National university
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KY · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $10,990 a year
Median debt at graduation: $22,095 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.56%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.78%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 971 · ACT 18.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.19 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$9,271
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $24,188 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 14,590 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 39% · Women 61% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 36% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 29% |
| Total students | 16,759 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $10,990 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $24,188 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $22,095 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 56% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 40% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 41% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 47% |
| First-year retention | 78% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $43,889 |
| Admission rate | 94% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $50 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $985 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 30% |
| Average SAT | 971 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 420–530 |
| SAT math | 420–520 |
| ACT composite | 16–21 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Very good · Top 35% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Industrial technology | |
| Electrical engineering | |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Management science | |
| Nursing | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Accounting | |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | |
| Finance | |
| Management information systems | |
| Economics | |
| International relations | |
| Marketing | |
| Health administration | |
| Business administration | |
| Dental assisting | |
| Speech-language pathology | |
| Health sciences | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Political science | |
| Romance languages | |
| Public relations | |
| Biology | |
| Agriculture | |
| Hospitality management | |
| Communication studies | |
| Social work | |
| Journalism | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Fine arts | |
| Apparel and Textiles | |
| Criminology | |
| Psychology | |
| Public health | |
| Sociology | |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | |
| Broadcasting | |
| Secondary education | |
| Special education | |
| English | |
| Anthropology | |
| History | |
| Teacher education | |
| Mathematics | |
| Music | |
| Theatre |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Area studies, Army ROTC, Military Science and Operations, Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Clinical laboratory science, Computer science, Construction Management, Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis, Dance, Data Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Ethnic and gender studies, Experimental psychology, Film and video, Genetics, Geography, Geology and earth science, German, Interdisciplinary studies, International business, Managerial economics, Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Natural resources and conservation, Other english language and literature/letters, Paralegal studies, Physical Sciences, Physics, Pre-law and legal studies, Religious studies, Social sciences.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Health professions | |
| Social sciences | |
| Education | |
| Psychology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 9% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 9% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $12,582 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Conference USA |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 19 to 1 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 67%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $1,204IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 34% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Nashville International Airport (BNA)About 61 miles away · about 1 hour 30 minutes by car |
| Town population | 75,388Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | Nashville-DavidsonAbout 59 miles away · about 1 hour 15 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 37°F in January · 80°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Bowling Green Warren Co Airport, KY |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.02 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.01 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.12 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.10 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Western Kentucky University’s Compass Score?
- Good (grade B-). The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Western Kentucky University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $10,990 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Western Kentucky University?
- Western Kentucky University admitted 94% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Western Kentucky University’s graduates do?
- 56% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $43,889; the median federal debt at graduation is $22,095.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 157951
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral/professional university
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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