (44% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Cumberland University earn on average $1,400 more per year than KWC graduates after ten years. ($39,900 vs. $38,500)
  • Cumberland University students graduate with a $1,178 lower median federal student loan debt than KWC graduates. ($21,729 vs. $22,907)
  • CU graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than KWC graduates. ($224 vs. $236)
  • More CU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KWC students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 54%)

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