10-yr median earnings
$43,889
Federal aid recipients only
Public · Bowling Green, Kentucky
Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University is a public institution in Bowling Green, Kentucky. as a public institution, published Scorecard outcomes are the federal Title-IV cohort view of former students — not every graduate and not a guarantee for any one enrollee.
- $10,990
- Avg net price / yr
- $43,889
- 10-yr median earnings
- 54.6%
- 150%-time completion
- 93.9%
- Acceptance rate
The verdict
Western Kentucky University pairs above-median former-student earnings with open admission.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
- Top 42%
- former-student earnings, US
- 93.9%
- acceptance rate
- 54.6%
- 150%-time completion
- +15%
- earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Small
Carnegie: Doctoral/Prof
Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.
How to read this Western Kentucky University profile
Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Doctoral/Professional Universities"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.
Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.
Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.
College Value Score
C-
College Value Score
54/100
Western Kentucky University
A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.
Earnings C
$43,889
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price B
$10,990
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate D
54.6%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$22,095
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment C+
65.2%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention C
78.3%
First-year students returning for year two
Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.
Avg net price
$10,990
After grants and scholarships
150%-time completion
54.6%
Full-time, first-time cohort
150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 54.6%
Four-year-institution cohort
College ROI Quadrant - Western Kentucky University vs peers
Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.
How Western Kentucky University ranks nationally
Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.
Western Kentucky University: former-student earnings vs. every US college
10-year median earnings, College Scorecard
$43,889 Top 42% higher than 58% of 5,103 US colleges
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
| Metric | Western Kentucky University | National rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $43,889 | #2136 of 5103 | 58th |
| Average net price | $10,990 | #1311 of 5020 | 74th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 54.6% | #2623 of 4858 | 46th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 12,155 | #271 of 5462 | 95th |
National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.
Quick Facts
12,155
Undergraduate enrollment
93.9%
Acceptance rate
971
SAT average
54.6%
150%-time completion
$43,889
10-yr median earnings
78.3%
First-year retention
How Western Kentucky University ranks in Kentucky
State rank among 70 reporting Kentucky colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.
| Metric | Western Kentucky University | State rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $43,889 | #20 of 70 | 71st |
| Average net price | $10,990 | #28 of 79 | 65th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 54.6% | #32 of 75 | 57th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 12,155 | #4 of 81 | 95th |
Highest former-student earnings in Kentucky
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Centre College | $66,240 | $20,781 |
| 2 | Bellarmine University | $62,069 | $21,499 |
| 3 | Galen College of Nursing-Louisville | $61,480 | $18,540 |
| 4 | Galen College of Nursing-ARH | $61,480 | $21,164 |
| 5 | Galen Health Institutes-Pikeville | $61,480 | $28,475 |
| 6 | Thomas More University | $59,384 | $21,835 |
| 7 | University of Kentucky | $59,025 | $18,851 |
| 8 | Transylvania University | $54,705 | $21,913 |
| 9 | University of Louisville | $53,899 | $17,988 |
| 10 | Georgetown College | $52,074 | $14,095 |
| 11 | Northern Kentucky University | $50,220 | $8,191 |
| 12 | Spalding University | $49,438 | $25,491 |
| 20 | Western Kentucky UniversityThis school | $43,889 | $10,990 |
Admissions
| Admission Rate | 93.9% |
| SAT Average | 971 |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 420 – 520 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 420 – 530 |
| ACT (25th-75th) | 16 – 21 |
Costs & Financial Aid
Net price by family income at Western Kentucky University
Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket
- $0 – $30k
$0 – $30k
$7,087 net price / yr
- $30k – $48k $6,871
$30k – $48k
$6,871 net price / yr
- $48k – $75k
$48k – $75k
$9,765 net price / yr
- $110k+
$110k+
$17,653 net price / yr
What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Western Kentucky University - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.
Tuition & Net Price
| In-State Tuition | $11,652 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $27,000 |
| Average Net Price | $10,990 |
30.5%
Pell Grant Rate
34.7%
Federal Loan Rate
$22,095
Median Debt
$234/mo
Monthly Payment
Net price at Western Kentucky University swings rather than trends
Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $10,470 to $12,776 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as +4.3%, but the years in between do not follow that line, so the honest summary is the range rather than a trend. Budget against the upper end, not the average.
Lowest year
$10,470
Highest year
$12,776
Most recent (2023)
$10,916
11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
2013 · $10,4702023 · $10,916
Over the same years, enrollment went -22.3% (15,780 → 12,267 students).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.
