WKU vs. WVU

Should I go to Western Kentucky University or West Virginia University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WKU or WVU 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. West Virginia University comparison
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Western Kentucky University West Virginia University
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Overview

WKU WVU
Location Bowling Green, KY Morgantown, WV
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 16,493 24,741
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #875 #559
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu wvu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU WVU
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $9,360
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $26,568
Room & Board $11,072 $11,618
Avg Net Price $12,625 $12,202
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $11,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 94%

Admission

WKU WVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 18,206
Admitted 7,276 16,091
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 88.4%
Enrolled % 37.9% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 20/26
SAT Range 980/1170 1000/1220
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

Academics

WKU WVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

WKU WVU
Graduation Rate 50% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $24,001
Median Loan Payment $250 $248

Diversity

WKU WVU
% Men 37% 47%
% Women 63% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 81%
% Black 10% 5%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

WKU WVU
% In-State 70% 42%
% Out-of-State 29% 57%

Campus

WKU WVU
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

  • West Virginia University is larger than than WKU based on total student enrollment (24,741 students vs. 16,493 students)

WKU vs. WVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or WVU?

  • Western Kentucky University is 18.7% more expensive to attend than WVU for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $9,360.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.6% higher at WKU than West Virginia University ($27,000.00 vs. $26,568.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Virginia University than WKU ($12,202 vs. $12,625)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 4.9% lower than costs at West Virginia University ($11,072 vs. $11,618)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than West Virginia University (99% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by West Virginia University students is 13.9% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($11,685 vs. $10,260)

WKU vs. WVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Virginia University (1078) is 31 points higher than at WKU (1047)
  • Incoming WVU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman WVU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at WKU (3.42)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than WVU (88.4%)

WKU vs. WVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WVU is higher than Western Kentucky University (57% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from West Virginia University earn on average $13,500 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($50,600 vs. $37,100)
  • West Virginia University students graduate with a $249 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($24,001 vs. $24,250)
  • WVU graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($248 vs. $250)
  • More WVU 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/