Western Kentucky University

Basic Information

Type Public
Geographical Reach Regional
Population 180,000

Weather

Comfortable Days 115 (84%)
Sunshine Hours 2,543 (47%)
Days Without Precipitation 235 (29%)

Honors College

Name Mahurin Honors College
Students 1,000 (9%)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 11,650
Men / Women 40% / 60%
From State 67%
From Region 30%
Athletes 350 (3.2%)

Racial/Ethnic

White 74%
Black 9%
Hispanic 6%
Asian 4%
Mixed 4%
International 1%
Native American 0%

Schools & Majors

⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
Western Kentucky University 2,804 38% 77% 4% 8% 6% 1% $64,696 25 -0.44 64 94% 7.5%
Civil Engineering 27 — 85% 85% 7% 0% 0% 4% $86,205 15 -0.87 88 97% — — — —
Electrical Engineering 22 — 86% 68% 0% 9% 0% 14% $114,694 58 -0.11 98 100% — — — —
Mechanical Engineering 28 — 93% 79% 4% 11% 0% 7% $96,295 37 -0.37 94 100% — — — —
Computer Science 34 — 68% 74% 12% 0% 9% 6% $101,524 25 -0.69 96 — — — — —
Information Technology 69 — 78% 75% 3% 6% 10% 0% $86,798 28 -0.56 89 98% 4.9% — — —
Chemistry 12 +2 33% 75% 17% 8% 0% 0% $66,289 27 -0.51 67 94% — — — —
Geosciences 8 +1 62% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $59,132 23 -0.54 51 91% — — — —
Mathematics 13 +1 54% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $45,613 0 -1.50 16 100% — — — —
Meteorology 7 — 71% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $63,138 49 -0.17 60 — — — — —
Physical Sciences 3 — 67% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $70,422 13 -0.95 73 — — — — —
Physics 5 — 80% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $70,718 14 -0.93 74 — — — — —
Biochemistry 18 — 50% 78% 6% 6% 6% 0% $69,229 41 -0.20 72 — — — — —
Biology 92 +1 27% 68% 7% 4% 10% 1% $67,025 54 +0.07 68 93% — — — —
Molecular Genetics 3 — 67% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $69,739 44 -0.16 72 — — — — —
Agriculture 62 — 37% 89% 0% 3% 2% 2% $56,268 25 -0.48 43 95% — — — —
Environmental Studies 23 +2 48% 87% 4% 4% 4% 0% $56,150 38 -0.31 43 — — — — —
Communication Sciences and Disorders 36 — 0% 86% 0% 3% 8% 0% $61,593 46 -0.06 57 100% — — — —
Community Health and Preventive Medicine 10 — 0% 80% 0% 10% 10% 0% $71,076 64 +0.18 74 96% — — — —
Dental Hygiene/Hygienist 23 — 0% 87% 13% 0% 0% 0% $63,143 16 -0.87 60 98% — — — —
Environmental Health 5 — 60% 60% 0% 0% 20% 20% $71,076 64 +0.18 74 96% — — — —
Exercise Science and Kinesiology 83 — 41% 87% 1% 4% 1% 0% $64,984 68 +0.37 64 98% — — — —
Health Sciences 78 +1 13% 64% 5% 14% 9% 0% $62,289 32 -0.42 59 87% 5.9% — — —
Medical Laboratory Science 4 — 25% 75% 25% 0% 0% 0% $73,193 30 -0.40 77 — — — — —
Nursing 151 — 11% 81% 5% 4% 5% 1% $87,984 37 -0.42 89 95% — — — —
Sports Studies 70 — 81% 64% 3% 23% 3% 4% $64,984 68 +0.37 64 98% — — — —
Accounting 63 +2 46% 63% 14% 10% 6% 0% $82,486 41 -0.29 86 97% — — — —
Advertising and Public Relations 16 +6 25% 88% 0% 12% 0% 0% $63,219 11 -1.12 61 93% 8.9% — — —
