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Bowling Green, KY 42101-1000
p. 270-745-0111
w. www.wku.edu
Western Kentucky University
General Information, Alumni, History, Campus, Students, Faculty, Address, and Tuition
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Information Summary
Ranks 843rd overall and 10th in Kentucky
| Overall Score
On StateUniversity.com (about) |
77.1 |
|---|---|
| Total Cost
On-Campus Attendance |
$14,510 |
| Admission
Success rate |
96% |
| ACT / SAT
75 %ile scores |
24 / 1060 |
| Student Ratio
Ratio of students to faculty |
19 : 1 |
| Retention
(Full-Time / Part-Time) |
72% / 43% |
| Enrollment
Total (all students) |
18,660 |
Demographics – Main Campus and Surrounding Areas
Reported area around or near Bowling Green, KY 42101-1000
| Surrounding community | Small city (inside urban area, pop. under 100,000) |
|---|---|
| Total Population | 49,351 (31,717 urban / 17,634 rural) |
| Households | 18,142 (2.45 people per house) |
| Families | 11,303 (3.0 people per family) |
| Pop. — African American | 6,201 |
| Pop. — Asian | 830 |
| Pop. — Pacific Islander | 136 |
| Pop. — American Indian / Alaskan Native | 388 |
| Pop. — White (incl. Hispanic) | 41,423 |
| Pop. — Other | 1,321 |
Carnegie Foundation Classification
Master's Colleges and Universities (larger programs)
| Undergraduate | Balanced arts & sciences/professions, some graduate coexistence |
|---|---|
| Graduate | Postbaccalaureate comprehensive |
| Undergraduate Population | Full-time four-year, selective, higher transfer-in |
| Enrollment | Very high undergraduate |
| Size & Setting | Large four-year, primarily residential |
General Characteristics
| Highest offering | Doctoral degree |
|---|---|
| Calendar System | Semester |
| Years of college work required | N/A |
| Variable Tuition |
Special Learning Opportunities
| Distance Learning | |
|---|---|
| ROTC — Army / Navy / Air Force | |
| Study Abroad | |
| Weekend College | |
| Teacher Certification |
Student Tuition Costs and Fees
What are the typical tuition costs and fees for attending Western Kentucky University?
Ranks 1292nd for total cost of attendance
| In District | In State | Out of State | |
|---|---|---|---|
| FT Undergraduate Tuition | $6,416 | $6,416 | $15,470 |
| FT Undergraduate Required Fees | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| PT Undergraduate per Credit Hour | $267 | $267 | $645 |
| FT Graduate Tuition | $7,014 | $7,014 | $7,678 |
| FT Graduate Required Fees | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| PT Graduate per Credit Hour | $351 | $351 | $384 |
| Total Cost of Attendance — On-Campus | $14,510 | $14,510 | $23,564 |
| Total Cost of Attendance — Off-Campus w/out Family | $7,216 | $7,216 | $16,270 |
| Total Cost of Attendance — Off-Campus with Family | $7,216 | $7,216 | $16,270 |
Student Tuition Cost History and Trends
Three year history and trends on the cost of attending
| In District | In State | Out of State | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published Tuition & Fees | $5,316 |
$5,316 |
$12,732 |
| Cost (regardless of residency) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Books & Supplies | $800 |
||
| On-Campus – Room & Board | $5,044 |
||
| On-Campus – Other Expenses | $1,600 |
||
| Off-Campus w/out Family – Room & Board | N/A |
||
| Off-Campus w/out Family – Other Expenses | N/A |
||
| Off-Campus with Family – Room & Board | N/A |
||
Admission Details
| Application Fee Required | N/A |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate Application Fee | $35 |
| Graduate Application Fee | $35 |
| First Professional Application Fee | N/A |
| Applicants | 6,857 (2,945 male / 3,912 female) |
| Admitted | 6,564 (2,822 male / 3,742 female) |
| Admission rate | 96% |
| First-time Enrollment | 3,121 (1,335 male / 1,786 female) |
| FT Enrollment | 3,027 (1,300 male / 1,727 female) |
| PT Enrollment | 94 (35 male / 59 female) |
| Total Enrollment | 18,660 |
Admission Criteria
What criteria does Western Kentucky University use for admissions?
