WKU vs. TU

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

WKU TU
Location Bowling Green, KY Towson, MD
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 16,493 19,793
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #875 #445
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu towson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU TU
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $7,238
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $23,240
Room & Board $11,072 $13,642
Avg Net Price $12,625 $14,443
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $11,415
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 74%

Admission

WKU TU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 17,770
Admitted 7,276 13,967
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 78.6%
Enrolled % 37.9% 19.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 19/25
SAT Range 980/1170 1010/1230
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 Apr 1, 2024

Academics

WKU TU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)

Outcomes

WKU TU
Graduation Rate 50% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $53,500
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $17,750
Median Loan Payment $250 $183

Diversity

WKU TU
% Men 37% 39%
% Women 63% 61%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 61%
% Black 10% 18%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

WKU TU
% In-State 70% 89%
% Out-of-State 29% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Towson University is larger than than WKU based on total student enrollment (19,793 students vs. 16,493 students)

WKU vs. TU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or TU?

  • Western Kentucky University is 53.5% more expensive to attend than TU for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $7,238.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.2% higher at WKU than Towson University ($27,000.00 vs. $23,240.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than TU ($12,625 vs. $14,443)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 23.2% lower than costs at Towson University ($11,072 vs. $13,642)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Towson University (99% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Towson University students is 11.3% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($11,415 vs. $10,260)

WKU vs. TU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Towson University (1081) is 34 points higher than at WKU (1047)
  • Incoming WKU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at TU (23)
  • Accepted freshman TU students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at WKU (3.42)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than TU (78.6%)

WKU vs. TU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at TU is higher than Western Kentucky University (64% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Towson University earn on average $16,400 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $37,100)
  • Towson University students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($17,750 vs. $24,250)
  • TU graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($183 vs. $250)
  • More TU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 47%)

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