KWC vs. WVSU

Deciding between Kentucky Wesleyan College and West Virginia State 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
West Virginia State University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • KWC Owensboro, KY
  • WVSU Institute, WV
  • Setting
  • KWC Small City
  • WVSU Midsize Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • KWC 887
  • WVSU 3,246
  • Type
  • KWC Private 4 Year
  • WVSU Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • KWC
  • WVSU #1010
  • Religious Affiliation
  • KWC United Methodist
  • WVSU -
  • Status
  • KWC Non-profit
  • WVSU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • KWC
  • WVSU

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • KWC $34,673
  • WVSU $9,570
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • KWC $34,673
  • WVSU $14,990
  • Room & Board
  • KWC $11,855
  • WVSU $13,522
  • Average Net Price
  • KWC $20,999
  • WVSU $11,055
  • Average Grant Aid
  • KWC $25,538
  • WVSU $8,993
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • KWC 100%
  • WVSU 88%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • KWC 2,113
  • WVSU 6,163
  • Admitted
  • KWC 1,513
  • WVSU 5,914
  • Acceptance Rate
  • KWC 71.6%
  • WVSU 96%
  • Enrolled
  • KWC 17.7%
  • WVSU 5.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • KWC 1010
  • WVSU 900
  • Typical ACT score
  • KWC 19
  • WVSU 17
  • Average High School GPA
  • KWC 3.3
  • WVSU 3.24
  • Typical High School Grades
  • KWC B+
  • WVSU B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • KWC Extremely Easy
  • WVSU Extremely Easy
  • Applicant Competition
  • KWC Low
  • WVSU
  • ACT Range
  • KWC 16/23
  • WVSU 15/20
  • SAT Range
  • KWC 890/1130
  • WVSU 760/1040
  • Submit Test Scores
  • KWC Test optional
  • WVSU Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • KWC
  • WVSU

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • KWC 15:1
  • WVSU 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • KWC
    • Education (18%)
    • Business (18%)
    • Biology (13%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
    • Psychology (8%)
  • WVSU
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (23%)
    • Business (17%)
    • Education (10%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Psychology (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • KWC 44%
  • WVSU 25%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • KWC $38,500
  • WVSU $32,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • KWC 54%
  • WVSU 35%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • KWC $22,907
  • WVSU $23,250
  • Median Loan Payment
  • KWC $236
  • WVSU $240

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • KWC 50%
  • WVSU 42%
  • % Women
  • KWC 50%
  • WVSU 58%
  • Racial Diversity
  • KWC Low
  • WVSU Medium
  • HBCU
  • KWC No
  • WVSU Yes
  • % White
  • KWC 73%
  • WVSU 65%
  • % Asian
  • KWC 0%
  • WVSU 0%
  • % Black
  • KWC 15%
  • WVSU 14%
  • % Hispanic
  • KWC 1%
  • WVSU 1%
  • % Native American
  • KWC 0%
  • WVSU 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • KWC 0%
  • WVSU 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • KWC 0%
  • WVSU 10%
  • % International
  • KWC 0%
  • WVSU 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • KWC 9%
  • WVSU 9%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • KWC 56%
  • WVSU 63%
  • % Out-of-State
  • KWC 38%
  • WVSU 32%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, KY with West Virginia State University in Institute, WV on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

West Virginia State University is larger than KWC based on total student enrollment (3,246 students vs. 887 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is located in Owensboro, KY (Small City setting); West Virginia State University is in Institute, WV (Midsize Suburban setting).
  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. West Virginia State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Kentucky Wesleyan College 15:1; West Virginia State University 13:1.

KWC vs. WVSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KWC or WVSU? 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 West Virginia State University than KWC ($11,055 vs. $20,999).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kentucky Wesleyan College are 12.3% lower than at West Virginia State University ($11,855 vs. $13,522).
  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is 262.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than WVSU (about $25,103 more per year; $34,673.00 vs. $9,570.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 131.3% higher at KWC than at West Virginia State University (about $19,683 more per year; $34,673.00 vs. $14,990.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Kentucky Wesleyan College than at West Virginia State University (100% vs. 88%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kentucky Wesleyan College students is 184% larger than aid received by West Virginia State University students ($25,538 vs. $8,993).

KWC vs. WVSU Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Kentucky Wesleyan College (1010) is 110 points higher than at WVSU (900).
  • Incoming KWC students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate) (19 vs. 17 at WVSU).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Kentucky Wesleyan College 890/1130; West Virginia State University 760/1040.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Kentucky Wesleyan College 16/23; West Virginia State University 15/20.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: KWC - Test optional; WVSU - Test optional.
  • Enrolled freshman KWC students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at WVSU (3.24).
  • WVSU has a higher acceptance rate (96%) than KWC (71.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.7% at KWC vs. 5.5% at WVSU.

KWC vs. WVSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for KWC and WVSU? 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 West Virginia State University's (25%).
  • Graduates from Kentucky Wesleyan College earn a median of about $5,800 more per year than WVSU graduates about ten years after starting college ($38,500 vs. $32,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Kentucky Wesleyan College graduates have a $343 lower median loan debt than WVSU graduates ($22,907 vs. $23,250).
  • Among borrowers, KWC graduates have an estimated $4 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than WVSU graduates ($236 vs. $240).
  • More KWC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WVSU students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 35%)

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.