Western Kentucky University

Bowling Green, Kentucky · Public

Of 72 assessed programs, 70 leave graduates out-earning a typical Kentucky high-school graduate (about $35,424/yr) and 2 fall short. Another 130 could not be assessed.

What would this cost you?

My family earns and I expect to take

Family income	Net price per year
Under $30k	$7,087
$30k to $48k	$6,871
$48k to $75k	$9,765
$75k to $110k	$14,049
$110k and up	$17,653
All families (average)	$10,990

Net price is the yearly cost after grants and scholarships, by family income (College Scorecard). It reflects students who received federal aid.

Program earnings vs a high-school graduate

Earnings are measured four years after completion when available. Where four-year earnings are suppressed, one-year earnings are shown and marked 1-year earnings. One-year and four-year figures reflect different career stages and should not be compared as if measured at the same time.

72 of 202 programs could be assessed 36% have an earnings verdict

Programs by earnings versus a typical Kentucky high-school graduate.
Program	Degree	Median earnings	vs a high-school grad	Verdict	Median debt	Years to repay	Recent completers
Business Administration	Bachelor's Degree	$59,362	+$23,938	clears the bar	$20,820	0.9 yrs	209
Nursing	Bachelor's Degree	$73,496	+$38,072	clears the bar	$22,647	0.6 yrs	170
Business Administration	Master's Degree	$69,436	+$34,012	clears the bar	$25,269	0.7 yrs	161
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$46,583	+$11,159	clears the bar	$26,000	2.3 yrs	138
Marketing	Bachelor's Degree	$60,222	+$24,798	clears the bar	$21,500	0.9 yrs	136
Teacher Education (by level)	Bachelor's Degree	$38,656	+$3,232	clears the bar	$22,168	6.9 yrs	131
Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	$44,848	+$9,424	clears the bar	$22,337	2.4 yrs	118
Kinesiology and Physical Education	Bachelor's Degree	$54,396	+$18,972	clears the bar	$22,870	1.2 yrs	116
Nursing	Associate's Degree	$75,959	+$40,535	clears the bar	$11,395	0.3 yrs	111
Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$52,487	+$17,063	clears the bar	$20,822	1.2 yrs	102
Public Relations and Advertising	Bachelor's Degree	$53,839	+$18,415	clears the bar	$25,000	1.4 yrs	87
Social Work	Bachelor's Degree	$48,771	+$13,347	clears the bar	$21,827	1.6 yrs	87
Criminology	Bachelor's Degree	$45,124	+$9,700	clears the bar	$25,815	2.7 yrs	83
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology	Master's Degree	$55,249	+$19,825	clears the bar	$42,706	2.2 yrs	82
Finance	Bachelor's Degree	$70,313	+$34,889	clears the bar	$19,500	0.6 yrs	78
Accounting	Bachelor's Degree	$71,274	+$35,850	clears the bar	$22,772	0.6 yrs	74
Agriculture, General	Bachelor's Degree	$51,065	+$15,641	clears the bar	$22,500	1.4 yrs	73
Healthcare Administration	Bachelor's Degree	$60,103	+$24,679	clears the bar	$27,000	1.1 yrs	72
Fine Arts	Bachelor's Degree	$45,957	+$10,533	clears the bar	$27,000	2.6 yrs	63
Computer and Information Science	Bachelor's Degree	$73,300	+$37,876	clears the bar	$18,836	0.5 yrs	60
Journalism	Bachelor's Degree	$47,661	+$12,237	clears the bar	$23,250	1.9 yrs	59
Health Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	$57,271	+$21,847	clears the bar	$19,500	0.9 yrs	53
Social Work	Master's Degree	$56,628	+$21,204	clears the bar	$24,648	1.2 yrs	49
Mechanical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$86,624	+$51,200	clears the bar	$26,688	0.5 yrs	46
Teacher Education (by subject)	Bachelor's Degree	$40,838	+$5,414	clears the bar	$26,887	5.0 yrs	45
Teacher Education (by level)	Master's Degree	$49,133	+$13,709	clears the bar	$30,207	2.2 yrs	44
Political Science	Bachelor's Degree	$54,333	+$18,909	clears the bar	$20,500	1.1 yrs	41
Communications and Media	Bachelor's Degree	$50,392	+$14,968	clears the bar	$23,000	1.5 yrs	40
Apparel and Textiles	Bachelor's Degree	$45,420	+$9,996	clears the bar	$27,000	2.7 yrs	40
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Associate's Degree	$45,877	+$10,453	clears the bar	$15,303	1.5 yrs	40
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management	Master's Degree	$57,109	+$21,685	clears the bar	$41,000	1.9 yrs	38
Economics	Bachelor's Degree	$68,051	+$32,627	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	38
Sociology	Bachelor's Degree	$43,520	+$8,096	clears the bar	$26,000	3.2 yrs	38
Music	Bachelor's Degree	$38,377	+$2,953	clears the bar	$25,000	8.5 yrs	38
Special Education	Master's Degree	$51,391	+$15,967	clears the bar	$21,593	1.4 yrs	37
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians	Bachelor's Degree	$86,033	+$50,609	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	37
Counseling Psychology	Master's Degree	$47,567	+$12,143	clears the bar	$41,000	3.4 yrs	37
Civil Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$75,732	+$40,308	clears the bar	$21,200	0.5 yrs	33
English	Bachelor's Degree	$40,616	+$5,192	clears the bar	$20,500	3.9 yrs	33
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology	Bachelor's Degree	$57,844	+$22,420	clears the bar	$19,500	0.9 yrs	33
Business Administration	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$49,760	+$14,336	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	32
Hospitality Management	Bachelor's Degree	$50,712	+$15,288	clears the bar	$23,527	1.5 yrs	29
Special Education	Bachelor's Degree	$40,705	+$5,281	clears the bar	$26,000	4.9 yrs	27
History	Bachelor's Degree	$38,836	+$3,412	clears the bar	$21,125	6.2 yrs	27
Architectural Sciences and Technology	Bachelor's Degree	$71,240	+$35,816	clears the bar	$23,750	0.7 yrs	22
Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	$38,434	+$3,010	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	22
Theatre	Bachelor's Degree	$34,987	-$437	falls short	$21,500	insufficient data	22
Human Development and Family Studies	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$38,962	+$3,538	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	21
Dental Assisting and Hygiene	Bachelor's Degree	$57,958	+$22,534	clears the bar	$21,000	0.9 yrs	21
Library Science and Administration	Master's Degree	$52,390	+$16,966	clears the bar	$17,684	1.0 yrs	20
Accounting	Master's Degree	$78,094	+$42,670	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Teacher Education (by subject)	Master's Degree	$51,451	+$16,027	clears the bar	$25,360	1.6 yrs	16
Nursing	Master's Degree	$112,455	+$77,031	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	$43,210	+$7,786	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
International Relations	Bachelor's Degree	$64,710	+$29,286	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Public Health	Bachelor's Degree	$43,605	+$8,181	clears the bar	$22,086	2.7 yrs	15
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	$53,921	+$18,497	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management	Bachelor's Degree	$42,600	+$7,176	clears the bar	$24,867	3.5 yrs	14
