Value signal
Lower net price
After typical aid, families pay below the national average.
This school$11k
National avg$18.5k
Source: CollegeScorecard 2024
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UniversitypublicVerified data
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KY
Cost & Financial Aid
In-State Tuition
$11,652
Out-of-State Tuition
$27,000
Avg On-Campus Living
$12,582
Avg Off-Campus Living
$12,582
Financial Aid & Outcomes
CollegeScorecard · 2024
What will it actually cost?
Sticker price$24,234
Net price (after aid)$10,990
Most students pay the net price after financial aid, not the sticker price.
Net price by family income
$0 – $30k$7,087
$30k – $48k$16,624
$48k – $75k$17,417
$75k – $110k$14,049
$110k+$17,653
After graduation
Median earnings (10yr)$43,889
Median debt at graduation$22,095
Est. monthly loan payment$234
Earnings-to-debt ratio
Moderate · 2.0×Graduates earn about 2.0× their median debt every year.
Financial access
Students on Pell Grants30%
Pell Grants are federal aid for students from low-income families.
Students with federal loans35%
Share of students who borrowed to pay for school.
Some fields may not be reported by this institution. Verify final details with the school directly.
How does cost line up with outcomes across colleges? See our analysis of college cost vs. graduation and earnings, an association shaped by selectivity and sector, not proof a pricier college pays off.
Student Outcomes
Graduation Rate
56%
Freshman Retention
78%
Source: CollegeScorecard (2024)
Final aid offers, scholarships, and net price vary per family. Always verify with the school's financial aid office.
Scholarships available
Decision support · Cost & value
Quick Decision Highlights
The strongest cost, aid, and value reasons to consider this school.
Strong aid for lower incomes
Reported net price for the $0–30k band runs below average.
Scholarships available
Aid signal
Friendly application paths
Common AppTransfer-friendlyInternational
Affordability snapshot
In-state tuition
$11.7k
Out-of-state
$27k
Net price
$11k
below avg
Pell
30%
Median debt
$22.1k
below avg
Earnings (10y)
$43.9k
“Avg” comparisons reference national IPEDS / College Scorecard averages (~2022–23); figures are directional and vary by school and year.
Admissions
Acceptance rate
94%
SAT range
820 - 1010
ACT range
16 - 20
Actions
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Location
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UniversitiesCommunity Colleges1 school
Institution does not report this
Bowling Green, KY 42101
Academics
Studying online: a substantial share study entirely online
In Fall 2023, 3,327 of Western Kentucky University's 16,759 students (20%) were enrolled entirely at a distance. A further 6,335 (38%) took at least one distance course alongside in-person study.
Distance-education figures count STUDENTS enrolled in Fall 2023, not programs on offer. "Exclusively at a distance" means a student took only distance courses that term. A college with few or no such students may still run online courses or an online degree, so a low figure is not evidence that online study is unavailable, and a high one is not a judgement of quality either way.
U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Fall Enrollment (distance education status), Fall 2023
Fields of study
Western Kentucky University reported conferring credentials in 100 different fields to the federal government. See which ones, and at what credential level.
Campus & Student Life
Area Safety Rating
Similar schools
Frequently asked questions
About Western Kentucky University
Built from CampusPin profile data. Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with the institution before applying. See our data methodology and data dictionary.
- Where is Western Kentucky University located?
- Western Kentucky University is located in Bowling Green, KY, in the United States.
- What type of institution is Western Kentucky University?
- Western Kentucky University is a public university based in KY. CampusPin classifies institutions as either four-year universities or two-year community colleges, with control labeled public or private.
- What is the acceptance rate at Western Kentucky University?
- The most recently reported acceptance rate at Western Kentucky University is approximately 94%. Acceptance rate signals selectivity but does not predict any individual applicant's outcome and is not a measure of school quality. CampusPin reports the federally-published value; verify the current cycle with the institution.
- What is the tuition at Western Kentucky University?
- Western Kentucky University's published in-state tuition is approximately $11,652 per year. This is the published price before financial aid; the net price most students actually pay is typically lower. Verify the current academic-year tuition with the institution before applying.
- How many students attend Western Kentucky University?
- Western Kentucky University reports total enrollment of approximately 14,590 students (undergraduate plus graduate). Total enrollment is a useful sizing signal, see the institutional profile for additional breakdowns when available.
- How much does Western Kentucky University actually cost after financial aid?
- The average net price at Western Kentucky University is approximately $10,990 per year. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships that never have to be repaid, so it is what students actually paid rather than the published sticker price. What families pay varies with income: students from families earning under $30,000 paid about $7,087 on average, and those from families earning $110,000 or more about $17,653. These are averages for students who received federal aid in a prior cohort, not a quote for any individual family. Run the institution's own Net Price Calculator for a figure specific to you.
- What is the graduation rate at Western Kentucky University?
- Western Kentucky University reports a graduation rate of approximately 56%. This measures the share of a prior entering cohort who completed their degree within the federal tracking window. It reflects who enrolls as much as what the institution does, so it is not on its own a measure of teaching quality, and it is not comparable across institutions serving very different students.
- How much student debt do graduates of Western Kentucky University have?
- Students who borrowed at Western Kentucky University left with a median of approximately $22,095 in federal loans, and about 35% of students took federal loans at all. Both numbers matter: a median describes only the students who borrowed, so it reads very differently at a school where most students borrow than at one where few do. Federal loans only, so private and parent borrowing are not included.
- How much do graduates of Western Kentucky University earn?
- Median earnings approximately ten years after entry are $43,889 for students who received federal financial aid at Western Kentucky University. This reflects the mix of programs the institution offers and the students who enroll, not the effect of attending, and it covers aid recipients rather than all graduates.
- How should I verify final details about Western Kentucky University?
- CampusPin compiles institutional data from public datasets like IPEDS and the College Scorecard, plus institutional websites and editorial review. Before applying, paying a deposit, or making a final decision, confirm admissions requirements, current tuition, financial aid, deadlines, and program details directly with Western Kentucky University.
Fields this college awarded credentials in
The 14 largest of 100 fields Western Kentucky University reported, by credentials conferred in 2023-24, using the federal classification of each field. The level is the highest credential actually awarded, which is not always the one a field is best known for.
| Field | Awarded | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 445 | Graduate151 graduate · 222 bachelor's · 5 associate · 67 certificate |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 299 | Graduate39 graduate · 146 bachelor's · 114 associate |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 242 | Graduate95 graduate · 147 bachelor's |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 187 | Bachelor's137 bachelor's · 50 associate |
| Data Analytics | 167 | Graduate12 graduate · 40 bachelor's · 115 certificate |
| Psychology, General | 164 | Graduate19 graduate · 145 bachelor's |
| Social Work | 144 | Graduate54 graduate · 89 bachelor's · 1 certificate |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 126 | Graduate9 graduate · 67 bachelor's · 50 certificate |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 124 | Graduate7 graduate · 116 bachelor's · 1 certificate |
| Criminology | 118 | Bachelor's |
| Biology, General | 111 | Graduate17 graduate · 94 bachelor's |
| Marketing | 108 | Bachelor's |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 99 | Graduate65 graduate · 34 bachelor's |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 88 | Graduate8 graduate · 67 bachelor's · 13 certificate |
Fields are as classified in the federal IPEDS completions collection, which records credentials already conferred. A field listed here was awarded in the reporting year; it does not confirm the program is currently admitting students, and a field CampusPin has no guide for is still shown under its official federal title. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Explore more
Compare colleges side by sideAll colleges in KentuckyKentucky college costs by family incomeStudent debt at Kentucky collegesComputer science major guideBusiness major guideNursing major guidePsychology major guideEngineering major guide
Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with Western Kentucky University before applying.
Data sources & methodology
Reporting period: 2024Last verified: June 10, 2026
Facts on this profile of Western Kentucky University are compiled from federal datasets and the institution's own published information.
Sources used across this page
Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.
IPEDS / NCES College Navigator
Federal enrollment, admissions, tuition, retention, and program data. Released annually with a 1–2 year lag.
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
Net price by income band, post-graduation earnings, and federal aid context.
Clery Act campus security reports
Annual campus security and fire-safety disclosures required of U.S. institutions.
Institutional websites
Each school's official admissions, registrar, and financial-aid pages are the authoritative source for current details.
Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.
Suggested citation
CampusPin. (2024). Western Kentucky University, college profile. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/schools/western-kentucky-university
About this information
CampusPin compiles college information from recent publicly available data, including federal and institutional sources. College information can change as institutions and public agencies release new data.
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