More selective than 20% of Kentucky colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $24,188. College Scorecard.
Higher than 71% of Kentucky colleges we cover and 53% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 38% of Kentucky colleges we cover and 22% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Western Kentucky University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 7,720 applicants, Western Kentucky University admitted 7,492 and 2,822 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 840–1050 on the SAT or 16–21 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Western Kentucky University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Kentucky residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What Western Kentucky University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Western Kentucky University took 4.3 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Kentucky. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $7,087 | $30,332 | 2.9 years |
| $30–48k | $6,871 | $29,408 | 2.8 years |
| $48–75k | $9,765 | $41,794 | 4.0 years |
| $75–110k | $14,049 | $60,130 | 5.8 years |
| $110k+ | $17,653 | $75,555 | 7.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (42% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($43,889) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $10,373 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Western Kentucky University majors, earnings & careers
Western Kentucky University offers 80 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 15
- Humanities & Languages · 13
- Business & Finance · 12
- Science & Math · 11
- Health & Medicine · 8
- Engineering · 6
- Arts & Design · 5
- Communications & Media · 4
- Education · 3
- Technology & Computing · 3
Highest-earning majors at Western Kentucky University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | $86,624 | $27,000 |
| Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians | $86,033 | — |
| Electrical Engineering | $85,772 | — |
| Construction Engineering Technology / Technician | $84,057 | $29,000 |
| Civil Engineering | $75,732 | $22,100 |
| Management Science / Analytics | $74,452 | $21,500 |
| Nursing | $73,496 | $26,330 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $73,300 | $27,000 |
Quick list of all 80 majors
- Accounting$71,274
- Agriculture$51,065
- Anthropology$40,415
- Apparel and Textiles$45,420
- Architectural Sciences and Technology$71,240
- Area Studies—
- Army ROTC, Military Science and Operations—
- Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$52,487
- Broadcasting / Digital Media$41,791
- Business Administration$59,362
- Business Economics—
- Chemistry—
- Civil Engineering$75,732
- Communications$50,392
- Computer and Information Sciences$73,300
- Computer Science—
- Construction Engineering Technology / Technician$84,057
- Construction Management—
- Criminology$45,124
- Cultural Studies / Critical Theory and Analysis—
- Dance—
- Data Analytics—
- Dental Support Services and Allied Professions$57,958
- East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean)$43,210
- Economics$68,051
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$38,656
- Education (Subject Teaching)$40,838
- Electrical Engineering$85,772
- English$40,616
- English Language and Literature / Letters, Other—
- Entrepreneurship—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography—
- Finance$70,313
- Genetics—
- Geography—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- German—
- Health Administration$60,103
- Health Sciences$57,271
- History$38,836
- Hospitality Management$50,712
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians$86,033
- International Business—
- International Relations$64,710
- Journalism$47,661
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$54,396
- Legal Studies / Paralegal—
- Legal Support Services—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$46,583
- Management Information Systems$68,333
- Management Science / Analytics$74,452
- Marketing$60,222
- Mathematics$38,434
- Mechanical Engineering$86,624
- Medical Laboratory Science—
- Middle / Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music$38,377
- Nursing$73,496
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management$42,600
- Physical Sciences—
- Physics—
- Political Science$54,333
- Psychology$44,848
- Psychology (Research)—
- Public Health$43,605
- Public Relations and Advertising$53,839
- Religious Studies—
- Social Sciences—
- Social Work$48,771
- Sociology$43,520
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$53,921
- Special Education$40,705
- Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders$57,844
- Studio Art$45,957
- Theatre$34,987
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Bowling Green
Overall prices in the Bowling Green, KY area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,199. Housing costs 37% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 55 inches of rain a year, 8 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Warren County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Warren County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Western Kentucky University with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Kentucky by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Kentucky University | 94% | $10,990 | 56% | $43,889 | This school |
| Eastern Kentucky University | 78% | $11,040 | 50% | $45,795 | |
| University of Louisville | 79% | $17,988 | 61% | $53,899 | |
| Murray State University | 86% | $9,096 | 61% | $44,737 | |
| Northern Kentucky University | 68% | $8,191 | 52% | $50,220 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Western Kentucky University would cost you $50 less per year than Eastern Kentucky University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Western Kentucky University, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$1,332).
- Western Kentucky University gives aided families $503 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Kentucky resident | Western Kentucky University | Eastern Kentucky University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $11,652 | $10,320 | +$1,332 |
| Books & supplies | $1,000 | $0 | +$1,000 |
| Housing & meals | $12,043 | $11,735 | +$308 |
| Personal & travel | $2,409 | $2,800 | −$391 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,916 | −$1,120 | −$1,796 |
| Sticker price | $24,188 | $23,735 | +$453 |
| Average grants | −$13,198 | −$12,695 | −$503 |
| You pay | $10,990 | $11,040 | −$50 |
“+” means Western Kentucky University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Western Kentucky University
What is the Western Kentucky University acceptance rate?
Western Kentucky University accepts 94% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 7,492 of 7,720 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 840–1050 on the SAT or 16–21 on the ACT.
How much does Western Kentucky University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $24,188 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $10,990 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $7,087 and families earning $110k+ pay $17,653.
How much do Western Kentucky University graduates earn?
Former Western Kentucky University students earn a median $43,889 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Western Kentucky University graduation rate?
56% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 78% return for their second year.
How long does a Western Kentucky University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Western Kentucky University costs about $41,794 after grants ($9,765 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $43,889 ten years after starting, $10,373 more than high school graduates in Kentucky ($33,516), so the cost is repaid in 4.0 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Western Kentucky University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-kentucky-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).