Covering Innovation & Inequality in Education
This year at Western Kentucky University, we project that on average students will pay $13,589, while the advertised price of attendance is $28,689. That’s a difference of $15,100.
| Year | Net in-state price at Western Kentucky University | In-state sticker price at Western Kentucky University | Out-of-state sticker price at Western Kentucky University |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-26 | $13,589 | $28,689 | $44,603 |
| 24-25 | $13,156 | $27,774 | $43,514 |
| 23-24 | $12,736 | $26,888 | $42,452 |
| 22-23 | $12,054 | $25,448 | $41,336 |
| 21-22 | $12,625 | $24,815 | $40,823 |
| 20-21 | $12,395 | $23,932 | $39,626 |
| 19-20 | $12,705 | $22,269 | $37,963 |
| 18-19 | $12,174 | $21,840 | $37,608 |
| 17-18 | $12,486 | $21,496 | $36,806 |
| 16-17 | $11,817 | $20,522 | $35,402 |
| 15-16 | $11,409 | $19,721 | $34,371 |
| 14-15 | $10,638 | $19,144 | $33,356 |
| 13-14 | $11,072 | $18,822 | $32,348 |
How much a student actually pays usually depends, at least in part, on their family's household income. At Western Kentucky University this year, we project students with incomes over $110K will pay around $20,970, while students with incomes below $30K will pay around $11,358. That's a difference of $9,612.
| Income bracket | Projected net price at Western Kentucky University |
|---|---|
| <$30K | $11,358 |
| $30K-$48K | $18,741 |
| $48K-$75K | $19,635 |
| $75K-$110K | $20,540 |
| >$110K | $20,970 |
A school’s graduation rate can indicate how likely a student is to complete their degree. At Western Kentucky University, over the last five years 55% of students earned their bachelor’s degree within six years of enrolling.
Students from different demographic backgrounds often graduate at different rates, so it can be helpful to look beyond the overall graduation rate. This chart shows how students of different races and ethnicities fare earning their degrees at Western Kentucky University.
| Demographic category | Graduation rate at Western Kentucky University | National average |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 21% | 31% |
| Asian | 64% | 45% |
| Black | 31% | 34% |
| Hispanic | 47% | 41% |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 53% | 28% |
| White | 59% | 50% |
| Multiple races | 40% | 37% |
| Unknown race | 40% | 37% |
Student retention, or how often students return to continue their degree after completing their first year, is another helpful indicator. Over the last five years, at Western Kentucky University, about 75% of full-time students returned the following fall to continue their degree.
The size and demographic makeup of a school’s student body can have a large impact on a student’s experience. Western Kentucky University has 19,863 students, which puts it in the {SIZE_PERCENTILE} percentile of public, 4-year schools.
About 63% of students are female.
And about 77% of students are white.