Kentucky vs. Elon

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

Kentucky Elon
Location Lexington, KY Elon, NC
Setting Large City Small Suburban
Enrollment 32,703 7,207
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #421 #134
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uky.edu elon.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Kentucky Elon
Tuition (In State) $11,849 $44,029
Tuition (Out of State) $32,043 $44,029
Room & Board $15,242 $14,478
Avg Net Price $19,838 $41,849
Avg Grant Aid $13,024 $17,523
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 69%

Admission

Kentucky Elon
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,233 18,791
Admitted 26,083 12,649
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 67.3%
Enrolled % 24.7% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 23/28
SAT Range 1080/1290 1143/1305
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 Feb 15, 2025 Jan 10, 2025

Academics

Kentucky Elon
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Kentucky Elon
Graduation Rate 59% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,750 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $235 $240

Diversity

Kentucky Elon
% Men 9% 4%
% Women 17% 7%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 82%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Kentucky Elon
% In-State 58% 18%
% Out-of-State 40% 80%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Kentucky is larger than than Elon based on total student enrollment (32,703 students vs. 7,207 students)

Kentucky vs. Elon Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kentucky or Elon?

  • Elon University is 271.6% more expensive to attend than Kentucky for in-state tuition ($44,029.00 vs. $11,849.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 37.4% higher at Elon than University of Kentucky ($44,029.00 vs. $32,043.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kentucky than Elon ($19,838 vs. $41,849)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elon University are 5.3% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($14,478 vs. $15,242)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kentucky than Elon University (96% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Elon University students is 34.5% larger than aid received University of Kentucky ($17,523 vs. $13,024)

Kentucky vs. Elon Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Elon University (1211) is 68 points higher than at Kentucky (1143)
  • Incoming Elon students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Kentucky (25)
  • Accepted freshman Elon students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Kentucky (3.59)
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than Elon (67.3%)

Kentucky vs. Elon Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kentucky or Elon? 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 Elon and Kentucky.

  • The graduation rate at Elon is higher than University of Kentucky (82% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Elon University earn on average $5,200 more per year than Kentucky graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $51,000)
  • University of Kentucky students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than Elon graduates. ($22,750 vs. $23,250)
  • Kentucky graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Elon graduates. ($235 vs. $240)
  • More Elon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kentucky students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 62%)

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