Kentucky vs. WCU

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

 Kentucky WCU
Location Lexington, KY Cullowhee, NC
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 32,703 11,628
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #421 #742
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uky.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Kentucky WCU
Tuition (In State) $11,849 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $32,043 $5,000
Room & Board $15,242 $11,764
Avg Net Price $19,838 $12,252
Avg Grant Aid $13,024 $5,442
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 99%

Admission

 Kentucky WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,233 18,183
Admitted 26,083 15,758
Acceptance Rate 92.4% 86.7%
Enrolled % 24.7% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 20/26
SAT Range 1080/1290 1050/1260
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 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 Kentucky WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 Kentucky WCU
Graduation Rate 59% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,750 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $235 $227

Diversity

 Kentucky WCU
% Men 9% 4%
% Women 17% 10%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 79%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 Kentucky WCU
% In-State 58% 78%
% Out-of-State 40% 19%

Campus

 Kentucky WCU
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

  • University of Kentucky is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (32,703 students vs. 11,628 students)

Kentucky vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kentucky or WCU?

  • University of Kentucky is 1,084.9% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($11,849.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 540.9% higher at Kentucky than Western Carolina University ($32,043.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Kentucky ($12,252 vs. $19,838)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 29.6% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($11,764 vs. $15,242)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than University of Kentucky (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 139.3% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($13,024 vs. $5,442)

Kentucky vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Kentucky (1143) is 111 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming Kentucky students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Kentucky students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than WCU (86.7%)

Kentucky vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Kentucky is higher than Western Carolina University (59% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from University of Kentucky earn on average $11,900 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $740 lower median federal student loan debt than Kentucky graduates. ($22,010 vs. $22,750)
  • WCU graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Kentucky graduates. ($227 vs. $235)
  • More Kentucky graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 58%)

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