KWC vs. GWU

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

KWC GWU
Location Owensboro, KY Boiling Springs, NC
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 813 3,144
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #639
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Southern Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kwc.edu gardner-webb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

KWC GWU
Tuition (In State) $30,040 $31,220
Tuition (Out of State) $30,040 $31,220
Room & Board $11,175 $10,770
Avg Net Price $20,735 $22,339
Avg Grant Aid $20,036 $24,130
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

KWC GWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,434 5,728
Admitted 983 4,293
Acceptance Rate 68.5% 74.9%
Enrolled % 22.4% 9.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.74
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/23 20/25
SAT Range 980/1210 1020/1210
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

Academics

KWC GWU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (4%)

Outcomes

KWC GWU
Graduation Rate 44% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,500 $40,500
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,907 $24,969
Median Loan Payment $236 $258

Diversity

KWC GWU
% Men 51% 32%
% Women 49% 68%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 73% 67%
% Black 15% 17%
% Hispanic 1% 3%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 0%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 9% 10%

Students

KWC GWU
% In-State 67% 54%
% Out-of-State 32% 41%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Gardner Webb University is larger than than KWC based on total student enrollment (3,144 students vs. 813 students)

KWC vs. GWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KWC or GWU?

  • Gardner Webb University is 3.9% more expensive to attend than KWC for in-state tuition ($31,220.00 vs. $30,040.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.9% higher at GWU than Kentucky Wesleyan College ($31,220.00 vs. $30,040.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kentucky Wesleyan College than GWU ($20,735 vs. $22,339)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gardner Webb University are 3.8% lower than costs at Kentucky Wesleyan College ($10,770 vs. $11,175)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Kentucky Wesleyan College as Gardner Webb University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gardner Webb University students is 20.4% larger than aid received Kentucky Wesleyan College ($24,130 vs. $20,036)

KWC vs. GWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Kentucky Wesleyan College (1048) is 71 points higher than at GWU (977)
  • Incoming KWC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at GWU (21)
  • Accepted freshman GWU students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at KWC (3.3)
  • GWU has a higher acceptance rate (74.9%) than KWC (68.5%)

KWC vs. GWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at GWU is higher than Kentucky Wesleyan College (55% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Gardner Webb University earn on average $2,000 more per year than KWC graduates after ten years. ($40,500 vs. $38,500)
  • Kentucky Wesleyan College students graduate with a $2,062 lower median federal student loan debt than GWU graduates. ($22,907 vs. $24,969)
  • KWC graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than GWU graduates. ($236 vs. $258)
  • More KWC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GWU students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 52%)

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