KWC vs. GWU

Deciding between Kentucky Wesleyan College and Gardner Webb University? 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.

Kentucky Wesleyan College
Gardner Webb University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • KWC Owensboro, KY
  • GWU Boiling Springs, NC
  • Setting
  • KWC Small City
  • GWU Rural Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • KWC 887
  • GWU 3,104
  • Type
  • KWC Private 4 Year
  • GWU Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • KWC
  • GWU #691
  • Religious Affiliation
  • KWC United Methodist
  • GWU Southern Baptist
  • Status
  • KWC Non-profit
  • GWU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • KWC
  • GWU

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • KWC $34,673
  • GWU $34,760
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • KWC $34,673
  • GWU $34,760
  • Room & Board
  • KWC $11,855
  • GWU $11,410
  • Average Net Price
  • KWC $20,999
  • GWU $20,016
  • Average Grant Aid
  • KWC $25,538
  • GWU $27,088
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • KWC 100%
  • GWU 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • KWC 2,113
  • GWU 5,212
  • Admitted
  • KWC 1,513
  • GWU 4,024
  • Acceptance Rate
  • KWC 71.6%
  • GWU 77.2%
  • Enrolled
  • KWC 17.7%
  • GWU 11.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • KWC 1010
  • GWU 1090
  • Typical ACT score
  • KWC 19
  • GWU 22
  • Average High School GPA
  • KWC 3.3
  • GWU 3.74
  • Typical High School Grades
  • KWC B+
  • GWU A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • KWC Extremely Easy
  • GWU Easy
  • Applicant Competition
  • KWC Low
  • GWU
  • ACT Range
  • KWC 16/23
  • GWU 19/25
  • SAT Range
  • KWC 890/1130
  • GWU 975/1198
  • Submit Test Scores
  • KWC Test optional
  • GWU Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • KWC
  • GWU

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • KWC 15:1
  • GWU 12:1
  • Popular Majors
  • KWC
    • Education (18%)
    • Business (18%)
    • Biology (13%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
    • Psychology (8%)
  • GWU
    • Business (30%)
    • Social Sciences (23%)
    • Health Professions (18%)
    • Education (5%)
    • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (4%)

  • Outcomes

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

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • KWC 50%
  • GWU 33%
  • % Women
  • KWC 50%
  • GWU 67%
  • Racial Diversity
  • KWC Low
  • GWU Low
  • HBCU
  • KWC No
  • GWU No
  • % White
  • KWC 73%
  • GWU 67%
  • % Asian
  • KWC 0%
  • GWU 1%
  • % Black
  • KWC 15%
  • GWU 17%
  • % Hispanic
  • KWC 1%
  • GWU 3%
  • % Native American
  • KWC 0%
  • GWU 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • KWC 0%
  • GWU 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • KWC 0%
  • GWU 0%
  • % International
  • KWC 0%
  • GWU 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • KWC 9%
  • GWU 10%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • KWC 56%
  • GWU 59%
  • % Out-of-State
  • KWC 38%
  • GWU 37%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, KY with Gardner Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Gardner Webb University is larger than KWC based on total student enrollment (3,104 students vs. 887 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is located in Owensboro, KY (Small City setting); Gardner Webb University is in Boiling Springs, NC (Rural Fringe setting).
  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Gardner Webb University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Kentucky Wesleyan College 15:1; Gardner Webb University 12:1.

KWC vs. GWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KWC or GWU? 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 Gardner Webb University than KWC ($20,016 vs. $20,999).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gardner Webb University are 3.8% lower than at Kentucky Wesleyan College ($11,410 vs. $11,855).
  • Gardner Webb University is 0.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than KWC (about $87 more per year; $34,760.00 vs. $34,673.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 0.3% higher at GWU than at Kentucky Wesleyan College (about $87 more per year; $34,760.00 vs. $34,673.00).
  • The same share of students receive grant aid at Kentucky Wesleyan College as at Gardner Webb University (100% vs. 100%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gardner Webb University students is 6.1% larger than aid received by Kentucky Wesleyan College students ($27,088 vs. $25,538).

KWC vs. GWU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, KWC or GWU? 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 GWU and KWC.

  • The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Gardner Webb University (1090) is 80 points higher than at KWC (1010).
  • Incoming GWU 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: Kentucky Wesleyan College 890/1130; Gardner Webb University 975/1198.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Kentucky Wesleyan College 16/23; Gardner Webb University 19/25.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: KWC - Test optional; GWU - Test optional.
  • Enrolled 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 (77.2%) than KWC (71.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.7% at KWC vs. 11.2% at GWU.

KWC vs. GWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for KWC and GWU? 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.

  • Gardner Webb University's six-year graduation rate (55%) is higher than Kentucky Wesleyan College's (44%).
  • Graduates from Gardner Webb University earn a median of about $2,000 more per year than KWC graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,500 vs. $38,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Kentucky Wesleyan College graduates have a $2,062 lower median loan debt than GWU graduates ($22,907 vs. $24,969).
  • Among borrowers, KWC graduates have an estimated $22 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.