| Open Admissions | |
|---|---|
| Secondary School GPA / Rank / Record | |
| College Prep. Completion | |
| Recommendations | N/A |
| Formal competency demo | N/A |
| Admission test scores | |
| TOEFL | |
| Other tests | N/A |
Admission Credits Accepted
What types of credits does Western Kentucky University accept?
| Dual Credit | |
|---|---|
| Life Experience | |
| Advanced Placement (AP) |
Athletics - Association Memberships
| Sports / Athletic Conference Memberships | NCAA |
|---|---|
| NCAA Football Conference | Sun Belt Conference |
| NCAA Basketball Conference | Sun Belt Conference |
| NCAA Baseball Conference | Sun Belt Conference |
| NCAA Track & Field Conference | Sun Belt Conference |
ACT Test Admission
Ranks 839th for 75pctl scores
| Applicants submitting ACT results | 91% |
|---|---|
| Verbal scores (25/75 %ile) | 18 / 25 |
| Math scores (25/75 %ile) | 17 / 24 |
| Cumulative scores (25/75 %ile) | 18 / 24 |
SAT Test Admission
Ranks 1043rd for 75pctl scores
| Applicants submitting SAT results | 4% |
|---|---|
| Verbal scores (25/75 %ile) | 440 / 540 |
| Math scores (25/75 %ile) | 410 / 520 |
| Cumulative scores (25/75 %ile) | 850 / 1060 |
Student Services
| Remedial Services | |
|---|---|
| Academic / Career Counseling | |
| PT Cost-defraying Employment | |
| Career Placement | |
| On-Campus Day Care | |
| Library Facility |
Student Living
| First-time Room / Board Required | |
|---|---|
| Dorm Capacity | 4,957 |
| Meals per Week | 19 |
| Room Fee | $3,350 |
| Board Fee | $2,344 |
Student Financial Aid Details
How many students use Financial Aid, and how much do they use?
Western Kentucky University Ranks 2511th for the average student loan amount.
| Average | Users | % of Attendees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Grant Aid | $2,883 | 1,011 | |
| State & Local Grant Aid | $2,228 | 2,435 | |
| Institutional Grant Aid | $3,484 | 751 | |
| Student Loan Aid | $4,149 | 1,343 | |
| Any financial aid type | 2,836 |
Student Enrollment Demographics
How many students are enrolled at Western Kentucky University?
| Men | Women | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
Non Resident Alien | 410 | 335 | 745 |
Black Non-Hispanic | 643 | 979 | 1,622 |
Hispanic | 84 | 137 | 221 |
Asian / Pacific Islander | 57 | 81 | 138 |
American Indian / Alaskan Native | 16 | 37 | 53 |
White Non-Hispanic | 6,159 | 9,385 | 15,544 |
Race Unknown | 165 | 172 | 337 |
| Total | 7,534 | 11,126 | 18,660 |
Student Graduation Demographics
How many students graduated at Western Kentucky University?
| Men | Women | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
Non Resident Alien | 7 | 6 | 13 |
Black Non-Hispanic | 99 | 149 | 248 |
Hispanic | 9 | 14 | 23 |
Asian / Pacific Islander | 14 | 14 | 28 |
American Indian / Alaskan Native | 1 | 3 | 4 |
White Non-Hispanic | 897 | 1,248 | 2,145 |
Race Unknown | 6 | 10 | 16 |
| Total | 1,033 | 1,444 | 2,477 |
Most Popular Fields of Study
The top 5 fields of study completed at Western Kentucky University.
| Men | Women | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 224 | 234 | |
| 73 | 148 | 221 | |
| 16 | 178 | 194 | |
| 83 | 73 | 156 | |
| 27 | 92 | 119 |
Student Completion / Graduation Demographics
How many students are successful graduates?
