WKU vs. FGCU

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

 WKU FGCU
Location Bowling Green, KY Fort Myers, FL
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 16,493 15,969
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #875 #802
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu fgcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WKU FGCU
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $4,191
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $22,328
Room & Board $11,072 $9,772
Avg Net Price $12,625 $10,834
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $7,268
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 72%

Admission

 WKU FGCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 15,657
Admitted 7,276 11,647
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 74.4%
Enrolled % 37.9% 24.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 4.0
Typical High School Grades B+ A/A+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/25 20/25
SAT Range 980/1170 1040/1200
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2024 Nov 1, 2023

Academics

 WKU FGCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 WKU FGCU
Graduation Rate 50% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $45,200
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $250 $201

Diversity

 WKU FGCU
% Men 37% 42%
% Women 63% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 66%
% Black 10% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 WKU FGCU
% In-State 70% 75%
% Out-of-State 29% 22%

Campus

 WKU FGCU
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 FGCU based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 15,969 students)

WKU vs. FGCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or FGCU?

  • Western Kentucky University is 165.1% more expensive to attend than FGCU for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $4,191.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.9% higher at WKU than Florida Gulf Coast University ($27,000.00 vs. $22,328.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Gulf Coast University than WKU ($10,834 vs. $12,625)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida Gulf Coast University are 13.3% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($9,772 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Florida Gulf Coast University (99% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 41.2% larger than aid received Florida Gulf Coast University ($10,260 vs. $7,268)

WKU vs. FGCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida Gulf Coast University (1081) is 34 points higher than at WKU (1047)
  • Incoming FGCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman FGCU students have a 0.58 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at WKU (3.42)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than FGCU (74.4%)

WKU vs. FGCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than Florida Gulf Coast University (50% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Florida Gulf Coast University earn on average $8,100 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($45,200 vs. $37,100)
  • Florida Gulf Coast University students graduate with a $4,750 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $24,250)
  • FGCU graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($201 vs. $250)
  • More FGCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 47%)

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