Western Kentucky University

What are the graduation rates for students at Western Kentucky University?

WKU's reported six-year graduation rate is 58% for the applicable first-time, full-time undergraduate cohort. Its four-year rate is 44%. These measures follow groups of entering students over different periods; they are not percentages of all current students who will eventually earn a degree.

The reported overall graduation measure is 56%, and first-year retention is 78%. Retention indicates the share of a defined entering cohort that returned the following year, not the share that graduated. Transfer students, part-time students, and students who complete a degree elsewhere may not be fully represented by the standard first-time, full-time graduation measure. Applicants should therefore compare these figures with outcomes for their intended program and enrollment pattern where those are published.

What is the earning potential for graduates at Western Kentucky University?

Field-of-study earnings figures associated with WKU show how reported early outcomes can differ by subject. In College Scorecard figures identified for one year after graduation, mechanical engineering is listed at $65,193, registered nursing at $56,172, and business administration at $39,143. These are reported figures for particular fields and measurement windows - not salaries promised to an individual graduate.

The field labels can encompass different occupations, employers, and further-study choices. Earnings data also do not show every graduate's experience and may be limited by which students have measurable employment records and by reporting thresholds. A one-year figure is especially incomplete for fields in which graduates commonly pursue additional credentials. Students comparing majors should consider program costs, licensure requirements, internship access, debt, and longer-term employment information alongside an early earnings number.