Faculty Compensation / Salaries
Western Kentucky University Ranks 1354th for the average full-time faculty salary.
| Tenure system | |
|---|---|
| Average FT Salary | $56,206 ($60,759 male / $50,579 female) |
| Number of FT Faculty | 720 (398 male / 322 female) |
| Number of PT Faculty | 461 |
| FT Faculty Ratio | 2 : 1 |
| Total Benefits | $13,436,893 |
Local News for Western Kentucky University
Student-run taxi service fills in late night gap September 29th
Students at Western Kentucky University have put their own nighttimetaxi service in drive while a similar university-sponsored service hasbeen left in park.<br /><br />Hodgenville sophomore Zac Newton, Bardstownfreshmen Devon Hilderbrandt and Ryan Holland created Topper Taxi toprovide students with transportation to Bowling Green locations atnight for a fee. They created the service in the wake of Provide-A-Rideservices being suspended.
Through the haze: Western Kentucky U. recognizes National Hazing Prevention Week September 25th
On the night of Sept. 16, 2004, Gordie Bailey, then a freshman at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and 26 fellow pledges of Chi Psi fraternity were taken blindfolded to the Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests, where they were told to drink four 1.75 liter bottles of whiskey and six 1.5 liter bottles of wine in 30 minutes. After the group returned to the fraternity house, Bailey was intoxicated. He was placed on a couch and left to sleep it off. He never woke up.
Western Kentucky University Summary
The following paragraph provided courtesy of wikipedia.
Western Kentucky University (WKU) is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky. This institution moved to Bowling Green in 1884 and became the Southern Normal School and Business College. The student body and building were transferred to the Western Kentucky State Normal School, when it was created by an act of the Kentucky General Assembly in 1906. In 1922, the school was authorized by the state to grant four-year degrees and was renamed as Western Kentucky State Normal School and Teachers College. Another name change took place in 1948, when the school became more simply Western Kentucky State College. Bowling Green Business University had originally been a part of the Southern Normal School and had been sold off by Henry Hardin Cherry when Southen Normal School was transferred to the state. In 1966, Western Kentucky State College became Western Kentucky University. The school’s twice-weekly newspaper, the College Heights Herald, regularly wins awards placing it among the top college newspapers in the nation, and even competes against commercial newspapers in the state’s Associated Press competition. On November 2, 2006, the WKU Board of Regents voted to approve a proposal by the school’s president to move the football program to Division I-A in the Sun Belt Conference. Non-traditional students (undergraduates aged 25 and older) make up 22% of the undergraduate student body. WKU draws most of its students from within the state, with 17% of undergraduates and 23% of graduate students normally resident outside of Kentucky. Fraternities Sororities The Western Student Government Association (SGA) is made up of three branches, the Executive Cabinet, the Student Senate, and the Judicial Council. All members of the student body are members of the Student Government Association and have the right to vote in SGA elections. The Executive Cabinet is composed of a President, Executive Vice President, Administrative Vice President, Chief of Staff, Director of Academic and Student Affairs, Director of Public Relations, and the Director of Information Technology. The President, Executive Vice President, and Administrative Vice President are elected by the student body each spring, the other positions are chosen by the President after his or her election. The Student Senate is composed of student senators, the Secretary of the Senate, the parliamentatian, the sergeant at arms, and its leader, the Speaker of the Senate.
Western Kentucky University Academics
Western Kentucky University is unique in its study options. The university has disability services as well, so be sure to inquire about them if needed. There’s never a reason to feel alone in your studies either, since there are academic support services like Extensive Undergraduate Evening or Early Morning Classes, Learning Center, Pre-Admission Summer Program, Reduced Course Load, Remedial Instruction, Study Skills Assistance, Tutoring and Writing Center. For instance, the university has a Distance Learning, Double Major, Dual Enrollment of High School Students, ESL, External Degree Program, Honors Program, Independent Study, Internships, New York Semester, ROTC, Air Force, ROTC, Army, Student-Designed Major, Study Abroad, Teacher Certification, Visiting/Exchange Student Program and Washington Semester. Additionally, when any student is looking for some counseling or other types of support, Adult (re-entering) student services, Alcohol/Substance Abuse Counseling, Campus Ministries/Chaplain, Career Counseling, Economically Disadvantaged Student Services, Employment Service, Financial Aid Counseling, Freshman Orientation Program, Health Services, Minority Student Services, On-Campus Daycare, Personal Counseling, Placement Service, Veterans Counselor and Women’s Services can help.
