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Western Kentucky University

Bowling Green, KY · Public · Small city · HILLTOPPERS · WKU

Public institution in Bowling Green, KY · 12,267 undergraduates · 97% acceptance rate · $43,889 median earnings 10 years after entry.

Stats

College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.

Cost

Average net price
$10,916376th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
In-state tuition & fees
$11,436722nd cheapest of 2,024 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees
$27,0001,132nd cheapest of 2,024 reporting
Cost of attendance
$23,520589th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
Median graduate debt
$22,095901st lowest of 1,865 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry
$43,8891,413th highest of 1,954 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$38,1561,342nd highest of 1,950 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year)
53.7%1,009th highest of 2,014 reporting
Full-time retention
78.0%773rd highest of 1,837 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate
97.0%1,460th most selective of 1,596 reporting
Average SAT
977975th highest of 1,022 reporting
Median ACT
—

Campus

Undergraduates
12,267205th largest of 2,144 reporting
Student-faculty ratio
18.0:11,696th smallest of 2,141 reporting
Pell Grant share
28.7%1,272nd highest of 2,122 reporting

Nearest large-hub airport: 61 mi (BNA)

On 1 of our 111 lists

Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.

Applying

Common App member
Yes
Application fee
$50
Personal essay
Optional / not required
Writing supplement
No

Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.

Best-paying fields of study

Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 76 reported programs.

FieldLevel1 yr2 yr
Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$72,650$70,009
Mechanical EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$65,441$63,005
Construction Engineering TechnologiesEngineering Technologybachelors$59,576$63,005
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professionsbachelors$55,704$56,281
Industrial Production Technologies/TechniciansEngineering Technologybachelors$53,358$57,318
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Sciencebachelors$50,231$46,087
Civil EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$47,650$51,551
Business/Managerial EconomicsBusinessbachelors$44,384$41,565
Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsBusinessbachelors$43,798$44,747
EconomicsSocial Sciencesbachelors$43,426$42,682
Dental Support Services and Allied ProfessionsHealth Professionsbachelors$42,363$43,054
Management Information Systems and ServicesBusinessbachelors$42,309$42,682

Campus facts

Athletics — 9 sports

NCAA Division I-FBS · NCAA Division I

Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $5,853,809 (M $3,800,875 · W $2,052,934)

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.

Nearest undergraduate enrollment to Western Kentucky University’s 12,267 (College Scorecard UGDS, compiled 2026-10-24). Size only — not a judgment of similarity or quality.

In KY

Elsewhere