Western Kentucky University (WKU) vs Arkansas State

Western Kentucky University and Arkansas State University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to their students. While they share some similarities, there are also key differences that set them apart. Western Kentucky University boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for prospective students. Arkansas State University, on the other hand, has a slightly higher graduation rate, indicating a strong commitment to student success. Both universities offer a diverse range of academic programs, with popular majors such as Business, Education, and Nursing being common choices among students. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these universities, including student body demographics, tuition fees, and additional factors that may influence your decision. Discover which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Arkansas State University	Western Kentucky University
Overview
Location	Jonesboro, Arkansas	Bowling Green, Kentucky
Campus setting	City: Small	City: Small
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	75.0%	73.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	63.3%	98.5%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $30 Graduate: $30	Undergraduate: $45 Graduate: $65
SAT range	1030 - 1200	N/A
ACT range	20 - 26	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	2.0%
Students submitting ACT score	89.0%
Total number of applicants	5,835	7,255
Total number of admissions given out	3,693	7,145
Admitted students who chose to enroll	1,301	2,832
Yield rate	35.2%	39.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $23,703 Out of state: $29,271	In state: $27,895 Out of state: $43,903
Average net price	$13,560	$12,395
Tuition	In state: $5,232 Out of state: $10,800	In state: $10,992 Out of state: $27,000
Room & board	$9,640	Room/dormitory: $6,744 Meal plan: $3,964
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $11,264	98.0% Average amount $9,576
Students receiving federal student loan	53.0% Average amount $5,098	47.0% Average amount $5,128
Students taking out private loans	3.0% Average amount $9,249	5.0% Average amount $9,983

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	8,241 Men 37.9% Women 62.1%	14,729 Men 37.8% Women 62.2%
Graduate students	4,622 Men 29.6% Women 70.4%	2,021 Men 34.1% Women 65.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	13.4%	N/A
International students	4.8%	1.1%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	3,200	4,942
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Arkansas Missouri Tennessee Texas Florida	Tennessee Indiana Illinois Ohio

Academics
Popular study areas	Education Health Professions Liberal Arts Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Communication and Journalism	Health Professions Business Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Public Administration and Social Service
Students to faculty ratio	14:1	18:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	53.8%	53.6%
Dropout rate	17.1%	22.1%
Transferred out	26.7%	22.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $118,704 Year 2: $135,614 Year 3: $142,090 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $68,394 Year 2: $68,422 Year 3: $72,609 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,156 Year 2: $58,142 Year 3: $63,281 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $49,331 Year 2: $57,318 Year 3: $63,119 Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $58,131 Year 3: $62,428 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $61,829 Year 2: $59,124 Year 3: $61,766 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $58,334 Year 2: $52,107 Year 3: $61,498 Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $52,368 Year 2: $54,996 Year 3: $59,662 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $48,639 Year 2: $52,107 Year 3: $59,484 Educational Administration and Supervision (Graduate/Professional Certificates) Year 1: $55,539 Year 2: $56,544 Year 3: $59,037	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $76,015 Year 2: $86,696 Year 3: $95,431 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $71,960 Year 2: $76,998 Year 3: $77,293 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $62,199 Year 2: $70,009 Year 3: $77,197 Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $53,704 Year 2: $57,318 Year 3: $68,358 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $65,193 Year 2: $63,005 Year 3: $66,850 Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $49,992 Year 2: $63,005 Year 3: $65,815 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $52,607 Year 2: $61,144 Year 3: $65,553 Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,759 Year 2: $51,551 Year 3: $57,443 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $53,729 Year 2: $52,897 Year 3: $56,104 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $56,172 Year 2: $56,281 Year 3: $55,609

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