Western Kentucky University

WKU is one of the most popular online schools with complete degree programs in various subjects, including general education. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 60% of graduate students study exclusively online, while 42% of undergraduate students only take some online classes.

Although some consider WKU a good school because it's affordable, its graduates earn less than other four-year universities. Data from College Scorecard shows that the average tuition costs are $11,700, but graduates earn $4,900 less than the midpoint for similar schools.

WKU is an accredited school evaluated by an independent education agency to ensure that its programs and faculty are of good quality. WKU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, and doctorate degrees, as well as certificates. 

OnlineU only features accredited online schools and universities on its site. 

WKU is known for providing online classes with two delivery options: (1) semester-based and (2) on-demand. On-demand courses are taken entirely online, offering more flexibility for remote students who wish to take classes on their schedules. Over 100 courses are available, including some that can be taken at an accelerated pace. Semester-based classes run alongside campus programs with predetermined schedules that students must adhere to. Professors are allowed to require up to two campus visits per class.

The highest-earning degree at WKU is the online Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology Management. Graduates of this program earn a median annual salary of $84,000 four years after completing the program, according to College Scorecard. The online Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Technology is a relatively high earning degree with an average median salary of $54,900 for graduates.

Prospective students can also check OnlineU's Salary Score, a proprietary metric that compares alum salaries from different schools using the same degrees. On a 1 to 100 scale, WKU scores a 23 for bachelor's, 19 for master's, and 48 for doctoral degrees.

WKU is an easy school to get into for students who meet its admissions criteria. Federal data through College Scorecard shows that 98% of applicants are accepted.

Students hoping to attend WKU must have a 2.0 GPA to be accepted. However, this is not considered a good GPA, so students with scores below 2.5 must also submit their SAT or ACT test results. 

Applicants should always understand admissions requirements before picking a college.

The application process at WKU is very straightforward. First-year students must complete the following steps when applying to college online.

• Fill out the WKU online application.
• Submit high school transcripts.
• Submit college entrance exam scores (if applicable).