Business Analytics 30 +5 77% 70% 10% 0% 17% 3% $74,591 13 -1.02 79 — — — — —
Business Economics 19 — 89% 63% 5% 11% 21% 0% $97,834 66 +0.31 94 100% — — — —
Business Management and Administration 207 +1 51% 79% 5% 6% 4% 1% $69,157 35 -0.44 71 96% 6.0% — — —
Economics 6 +3 50% 67% 17% 0% 0% 0% $70,737 10 -1.02 74 90% — — — —
Entrepreneurship 2 — 50% 50% 0% 0% 0% 0% $66,732 36 -0.40 67 — — — — —
Finance 59 +2 71% 85% 7% 2% 3% 0% $76,700 13 -0.77 81 100% — — — —
Health Administration 45 — 18% 67% 7% 16% 7% 0% $74,824 80 +0.44 79 98% 7.7% — — —
Health Information/Medical Records Administration/Administrator 4 — 25% 75% 0% 0% 0% 0% $74,824 80 +0.44 79 98% 7.7% — — —
Hospitality Management 31 — 26% 77% 0% 3% 13% 3% $57,514 43 -0.28 46 94% — — — —
International Business 3 — 33% 67% 33% 0% 0% 0% $73,393 41 -0.45 77 — — — — —
Marketing 110 +1 39% 77% 5% 4% 7% 1% $70,614 29 -0.54 74 99% — — — —
Mathematical Economics 5 +1 80% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $70,737 10 -1.02 74 90% — — — —
Organizational Leadership 49 — 59% 73% 0% 14% 10% 0% $69,157 30 -0.49 71 96% 6.0% — — —
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management 15 +2 27% 73% 7% 0% 13% 7% $55,129 25 -0.49 40 92% — — — —
Arabic 1 +1 100% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $48,636 18 -0.84 23 — — — — —
Asian Studies/Civilization 1 +5 100% 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% $50,997 23 -0.66 29 — — — — —
Chinese 15 +4 40% 60% 40% 0% 0% 0% $46,745 12 -1.01 18 84% — — — —
English 26 +7 27% 85% 0% 8% 4% 0% $46,764 22 -0.69 19 93% — — — —
English Language and Literature/Letters 15 — 47% 93% 0% 0% 0% 0% $46,890 23 -0.67 19 — — — — —
General Studies 177 — 35% 68% 1% 17% 3% 3% $55,972 49 -0.13 43 87% 9.3% — — —
History 21 +12 62% 95% 0% 0% 5% 0% $49,207 18 -0.75 24 93% — — — —
Interdisciplinary Studies 1 +2 0% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% $51,047 21 -0.60 29 — — — — —
Religious Studies 2 +2 50% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $49,010 38 -0.22 24 — — — — —
Spanish 8 +4 25% 62% 0% 0% 25% 0% $52,994 33 -0.45 34 92% — — — —
Anthropology 8 +3 25% 88% 0% 0% 12% 0% $42,805 2 -1.28 11 96% — — — —
Broadcast Journalism 30 — 23% 80% 0% 10% 10% 0% $55,026 23 -0.81 40 96% — — — —
Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis 4 +3 100% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $49,319 17 -0.69 25 — — — — —
General Social Sciences 18 +3 72% 89% 0% 0% 6% 0% $49,391 18 -0.68 25 91% — — — —
Geographic Information Science 1 — 100% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $57,400 26 -0.54 46 100% — — — —
Geography — — — — — — — — $57,400 26 -0.54 46 100% — — — —
International Affairs 9 +4 0% 78% 0% 11% 11% 0% $70,004 47 -0.14 73 88% — — — —
Journalism 11 — 36% 82% 0% 9% 9% 0% $55,026 23 -0.81 40 96% — — — —
Organizational Communication 16 +2 12% 75% 6% 6% 12% 0% $63,219 25 -0.77 61 93% 8.9% — — —
