Western Kentucky University
Academics
How strong are the academics at Western Kentucky University?
Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.
19:1
Student to faculty ratio
24
Average class size
44%
4-year grad rate
Class Sizes
Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.
WKU has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 19:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.
Class Sizes
Most Common
10-19
2-9
326
10-19
504
20-29
459
30-39
291
40-49
158
50-99
70
100+
12
Honors Programs
Western Kentucky University has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.
Learn more about honors options on WKU's website.
Outcomes
It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Western Kentucky University:
78%
First-year retention rate
44%
4-year grad rate
58%
6-year grad rate
Majors
Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Western Kentucky University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:
Business Administration and Management, General
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
General Studies
Psychology, General
Elementary Education and Teaching
100
116.8
133.6
150.4
167.2
184
The Full List
Major
Graduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields
- Agriculture, General 54
- Agriculture, General 54
- AGRICULTURAL / ANIMAL / PLANT / VETERINARY SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS 54
Architecture And Related Services
- Architectural Technology/Technician 24
Area
- Asian Studies/Civilization 2
- Asian Studies/Civilization 2
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General 94
- Biochemistry 15
- Molecular Genetics 4
Business
- Business Administration and Management, General 184
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General 107
- Finance, General 69
- Accounting 56
- Construction Management, General 36
- Organizational Leadership 36
- Hospitality Administration/Management, General 27
- Business/Managerial Economics 20
- International Business/Trade/Commerce 10
- Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies 5
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General 1
- Organizational Leadership 1
- Business Administration and Management, General 1
Communication
- Broadcast Journalism 29
- Public Relations/Image Management 27
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric 22
- Advertising 20
- Radio and Television 16
- Journalism 16
- Public Relations/Image Management 8
- Organizational Communication, General 6
- Advertising 4
- Photojournalism 4
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric 4
- Organizational Communication, General 2
- Journalism 1
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
- Information Technology 50
- Computer Science 29
Education
- Elementary Education and Teaching 114
- Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 20
- Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching 17
- Family and Consumer Sciences/Home Economics Teacher Education 14
- Special Education and Teaching, General 13
- Early Childhood Education and Teaching 8
- Teacher Education, Multiple Levels 7
- Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching 1
- Teacher Education, Multiple Levels 0
- Education/Teaching of the Gifted and Talented 0
Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering 44
- Civil Engineering, General 28
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering 23
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
- Industrial Technology/Technician 25
- Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Technician 13
English Language And Literature/Letters
- English Language and Literature, General 33
- English Language and Literature/Letters, Other 3
- English Language and Literature, General 2
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
- Apparel and Textiles, General 47
Foreign Languages
- Spanish Language and Literature 16
- Spanish Language and Literature 9
- Chinese Language and Literature 8
- Chinese Language and Literature 2
- Arabic Language and Literature 2
- Arabic Language and Literature 2
Health Professions And Related Programs
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 146
- Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 61
- Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 61
- HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS 61
- Health/Health Care Administration/Management 58
- Communication Sciences and Disorders, General 34
- Dental Hygiene/Hygienist 31
- Health Information/Medical Records Administration/Administrator 9
- Community Health and Preventive Medicine 9
- Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist 6
- Environmental Health 6
History
- History, General 27
- History, General 8
Legal Professions And Studies
- Legal Assistant/Paralegal 7
- Legal Assistant/Paralegal 4
- Legal Studies 3
- Non-Professional Legal Studies 3
- LEGAL PROFESSIONS AND STUDIES 3
Liberal Arts And Sciences
- General Studies 137
Mathematics And Statistics
- Mathematics, General 9
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
- Business Analytics 31
- Business Analytics 9
- Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis 6
- Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis 2
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 1
Natural Resources And Conservation
- Environmental Studies 17
- Environmental Studies 4
Parks
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology 65
- Sports Studies 50
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General 12
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General 1
- Sports Studies 1
Philosophy And Religious Studies
- Religion/Religious Studies 4
- Religion/Religious Studies 1
Physical Sciences
- Chemistry, General 13
- Geology/Earth Science, General 11
- Meteorology 5
- Physics, General 4
- Chemistry, General 2
- Physical Sciences, General 1
Psychology
- Psychology, General 129
- Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 36
- Psychology, General 16
- Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 1
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
- Social Work 89
Social Sciences
- Criminology 97
- Political Science and Government, General 30
- Sociology, General 28
- Criminology 21
- Sociology, General 17
- Political Science and Government, General 17
- Anthropology, General 16
- Social Sciences, General 10
- International Relations and Affairs 9
- Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 8
- Economics, General 8
- International Relations and Affairs 6
- Anthropology, General 4
- Economics, General 2
- Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 1
Visual And Performing Arts
- Fine/Studio Arts, General 49
- Music Performance, General 21
- Cinematography and Film/Video Production 17
- Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other 17
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 14
- Dance, General 10
- Music, Other 10
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation 2
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 2
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation 1
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