Western Kentucky University

Bowling Green, Kentucky · Public · 4-year · City

At a glance

Average net price: $10,990What students typically pay per year after grants and scholarships.
Acceptance rate: 94%
Graduation rate: 55%Share of students who finish within 150% of the normal time.
Undergraduates: 12,155
In-state tuition: $11,652Published price before aid.
Out-of-state tuition: $27,000
SAT midpoint: Not reported
Median earnings, 10 yrs: $43,889Median earnings of former students ten years after they first enrolled.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Data year: 2022-23 academic year. Updated September 2026. Figures are averages across all students and will differ from what any individual pays.

How it compares to similar colleges

Each rating covers one measure against public 4-year colleges nationally. Five stars means the top fifth on that measure. There is no overall score, because which of these matters is your call.

Affordability

$10,990

4/5

Better than 77% of public 4-year colleges (565 compared).

Completion

55%

3/5

Better than 57% of public 4-year colleges (566 compared).

Earnings

$43,889

1/5

Better than 13% of public 4-year colleges (590 compared).

Debt at graduation

$22,095

2/5

Better than 36% of public 4-year colleges (588 compared).

What these ratings are based on

Affordability: Based on average net price: what students receiving federal aid actually paid, after grants and scholarships. Your own cost depends on your family's finances.
Completion: Based on the share of first-time, full-time students who graduate within 150% of normal time. It excludes transfer and part-time students, which understates colleges serving many of them.
Earnings: Based on median earnings ten years after students first enrolled. It reflects the subjects a college teaches and the region it sits in as much as its teaching.
Debt at graduation: Based on median federal loan debt among students who completed. Private and parent loans are not included, so real totals are often higher.
Why there is no rating for selectivity: A lower acceptance rate is selectivity, not quality. Awarding stars for it would be us inventing a value judgement and hiding it behind a number.

What it actually costs

Published cost

$24,188

The sticker price: tuition, fees, housing, food and books for one academic year, before any aid.

Average net price

$10,990

What students receiving federal aid actually paid on average, after grants and scholarships. This is the more useful number, though your own figure depends on your family’s finances.

What would this cost me?

Use this college’s official net price calculator

Outcomes

Graduation, retention, debt and earnings for Western Kentucky University
Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time	55%
Retention rateFirst-year students who return	78%
Median debt at graduationFederal loans only, students who completed	$22,095
Median earnings, 10 years after entryFormer students, working and not enrolled	$43,889

What graduates of each major earn

Median earnings one year after finishing, for people who took that subject here. This is the figure a college-wide median hides: the spread between subjects at one college is usually far wider than the spread between colleges.

Bachelor’s programs at Western Kentucky University by graduate earnings
Major	Earnings, 1 yr	Degrees awarded
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering	$74,205	16
Mechanical Engineering	$70,722	33
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing	$68,294	169
Management Information Systems and Services	$64,252	1
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician	$63,013	Not reported
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians	$60,675	39
Civil Engineering	$60,086	25
Economics	$53,857	23
Accounting and Related Services	$50,104	56
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods	$49,823	Not reported
Computer and Information Sciences, General	$48,863	53
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions	$47,974	32
Architectural Sciences and Technology	$46,919	21
Health and Medical Administrative Services	$44,516	50
Business Administration, Management and Operations	$44,498	182
Finance and Financial Management Services	$44,355	66
Marketing	$42,478	86
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General	$42,045	49
Special Education and Teaching	$38,807	28
Agriculture, General	$38,804	66
Social Sciences, General	$38,659	24
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods	$37,288	131
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	$36,830	27
Apparel and Textiles	$36,635	45
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities	$35,746	151
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication	$35,534	68
Journalism	$35,050	49
Music	$34,766	30
Social Work	$34,748	72
Communication and Media Studies	$33,955	25
Sociology	$32,762	37
Criminology	$32,370	80
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management	$32,267	7
Biology, General	$29,945	66
Hospitality Administration/Management	$29,492	30
Fine and Studio Arts	$28,291	45
English Language and Literature, General	$27,950	33
History	$27,177	24
Psychology, General	$25,936	122
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness	$25,858	123
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	$24,967	21
Political Science and Government	$23,294	34
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft	$22,884	21
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication	$21,377	5
Anthropology	$19,495	10
Construction Management	Not reported	46
Research and Experimental Psychology	Not reported	42
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services	Not reported	36
Mathematics	Not reported	24
Computer Science	Not reported	22
Public Health	Not reported	22
Data Analytics	Not reported	21
Chemistry	Not reported	19
Natural Resources Conservation and Research	Not reported	18
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Not reported	15
Business/Managerial Economics	Not reported	14
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	Not reported	13
Film/Video and Photographic Arts	Not reported	11
International Relations and National Security Studies	Not reported	11
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations	Not reported	10
International Business	Not reported	10
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions	Not reported	8
Physics	Not reported	8
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other	Not reported	8
Dance	Not reported	7
Geography and Cartography	Not reported	7
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology	Not reported	7
Legal Support Services	Not reported	5
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences	Not reported	5
Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis	Not reported	5
Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Not reported	4
Genetics	Not reported	3
Religion/Religious Studies	Not reported	3
Physical Sciences, General	Not reported	2
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other	Not reported	1
Area Studies	Not reported	1
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Not reported	Not reported
Army ROTC, Military Science and Operations	Not reported	Not reported
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Not reported	Not reported
Non-Professional Legal Studies	Not reported	Not reported

All 80 bachelor’s programs this college reported.

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