Photojournalism 5 +2 60% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $55,026 23 -0.81 40 95% — — — —
Political Science 26 +3 35% 58% 4% 19% 8% 4% $63,529 27 -0.64 61 96% — — — —
Psychology 149 +14 12% 78% 1% 7% 5% 1% $52,736 38 -0.35 34 94% — — — —
Public Relations 20 +11 10% 80% 5% 5% 5% 0% $63,219 25 -0.77 61 93% 8.9% — — —
Radio and Television 17 +1 53% 76% 0% 6% 12% 0% $40,071 1 -2.04 8 97% — — — —
Research & Experimental Psychology 46 — 24% 61% 4% 17% 7% 2% $59,288 42 -0.23 51 — — — — —
Social Work 68 — 15% 69% 3% 12% 9% 0% $53,437 47 +0.02 36 95% 8.0% — — —
Sociology 9 +17 22% 78% 0% 0% 22% 0% $47,640 9 -0.84 20 94% 10.1% — — —
Speech Communication and Rhetoric 22 +9 32% 64% 0% 23% 5% 0% $52,575 17 -0.87 33 93% — — — —
Early Childhood Education 10 — 0% 70% 10% 20% 0% 0% $44,597 9 -1.14 14 92% — — — —
Elementary Education 112 — 3% 93% 1% 1% 5% 0% $44,597 9 -1.14 14 92% — — — —
Family and Consumer Sciences/Home Economics Teacher Education 15 — 0% 87% 0% 13% 0% 0% $43,848 1 -1.66 13 91% — — — —
Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching 7 — 29% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $44,597 8 -1.23 14 92% — — — —
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 14 — 64% 79% 0% 14% 7% 0% $43,848 4 -1.71 13 91% — — — —
Special Education 22 — 9% 73% 0% 5% 9% 0% $50,033 20 -0.89 26 86% — — — —
Teacher Education, Multiple Levels 2 +10 50% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $44,597 8 -1.23 14 92% — — — —
Trade and Industrial Teacher Education — — — — — — — — $43,848 1 -1.66 13 91% — — — —
Apparel and Textiles 55 — 9% 80% 0% 2% 9% 0% $57,262 31 -0.43 46 93% — — — —
Architectural Technology/Technician 16 — 50% 88% 0% 6% 6% 0% $76,042 88 +0.91 80 97% — — — —
Art History, Criticism and Conservation 3 +2 33% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $43,705 26 -0.63 13 88% — — — —
Dance 8 — 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $45,928 72 +0.38 17 — — — — —
Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft 19 — 16% 79% 0% 5% 11% 0% $48,059 84 +0.67 21 97% — — — —
Film Production 16 — 81% 81% 0% 12% 0% 0% $45,533 22 -0.51 16 — — — — —
Music 4 — 25% 75% 0% 25% 0% 0% $45,586 45 -0.12 16 88% — — — —
Music Performance 13 — 46% 54% 8% 23% 0% 0% $45,586 45 -0.12 16 88% — — — —
Theater 6 +1 50% 83% 0% 17% 0% 0% $48,059 84 +0.67 21 97% — — — —
Visual Arts 38 +3 26% 74% 5% 11% 3% 3% $43,705 36 -0.33 13 88% — — — —
Construction Management 35 — 91% 86% 0% 3% 3% 0% $96,976 36 -0.31 94 — — — — —
Criminology 74 +24 31% 69% 1% 16% 5% 0% $48,288 3 -1.60 22 91% 10.2% — — —
Industrial Technology/Technician 27 — 96% 89% 0% 0% 0% 0% $84,002 27 -0.39 87 96% — — — —
Legal Assistant/Paralegal 10 +8 10% 70% 0% 10% 0% 0% $55,778 26 -0.57 42 — — — — —
Legal Studies 2 +2 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $56,700 32 -0.44 44 — — — — —
Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Technician 20 — 95% 95% 0% 0% 0% 0% $84,002 27 -0.39 87 96% — — — —