The following are the types of degrees and majors offered at Western Kentucky University.
- Philosphy and Religion:
- Philosophy, Religion/Religious Studies
- Mathematics:
- Mathematics – General
- Communications & Journalism:
- Advertising, Communications/Rhetoric, Journalism, Organizational Communication, Political Communications, Public Relations, Radio/Television
- History:
- History – General
- Health and Clinical Sciences:
- Clinical Laboratory Science, Community Health Services, Dental Hygiene, Emergency Medical Technology, Health System Administration, Medical Records Technology, Nursing (RN)
- Foreign Language and Literature:
- French, German, Spanish
- English Language and Literature:
- English, English Language & Literature – General
- Popular majors:
- fifty-six percent health professions, nineteen percent liberal arts, ten percent business per marketing, seven percent education, nineteen percent education, sixteen percent business per marketing, eleven percent communications per journalism, nine percent liberal arts, nine percent social sciences, six percent health professions
- Parks, Recreation, and Fitness:
- Parks/Leisure Facilities Management
- Public Administration and Service:
- Social Work
- Social Sciences:
- Anthropology, Cartography, Economics, Geography, Political Science/Government, Social Sciences – General, Sociology
- Physical Sciences:
- Chemistry, Geology, Meteorology, Physics
- School of Visual and Performing Arts:
- Arts – General, Drama/Theater Arts, Fine/Studio Arts, Music – General
- Education:
- Art Teacher Education, Business Teacher Education, Early Childhood Education, Education of Speech Impaired, Elementary Education, Family/Consumer Sciences – Education, Junior High Education, Kindergarten/Preschool Education, Physical Education, Special Education, Trade/Industrial Education
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences:
- Biochemistry, Biology, Molecular Genetics
- Computer Science:
- Computer/Information Sciences – General, Data Processing Technology
- Psychology:
- Psychology – General
- Business, Management, & Marketing:
- Accounting, Business Administration/Management, Business/Managerial Economics, Executive Assistant, Finance/Banking, Financial Planning, Hospitality Administration/Management, Management Information Systems, Marketing Management, Real Estate
Again, for international students, the application fee is 35. The cost per credit hour (overall) was $524 Cost & Savings Calculator Financial Aid International students eligible for non-need-based aid last fall. Are you an international student? The Fall application deadline for international students is the 1st of April.
Western Kentucky University Admissions
Admission policy is currently Percent applicants admitted: 92%, Open admission, but with selective admission to some programs and Percent of students who return for sophomore year: 73%. Remember that this can change at any time. This school requires an application fee consisting of thirty-five dollars regular application fee, thirty-five dollars out-of-state application fee, thirty-five dollars online application fee and point zero . Transfer student are not ignored. For example, there were one thousand, nine hundred and fifty-four total number of transfer students who applied and one thousand, six hundred and fifty total number of transfer students who were admitted.
For all student applicants, the Fall application deadline is the 1st of April. SAT and ACT score reports are due the 1st of August and It is also very important to submit financial aid applications as quickly as possible, make sure to check with the university about the specific date for this year. For priority students, financial aid applications are due no later than the 1st of April. The regular application is due the 1st of August. Will you make it in time? Make sure to know when all the due dates and deadlines take place. the SAT subject section score is due the 1st of August.
Western Kentucky University Financial Aid
Financial aid forms are FAFSA. If you are not a need based student, non-need distribution for financial aid is determined by Academics, Art, Music/Drama, Athletics, Minority Status, Religious Affiliation, ROTC, Alumni Affiliation, Job Skills, Leadership and State/District Residency. Financial aid for students is readily accessible at this school. Likewise, need based financial aid distribution is determined through Academics, Art, Music/Drama, Athletics, Minority Status, Religious Affiliation, ROTC, Alumni Affiliation, Job Skills, Leadership and State/District Residency. Financial aid distribution is at fifty-one percent scholarships per grants and forty-nine percent loans per jobs.