Anthropology	Bachelor's Degree	$40,415	+$4,991	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Electrical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$85,772	+$50,348	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Biology	Master's Degree	$35,371 1-year earnings	-$53	falls short	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Social Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	$38,659 1-year earnings	+$3,235	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Healthcare Administration	Master's Degree	$71,024	+$35,600	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Radio, TV and Digital Media	Bachelor's Degree	$41,791	+$6,367	clears the bar	$27,044	4.2 yrs	9
Finance	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$85,634	+$50,210	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Management Information Systems	Bachelor's Degree	$68,333	+$32,909	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Geology and Earth Science	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$76,463	+$41,039	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Management Science	Bachelor's Degree	$74,452	+$39,028	clears the bar	$21,500	0.6 yrs	1
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician	Bachelor's Degree	$84,057	+$48,633	clears the bar	$26,502	0.5 yrs	insufficient data
Physical and Occupational Therapy	Doctoral Degree	$84,680	+$49,256	clears the bar	$97,736	2.0 yrs	insufficient data
Nursing	Doctoral Degree	$112,179	+$76,755	clears the bar	$55,511	0.7 yrs	insufficient data
Management Science	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$66,066	+$30,642	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Data Analytics	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	116
Research Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	38
Data Analytics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	34
Construction Management	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	31
Public Relations and Advertising	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	30
Chemistry	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	30
Physical and Occupational Therapy	First Professional Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	29
Educational/Instructional Media Design	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	28
Healthcare Administration	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	28
Computer Science	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	26
Psychology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	24
Public Health	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	23
Nursing	First Professional Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	20
Educational Administration	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
School Counseling	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
Public Relations and Advertising	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Geography and Cartography	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Geography and Cartography	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
International Business	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Radio, TV and Digital Media	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Nursing	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Business/Managerial Economics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Dance	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Public Health	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Business Administration	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Economics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Mental Health and Counseling Services	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Medical Illustration and Informatics	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Kinesiology and Physical Education	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Homeland Security	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Film and Photography	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Mathematics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Homeland Security	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Legal Support Services	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Chemistry	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Geology and Earth Science	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Public Health	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Natural Resources and Conservation	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Communications and Media	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
School Counseling	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Counseling Psychology	First Professional Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Public Administration	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Dental Assisting and Hygiene	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Educational/Instructional Media Design	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Teacher Education (by level)	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
English	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Physics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Public Administration	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Biology	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Geography and Cartography	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Curriculum and Instruction	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Human Development and Family Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Data Analytics	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
History	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Engineering-Related Fields	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Religion/Religious Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Physics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Community Organization and Advocacy	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Criminology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Medical Laboratory Science	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Business Administration	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Food Science and Technology	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Area Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Computer and Information Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Educational Administration	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Earnings are medians measured four years after completion where available (programs shown with a 1-year figure are marked), compared with the state high-school-graduate benchmark ($35,424/yr). Debt is federal loans only. Suppressed values are shown as insufficient data, never imputed. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise.