WKU vs. Cleveland State

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

 WKU Cleveland State
Location Bowling Green, KY Cleveland, OH
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 16,493 14,385
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #875 #769
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu csuohio.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WKU Cleveland State
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $12,144
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $17,359
Room & Board $11,072 $14,197
Avg Net Price $12,625 $15,719
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $9,436
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 91%

Admission

 WKU Cleveland State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 11,570
Admitted 7,276 9,872
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 85.3%
Enrolled % 37.9% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 18/25
SAT Range 980/1170 880/1130
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 Aug 15, 2024

Academics

 WKU Cleveland State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 WKU Cleveland State
Graduation Rate 50% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $250 $222

Diversity

 WKU Cleveland State
% Men 37% 46%
% Women 63% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 64%
% Black 10% 17%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 WKU Cleveland State
% In-State 70% 85%
% Out-of-State 29% 7%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than Cleveland State based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 14,385 students)

WKU vs. Cleveland State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or Cleveland State?

  • Cleveland State University is 9.3% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($12,144.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 55.5% higher at WKU than Cleveland State University ($27,000.00 vs. $17,359.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Cleveland State ($12,625 vs. $15,719)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 28.2% lower than costs at Cleveland State University ($11,072 vs. $14,197)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Cleveland State University (99% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 8.7% larger than aid received Cleveland State University ($10,260 vs. $9,436)

WKU vs. Cleveland State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 19 points higher than at Cleveland State (1028)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Cleveland State (22)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Cleveland State (3.31)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Cleveland State (85.3%)

WKU vs. Cleveland State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WKU or Cleveland State? 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 Cleveland State and WKU.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Cleveland State University (50% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from Cleveland State University earn on average $7,100 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $37,100)
  • Cleveland State University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,250)
  • Cleveland State graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($222 vs. $250)
  • More Cleveland State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 47%)

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