Shorter vs. WKU

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

Shorter WKU
Location Rome, GA Bowling Green, KY
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 1,515 16,493
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #872 #875
Religious Affiliation Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website shorter.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Shorter WKU
Tuition (In State) $22,380 $11,112
Tuition (Out of State) $22,380 $27,000
Room & Board $9,400 $11,072
Avg Net Price $13,490 $12,625
Avg Grant Aid $20,057 $10,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Shorter WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 871 7,505
Admitted 849 7,276
Acceptance Rate 97.5% 96.9%
Enrolled % 31.4% 37.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.42
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/25 18/25
SAT Range 960/1290 980/1170
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 25, 2024 Aug 1, 2024

Academics

Shorter WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Shorter WKU
Graduation Rate 47% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,300 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,418 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $293 $250

Diversity

Shorter WKU
% Men 44% 37%
% Women 56% 63%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 76%
% Black 24% 10%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 4% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Shorter WKU
% In-State 84% 70%
% Out-of-State 15% 29%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than Shorter based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 1,515 students)

Shorter vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Shorter or WKU?

  • Shorter University is 101.4% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($22,380.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.6% higher at WKU than Shorter University ($27,000.00 vs. $22,380.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Shorter ($12,625 vs. $13,490)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shorter University are 17.8% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($9,400 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shorter University than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shorter University students is 95.5% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($20,057 vs. $10,260)

Shorter vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 78 points higher than at Shorter (969)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Shorter (21)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Shorter (3.25)
  • Shorter has a higher acceptance rate (97.5%) than WKU (96.9%)

Shorter vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Shorter or WKU? 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 WKU and Shorter.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Shorter University (50% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Shorter University earn on average $12,200 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($49,300 vs. $37,100)
  • Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $4,168 lower median federal student loan debt than Shorter graduates. ($24,250 vs. $28,418)
  • WKU graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than Shorter graduates. ($250 vs. $293)
  • More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shorter students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 38%)

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