WKU vs. Kent State

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

 WKU Kent State
Location Bowling Green, KY Kent, OH
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 16,493 25,854
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #875 #839
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu kent.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WKU Kent State
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $12,304
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $21,410
Room & Board $11,072 $12,676
Avg Net Price $12,625 $19,046
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $9,539
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 96%

Admission

 WKU Kent State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 20,369
Admitted 7,276 17,929
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 88%
Enrolled % 37.9% 23.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 18/25
SAT Range 980/1170 990/1220
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 1, 2024

Academics

 WKU Kent State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 WKU Kent State
Graduation Rate 50% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $40,300
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $25,825
Median Loan Payment $250 $267

Diversity

 WKU Kent State
% Men 37% 37%
% Women 63% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 75%
% Black 10% 9%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 WKU Kent State
% In-State 70% 80%
% Out-of-State 29% 18%

Campus

 WKU Kent 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

  • Kent State University at Kent is larger than than WKU based on total student enrollment (25,854 students vs. 16,493 students)

WKU vs. Kent State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or Kent State?

  • Kent State University at Kent is 10.7% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($12,304.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.1% higher at WKU than Kent State University at Kent ($27,000.00 vs. $21,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Kent State ($12,625 vs. $19,046)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 14.5% lower than costs at Kent State University at Kent ($11,072 vs. $12,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Kent State University at Kent (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Kentucky University students is 7.6% larger than aid received Kent State University at Kent ($10,260 vs. $9,539)

WKU vs. Kent State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Kent State University at Kent (1067) is 20 points higher than at WKU (1047)
  • Incoming WKU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Kent State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Kent State students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at WKU (3.42)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Kent State (88%)

WKU vs. Kent State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WKU or Kent 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 Kent State and WKU.

  • The graduation rate at WKU is the same as at Kent State University at Kent (50% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Kent State University at Kent earn on average $3,200 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($40,300 vs. $37,100)
  • Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $1,575 lower median federal student loan debt than Kent State graduates. ($24,250 vs. $25,825)
  • WKU graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than Kent State graduates. ($250 vs. $267)
  • More WKU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kent State students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 46%)

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