- The Inkwell
- Kentucky
- Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KYCity: smallZIP 42101Founded 1906
- Sector
- Public
- Founded
- 1906
- Carnegie class
- Doctoral/professional university
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Federal aid since
- 1965
- Website
- www.wku.edu
- Member of
- AASCU
KentuckyPublic
Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, with 12,155 undergraduates. It admits 94% of applicants, graduates 56% within six years and costs $11,789 a year after aid.
56%graduate
Admission rate94%
Retention78%
4-year graduation45%
Pell Grant share36%
Federal loans37%
$11,789net price / year
94%admission rate
971average SAT
56%graduate in 6 years
$48,408median earnings, 10 yrs
$19,500median debt
#1,324 of 1,704 for earnings#279 of 1,739 for lowest net price#814 of 1,738 for graduation rate#1,327 of 1,552 for selectivity
what it costs
Cost and net price
Net price is the average annual cost after grants and scholarships for full-time students who receive federal aid; it varies with family income.
Published cost
- Cost of attendance
- $24,535tuition, fees, housing, books, per year
- Tuition & fees, in-state
- $12,072
- Tuition & fees, out-of-state
- $27,000
- Average net price
- $11,789national median $19,980
Net price by family income
$0–30,000$9,356
$30,001–48,000$7,809
$48,001–75,000$8,394
$75,001–110,000$13,925
$110,001+$19,009
getting in
Admissions and test scores
Admission
- Admission rate
- 94%national median 77%
- Average SAT
- 971
- SAT reading, middle 50%
- 420–530
- SAT math, middle 50%
- 420–520
- ACT composite, middle 50%
- 16–21
Against the national median
Admission rate · this college94%
Admission rate · U.S. median77%
Retention · this college78%
Retention · U.S. median76%
Graduation · this college56%
Graduation · U.S. median55%
Pell share · this college36%
Pell share · U.S. median39%
after enrolling
Graduation, earnings and debt
Completion
- Graduation rate, 6 years
- 56%within 150% of normal time
- Graduation rate, 4 years
- 45%
- First-year retention
- 78%
- Award within 8 years, all students
- 55%
Earnings and debt
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $44,038
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $48,408middle 50%: $32,179–$70,616
- Median debt at graduation
- $19,500
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Earnings ten years after entry
Upper quarter$70,616
Median, Western Kentucky University$48,408
Lower quarter$32,179
U.S. median, all colleges$58,886
Former students working and not enrolled · College Scorecard
who studies here
Students and faculty
Undergraduates
- Degree-seeking undergraduates
- 12,155
- Part-time
- 8.7%
- Women / men
- 61% / 39%
- Average age at entry
- 22.2
- First-generation students
- 36%
- Pell Grant recipients
- 36%
Faculty and resources
- Student-to-faculty ratio
- 19 : 1
- Full-time faculty
- 67%
- Average faculty salary
- $8,169 / month
- Instructional spending per student
- $9,271
- Endowment, end of year
- $19,138,764
Race and ethnicity, undergraduates
White74%
Hispanic6.5%
Black9.0%
Asian3.5%
Two or more races4.4%
U.S. nonresident0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
Unknown1.4%
28 fields of study
Most popular fields
Share of bachelor’s degrees awarded, by broad field (CIP family).
Business & management20%
Health professions14%
Liberal arts & humanities8.5%
Education6.4%
Communication & journalism5.7%
Psychology5.4%
Social sciences4.7%
Parks, recreation & fitness4.6%
keep comparing
Similar colleges
Public colleges in Kentucky
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, KY | $11,925 | 51% | $50,885 |
| University of Louisville Louisville, KY | $14,960 | 60% | $60,032 |
| Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY | $8,976 | 54% | $55,024 |
| Murray State University Murray, KY | $7,350 | 60% | $48,482 |
| Morehead State University Morehead, KY | $9,912 | 48% | $47,134 |
| Kentucky State University Frankfort, KY | $17,637 | 30% | $42,650 |
Same Carnegie class, similar price
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers, FL | $11,555 | 57% | $59,401 |
| Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL | $13,111 | 56% | $59,436 |
| University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe, LA | $12,218 | 51% | $49,742 |
| William Carey University Hattiesburg, MS | $13,507 | 57% | $46,286 |
| Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC | $13,025 | 61% | $53,764 |
| Texas Woman's University Denton, TX | $11,060 | 49% | $59,216 |
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education — institution file, most recent cohorts. UNITID 157951. Founding year, motto and memberships: Wikidata Q1474105.