10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$184,440at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KY · 70 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 70 · Federal debt reported for 43
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$184,440 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
56.7 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−82%Estimated return after 10 years
$48,952Observed earnings · year 5
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $12,582 housing and food allowance plus $6,188 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$140,480
$8,000Annual price−$172,480
$11,000Current college-wide context−$184,480
$16,000Annual price−$204,480
$24,000Annual price−$236,480
$32,000Annual price−$268,480
$40,000Annual price−$300,480
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Online study is a meaningful part of the student experience.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- City
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
DUAL-ENROLLMENT CONTEXT · 2024
3,127 high-school students took college courses.
IPEDS counts students enrolled in college credit while still in high school. A large dual-enrollment population can shape headline enrollment figures, especially at community colleges.
This is participation, not a college completion rate. It does not indicate how many students later enrolled after high school, earned a credential or entered the workforce.
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in Kentucky run 10% below the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$10,990Average net price / year
$24,188Cost of attendance
$22,095Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$234/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$48,952Median earnings · year 5 after completion
55.6%Completion rate
93.9%Admission rate
971Average SAT score
12,155Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about Western Kentucky University
What does Western Kentucky University cost?
Western Kentucky University reports an average annual net price of $10,990 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do Western Kentucky University graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $48,952 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do Western Kentucky University graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $22,095. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at Western Kentucky University worth the same?
No. The current release contains 70 field-and-degree records for Western Kentucky University; 70 report year-4 earnings and 43 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
19,534Students enrolled at any point
16,700Undergraduate students
2,834Graduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
45% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
1,890 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
44% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$39,445Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$45,713Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$49,444Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income35%
Middle income52%
Higher income63%
Undergraduate student composition
White74%
Black9%
Hispanic7%
Asian3%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$40,545Year 1
$53,602Year 4
$48,952Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$112,4552Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Doctoral Degree$112,1793Mechanical Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$86,6244Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's Degree$86,0335Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$85,7726Finance and Financial Management Services · Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma$85,6347Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions · Doctoral Degree$84,6808Construction Engineering Technology/Technician · Bachelor's Degree$84,057Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1Finance and Financial Management ServicesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma · $85,634 reported+60%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt2Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma · $38,962 reported+25%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3Geological and Earth Sciences/GeosciencesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma · $76,463 reported+21%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt4Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's Degree · $45,957 reported+11%vs same-degree national median$27,000federal debt5Industrial Production Technologies/TechniciansBachelor's Degree · $86,033 reported+6%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt6Business Administration, Management and OperationsUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma · $49,760 reported+5%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt
Comparable colleges in KY
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Richmond, KY
Eastern Kentucky University
- Annual net price
- $11,040
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $49,636
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -79%
Morehead State University
- Annual net price
- $9,793
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $46,860
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -92%
Murray State University
- Annual net price
- $9,096
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $47,259
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -90%
Jefferson Community and Technical College
- Annual net price
- $6,376
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $48,567
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -83%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 70 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $112,455 | Not available | 20 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Doctoral Degree | $112,179 | Not available | 7 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $86,624 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $86,033 | Not available | Not reported |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $85,772 | Not available | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $85,634 | Not available | 67 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Doctoral Degree | $84,680 | Not available | 34 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | Bachelor's Degree | $84,057 | $29,000 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $78,094 | Not available | Not reported |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $76,463 | Not available | 8 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Associate's Degree | $75,959 | $21,000 | Not reported |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $75,732 | $22,100 | Not reported |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $74,452 | $21,500 | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $73,496 | $26,330 | Not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $73,300 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $71,274 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | Bachelor's Degree | $71,240 | $26,823 | Not reported |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Master's Degree | $71,024 | Not available | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $70,313 | $19,500 | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $69,436 | Not available | Not reported |
| Management Information Systems and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $68,333 | Not available | Not reported |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $68,051 | $19,500 | 1 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $66,066 | Not available | Not reported |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $64,710 | Not available | Not reported |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $60,222 | $23,250 | 0 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Bachelor's Degree | $60,103 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $59,362 | $25,320 | 32 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $57,958 | $23,199 | Not reported |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $57,844 | $19,500 | Not reported |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $57,271 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | Master's Degree | $57,109 | Not available | Not reported |
| Social Work | Master's Degree | $56,628 | Not available | Not reported |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Master's Degree | $55,249 | Not available | Not reported |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $54,396 | $24,593 | 11 |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $54,333 | $20,500 | Not reported |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Bachelor's Degree | $53,921 | Not available | Not reported |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | Bachelor's Degree | $53,839 | $25,000 | 6 |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $52,487 | $22,500 | 1 |
| Library Science and Administration | Master's Degree | $52,390 | Not available | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Master's Degree | $51,451 | Not available | Not reported |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Search every Western Kentucky University program record →Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.