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Lexington, KY · Bowling Green, KY
| University of Kentucky | Western Kentucky University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $18,851/yr | $10,990/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $12,182/yr | $7,087/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $22,500 | $22,095 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $12,119/yr | $6,871/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $16,313/yr | $9,765/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $21,192/yr | $14,049/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $26,781/yr | $17,653/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $239/mo | $234/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $16,016/yr | $12,582/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $15,912/yr | $12,582/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,200/yr | $1,000/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $5,840/yr | $2,484/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $34,391/yr | $24,188/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $13,502/yr | $11,652/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $34,140/yr | $27,000/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 23% | 30% |
| Students taking federal loans | 34% | 35% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 93% | 94% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1070–1290 | 840–1050 |
| SAT average | 1215 | 971 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 21–28 | 16–21 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 21–30 · Math 20–27 | English 15–21 · Math 15–18 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 28,233 | 7,720 |
| Students accepted | 26,083 | 7,492 |
| Students who enrolled | 6,437 | 2,822 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 25% | 38% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 9% | 1% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 55% | 3% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Required | Not considered |
| Recommendation letters | Not considered | Not considered |
| Class rank | Not considered | Not considered |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Not considered | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 71% | 56% |
| Freshmen who come back | 87% | 78% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $59,025/yr | $43,889/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $38,233–$86,281 | $27,981–$62,583 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 68% | 53% |
| White students graduating | 74% | 61% |
| Black students graduating | 55% | 28% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 63% | 40% |
| Asian students graduating | 81% | 68% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $47,266/yr | $38,156/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 77% | 64% |
| Graduate on time | 55% | 44% |
| Pell students who graduate | 57% | 42% |
| First-gen students who finish | 55% | 41% |
| Low-income students who finish | 53% | 34% |
| Students who transfer out | No data reported | 23% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $53,326/yr | $40,920/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 23% · Health Professions 14% · Engineering 8% | Business, Management & Marketing 20% · Health Professions 14% · Liberal Arts & General Studies 9% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 23% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 20% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Health Professions — 14% of degrees | Health Professions — 14% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Engineering — 8% of degrees | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 9% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Communication & Journalism — 8% of degrees | Education — 6% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Education — 7% of degrees | Communication & Journalism — 6% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Dentistry — $123,321/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $103,023/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 20% | 11% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 24,763 | 12,155 |
| Students per professor | 18 : 1 | 19 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 9,175 | 2,140 |
| Average professor pay | $11,984/mo | $8,169/mo |
| Full-time professors | 82% | 67% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Median family income | $61,932 | $41,838 |
| Setting | City (large) | City (small) |
| Location | Lexington, KY | Bowling Green, KY |
| Region | Southeast | Southeast |
| Founded | 1865 | 1906 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity | Doctoral/Professional Universities |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Men | 42% | 39% |
| Women | 58% | 61% |
| White students | 76% | 74% |
| Black students | 6.3% | 9% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 6.8% | 6.5% |
| Asian students | 3.7% | 3.5% |
| Two or more races | 4.5% | 4.4% |
| Other / not reported | 1.3% | 1.7% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 23% | 36% |
| Part-time students | 5.8% | 8.7% |
| Students age 25+ | 5.5% | 9.4% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $13,191/yr | $9,271/yr |
| Endowment | $2.0B | $19.1M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 8,300 | 4,942 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $10,362/yr | $7,353/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $4,880/yr | $4,690/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | No data reported | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | Land-grant institution | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Air Force | Yes — Army, Air Force |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | No |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | Yes | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FBS | NCAA Division I-FBS |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 20 | 12 |
| Student athletes | 614 | 350 |
| Athletic scholarships | $17.2M | $5.9M |
| Athletics budget | $186.6M | $31.3M |
| Athletics revenue | $186.6M | $31.3M |
| Recruiting spend | $4.0M | $834,088 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.