Western Kentucky University

Bowling Green, KY · Public · https://www.wku.edu/ ↗

Western Kentucky University is a public college in Bowling Green, Kentucky, located in a small city. It enrolls 12,155 undergraduate degree-seeking students and mostly awards bachelor's degrees. It also offers graduate degrees. By number of bachelor's degrees awarded, its largest programs are Business Administration, Management and Operations; Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods; and Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Compare with similar schools: Public universities in Kentucky

Compare its largest majors across colleges: Business Administration, Management and Operations · Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods · Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

Western Kentucky University at a glance

Undergraduate enrollment
12,155
Similar schools: 5,632
Average net priceiAverage sticker price minus typical grants and scholarships: the amount most students actually pay out-of-pocket plus loans.
$11,789
Similar schools: $14,226
Admit rateiShare of applicants who get accepted. Lower = more selective.
93.9%
Similar schools: 83.6%
Graduation rate (6 yrs)iShare of full-time students who finished a 4-year degree within 6 years (which is 150% of the standard 4-year time).
55.9%
Similar schools: 51.6%
Median earnings (10 yrs)iMedian earnings of students 10 years after they started college, among those working and not enrolled in further schooling.
$48,408
Similar schools: $59,509
Median debt at graduationiMedian federal student-loan balance carried by students who graduated. Doesn't include Parent PLUS or private loans.
$19,500
Similar schools: $19,500
First-year retentioniShare of first-year students who came back for year two. A baseline measure of student satisfaction.
78.3%
Similar schools: 76.5%

What the data shows about Western Kentucky University

Comparisons below use the medians for the 595 public schools that mostly award bachelor's degrees in the College Scorecard. Its average net price is $11,789 a year, lower than the $14,226 median for similar schools. It admits 93.9% of applicants, higher than the 83.6% median. 78.3% of first-time, full-time students return for a second year (similar-school median: 76.5%). 55.9% of full-time students finish a four-year degree within six years, higher than the 51.6% median. Ten years after enrolling, former students who are working earn a median of $48,408, lower than the $59,509 median for similar schools. Graduates leave with a median of $19,500 in federal student loans (similar-school median: $19,500).