Financial

In-State Tuition & Fees $12,242
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees $28,724
Est. In-State Cost $15,836
Est. Out-of-State Cost $37,157
ROI Percentile 64th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 78%
4-Year Graduation Rate 44%
6-Year Graduation Rate 56%
Transfer-Out Rate 23%

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅ % Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn
Business & Economics 23.7% 664 48% 75% 6% 6% 7% 1% $71,852 32 -0.44 75 97% 6.4%
Health Sciences 16.4% 460 27% 77% 4% 8% 5% 1% $71,990 27 -0.13 76 95% 5.9%
Social Sciences 16.4% 459 23% 74% 2% 10% 7% 1% $54,598 33 -0.50 39 94% 8.5%
Humanities 9.5% 267 37% 72% 3% 12% 3% 2% $53,309 41 -0.33 35 88% 9.3%
Education 6.5% 182 9% 88% 1% 4% 5% 0% $45,135 5 -1.20 15 91% —
Arts 6.3% 178 28% 79% 2% 8% 5% 1% $51,856 52 -0.08 31 92% —
Professional 6.0% 168 60% 79% 1% 8% 3% 0% $68,969 53 -0.92 71 93% 10.2%
Life & Natural Sciences 4.0% 113 32% 71% 6% 4% 9% 1% $67,448 47 +0.02 69 93% —
Computer Science 3.7% 103 75% 75% 6% 4% 10% 2% $91,659 19 -0.60 91 98% 4.9%
Agriculture & Food Science 3.0% 85 40% 88% 1% 4% 2% 1% $56,236 34 -0.44 43 95% —
Engineering 2.7% 77 88% 78% 4% 6% 0% 8% $98,014 31 -0.47 95 99% —
Physical Sciences & Math 1.7% 48 56% 94% 4% 2% 0% 0% $59,757 4 -0.80 52 96% —

Research R3

⇅ Research $ Rank Federal Industry $ PhDs Rank PhD students Postdocs
Physical Sciences & Math $3.4M #251 46% $0 — — — —
Humanities & Social Sciences $3.0M #235 36% $0 — — — —
Life & Natural Sciences $1.5M #282 46% $0 — — — —
Health Sciences $1.2M #232 44% $0 — — — —
Agriculture & Food Science $0.8M #168 64% $0 — — — —
Engineering $0.7M #296 14% $0.1M — — — —
Education $0.4M #307 3% $0 13 #285 — —
Business & Economics $0.1M #317 0% $0 — — — —
Computer Science $0.0M #447 0% $0 — — — —
Total $11.2M #298 40% $0.1M 13 #436 — —

Expenditure and funding source: NSF HERD, FY2024. Degrees: IPEDS completions, 2023–24. Students and postdocs: NSF Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates, fall 2024, which covers science, engineering and selected health fields only. An em dash means the source does not report the figure, which is not the same as zero.

Sports NCAA D1

⇅ Athletes ▼ Revenue Expenses Net
Football 112 $11.0M $11.0M $0
Track & Field (combined) 80 $598K $598K $0
Baseball 40 $1.5M $1.5M $0
Basketball 18 $3.0M $3.0M $0
Golf 10 $294K $294K $0
Total 227 $16.4M $16.4M $0
⇅ Athletes ▼ Revenue Expenses Net
Track & Field (combined) 66 $614K $614K $0
Soccer 27 $801K $801K $0
Softball 15 $901K $901K $0
Basketball 14 $1.8M $1.8M $0
Volleyball 12 $1.1M $1.1M $0
Golf 9 $370K $370K $0
Tennis 8 $387K $387K $0
Total 123 $5.9M $5.9M $0
⇅ Athletes ▼ Revenue Expenses Net
Track & Field (combined) 146 $1.2M $1.2M $0
Football 112 $11.0M $11.0M $0
Baseball 40 $1.5M $1.5M $0
Basketball 32 $4.8M $4.8M $0
Soccer 27 $801K $801K $0
Golf 19 $665K $665K $0
Softball 15 $901K $901K $0
Volleyball 12 $1.1M $1.1M $0
Tennis 8 $387K $387K $0
Total 350 $31.3M $31.3M $0

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Equity in Athletics Data Analysis. Each team's revenue and expenses are what the college attributes to it. The Total view's totals row is the department's grand total, which also includes money not attributed to any team; the Male and Female totals rows only add up their teams.

Admissions

Uses Common App Yes
Acceptance Rate 91%
Yield (non-ED) 30%
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 91% 91% 91%

This college’s Common Data Set does not break down admissions by applicant demographics, so in-state, out-of-state, and international applicants share one Regular Decision rate.

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional
Submitted Test Scores 79%
SAT Range 930 – 1130
SAT Math Range 450 – 560
SAT RW Range 480 – 580