Student Demographics
Race & ethnicity
Student body at a glance
60.3%
Female
35.7%
First Generation
Outcomes
78.3%
Retention Rate
$38,156
Median Earnings (6yr)
55.1%
Earning Over $25K
65.2%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)
Outcomes & debt snapshot
| Measure | Cohort / horizon | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Completion within 150% of normal time | First-time, full-time | 54.6% |
| First-year retention | First-time, full-time freshmen | 78.3% |
| Median earnings | 6 years after entry | $38,156 |
| Median earnings | 10 years after entry | $43,889 |
| Share earning over $25,000 | Working, not enrolled | 55.1% |
| Loan repayment rate | Completers, 3 years after leaving | 65.2% |
| Median federal student debt | At completion | $22,095 |
| Estimated monthly payment | Standard 10-year plan | $234/mo |
Programs & Earnings
Field-of-study summary by credential
| Credential | Programs | Award count | Avg earnings | Top earnings | Avg debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 55 | 2,746 | $55,474 | $86,624 | $23,184 |
| Master's | 16 | 594 | $62,661 | $112,455 | $29,941 |
| Certificate | 5 | 64 | $63,377 | $85,634 | - |
| Associate's | 4 | 155 | $60,918 | $75,959 | $13,349 |
| Doctoral | 3 | 19 | $98,430 | $112,179 | $76,624 |
| Graduate Certificate | 2 | 12 | - | - | - |
Top programs at Western Kentucky University by completer earnings
Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file
- Registered Nursing, Nursin…
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
$112,455 median earnings
- Registered Nursing, Nursin…
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
$112,179 median earnings
- Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
$86,624 median earnings
- Industrial Production Tech…
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
$86,033 median earnings
- Electrical, Electronics, a…
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
$85,772 median earnings
- Finance and Financial Mana…
Finance and Financial Management Services
$85,634 median earnings
- Rehabilitation and Therape…
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
$84,680 median earnings
- Construction Engineering T…
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
$84,057 median earnings
What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.
Nearby Schools
PJ's College of Cosmetology-Bowling Green
Bowling Green, KY
219 students
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College
Bowling Green, KY
3,308 students
Ross Medical Education Center-Bowling Green
Bowling Green, KY
57 students
Regina Webb Academy
Bowling Green, KY
23 students
Lindsey Institute of Cosmetology
Bowling Green, KY
56 students
Explore Data-Matched Colleges
Matches use Scorecard measures among reporting colleges — not state-system recommendations or geographic proximity.
Similar Enrollment and Sector
Other Public institutions closest in reported enrollment, preferring the same Carnegie classification.
Similar Reported Net Price
Other Public institutions with the nearest reported average net price.
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$10,990 net price · $0 apart
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Western Kentucky University? ▼
Western Kentucky University is a public institution in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The acceptance rate is 93.9%. The average SAT score is 971. Undergraduate enrollment is 12,155 students.
How much do Western Kentucky University former students earn? ▼
Federally aided former students at Western Kentucky University who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $43,889 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $38,156.
How much does Western Kentucky University cost? ▼
The average net price at Western Kentucky University is $10,990. In-state tuition is $11,652 and out-of-state tuition is $27,000. Median student debt at graduation is $22,095.
What is the graduation rate at Western Kentucky University? ▼
Western Kentucky University has a 54.6% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 78.3%.
Is Western Kentucky University worth the student debt? ▼
The median student debt at Western Kentucky University is $22,095, while former students earn a median of $43,889 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 50% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 65.2% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $234.
Sources & methodology
Public-college profiles lean on IPEDS enrollment and Scorecard Title-IV outcomes. State appropriations are outside this page; the figures below are the federal cohort measures only.
Every number is read live from the Mar–Jul 2026 Scorecard/IPEDS retrievals. Public institutions often enroll large Title-IV cohorts, so medians can be stable — still cohort averages, never a personal forecast. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education - former-student earnings, cost & completion (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics - enrollment, admissions, Carnegie class & demographics (nces.ed.gov/ipeds).
- U.S. Treasury / IRS earnings linkage - median earnings 6 & 10 years after enrollment for federal-aid recipients (irs.gov).
- College Scorecard, Field of Study - program-level (credential) earnings & debt (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- Federal Student Aid (Title IV / NSLDS) - U.S. Department of Education - net price, student debt & aid-recipient repayment outcomes (studentaid.gov).
Where to go next from Western Kentucky University
- Compare Western Kentucky University against schools with similar outcomes at a lower average net price.Find similar schools that cost less
- Browse every reporting college in Kentucky side by side.Browse Kentucky
- See how fields of study differ on former-student earnings and debt.Explore programs
Public-college Scorecard figures are historical Title-IV cohort averages — confirm current tuition, aid, and admissions rules with the institution before deciding.
Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Public-institution profiles compile Scorecard Title-IV earnings, IPEDS enrollment/admissions, and Treasury linkage fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.