Western Kentucky University Students
The school’s size is approximately fifteen thousand, three hundred and forty-one degree-seeking undergrads, three thousand, one hundred and fifty first-time degree-seeking freshmen and two thousand, six hundred and sixty-seven graduate enrollment. Furthermore, it is part of an Suburban setting, Small city (50,000 – 249,999) and Commuter campus. Western Kentucky University offers Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees. In addition, the student body consists of eighty-four percent in-state students, sixteen percent out-of-state students, four percent part-time students, fifty-six percent women, forty-four percent men, less than one percent american indian per alaskan native, one percent asian per pacific islander, eleven percent black per non-hispanic, one percent hispanic, eighty-five percent white per non-hispanic, two percent non-resident alien, one percent race per ethnicity unreported, fifteen percent in top 10th of graduating class, thirty-six percent in top quarter of graduating class, sixty-seven percent in top half of graduating class, eighteen percent had h.s. gpa of 3.75 and higher, fifteen percent had h.s. gpa between 3.5 and 3.74, thirteen percent had h.s. gpa between 3.25 and 3.49, fifteen percent had h.s. gpa between 3.0 and 3.24, twenty-four percent had h.s. gpa between 2.5 and 2.99, ten percent had h.s. gpa between 2.0 and 2.49, four percent had h.s. gpa between 1.0 and 1.99 and one percent had h.s. gpa below 1.0. The university is a Public, University, Four-year, Coed, where 92 percent of the applicants were admitted, Regionally accredited and College Board member.
This school features the Suburban setting, Small city (50,000 – 249,999) and Commuter campus. Besides, the university has many unique facilites such as farm, planetarium. In general, the school is located 110 miles from Louisville; 65 miles from Nashville, Tennessee.Students should note the housing policies: First-Year Students Guaranteed On-Campus Housing, seventy percent of first-year students live in college housing, thirty-two percent of all undergraduates live in college housing, Coed Housing, Men’s Housing, Women’s Housing, Fraternity/Sorority Housing, Special Housing For Disabled Students, Special Housing For International Students, Wellness housing (alcohol/drug/smoke-free), twenty-nine-MAY deadline for housing deposit, one hundred and fifty dollars amount of housing deposit, point zero , and First-time first-year students allowed to have car.
Western Kentucky University Athletics
The following sports can be found here:
- Men’s NCAA Division I, Men’s Intercollegiate, Men’s Club and Men’s Scholarship Baseball
- Men’s NCAA Division I, Women’s NCAA Division I, Men’s Intercollegiate, Women’s Intercollegiate, Men’s Intramural, Women’s Intramural, Men’s Scholarship and Women’s Scholarship Basketball
- Men’s NCAA Division I, Women’s NCAA Division I, Men’s Intercollegiate, Women’s Intercollegiate, Men’s Scholarship and Women’s Scholarship Cross_country
- Men’s NCAA Division IAA, Men’s Intercollegiate and Men’s Scholarship Football
- Men’s NCAA Division I, Women’s NCAA Division I, Men’s Intercollegiate, Women’s Intercollegiate, Men’s Intramural, Women’s Intramural, Men’s Scholarship and Women’s Scholarship Golf
- Men’s Intramural and Women’s Intramural Handball
- Men’s Intramural and Women’s Intramural Racquetball
- Men’s NCAA Division I, Women’s NCAA Division I, Men’s Intercollegiate, Men’s Intramural, Women’s Intramural, Women’s Club and Men’s Scholarship Soccer
- Women’s NCAA Division I, Women’s Intercollegiate, Men’s Intramural, Women’s Intramural, Women’s Club and Women’s Scholarship Softball
- Men’s Intramural and Women’s Intramural Table_tennis
- Men’s Intercollegiate, Women’s Intercollegiate, Men’s Scholarship and Women’s Scholarship Track_and_field
- Men’s NCAA Division I and Women’s NCAA Division I Track_indoor
- Men’s NCAA Division I and Women’s NCAA Division I Track_outdoor
- Women’s NCAA Division I, Women’s Intercollegiate, Men’s Intramural, Women’s Intramural, Men’s Club, Women’s Club and Women’s Scholarship Volleyball
- Men’s Intramural Wrestling


















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