Spalding vs. WKU

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

Spalding WKU
Location Louisville, KY Bowling Green, KY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 1,532 16,493
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #718 #875
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website spalding.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Spalding WKU
Tuition (In State) $26,900 $11,112
Tuition (Out of State) $26,900 $27,000
Room & Board $8,300 $11,072
Avg Net Price $26,539 $12,625
Avg Grant Aid $16,307 $10,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

Spalding WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 720 7,505
Admitted 703 7,276
Acceptance Rate 97.6% 96.9%
Enrolled % 18.8% 37.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.42
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/22 18/25
SAT Range 858/1105 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 1, 2024

Academics

Spalding WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (41%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Spalding WKU
Graduation Rate 42% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,300 $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $258 $250

Diversity

Spalding WKU
% Men 29% 37%
% Women 71% 63%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 76%
% Black 20% 10%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Spalding WKU
% In-State 51% 70%
% Out-of-State 40% 29%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than Spalding based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 1,532 students)

Spalding vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Spalding or WKU?

  • Spalding University is 142.1% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($26,900.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.4% higher at WKU than Spalding University ($27,000.00 vs. $26,900.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Spalding ($12,625 vs. $26,539)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Spalding University are 33.4% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($8,300 vs. $11,072)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Spalding University as Western Kentucky University (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Spalding University students is 58.9% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($16,307 vs. $10,260)

Spalding vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 77 points higher than at Spalding (970)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Spalding (21)
  • Accepted freshman Spalding students have a 0.45 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at WKU (3.42)
  • Spalding has a higher acceptance rate (97.6%) than WKU (96.9%)

Spalding vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Spalding 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 Spalding.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Spalding University (50% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from Spalding University earn on average $8,200 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($45,300 vs. $37,100)
  • Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than Spalding graduates. ($24,250 vs. $25,000)
  • WKU graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Spalding graduates. ($250 vs. $258)
  • More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Spalding students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 44%)

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