AQ vs. WSU

Should I go to Aquinas College or Wayne State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AQ or WSU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Aquinas College vs. Wayne State University comparison
Aquinas College Wayne State University College 3 College 4
Aquinas College Wayne State University
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Overview

AQ WSU
Location Grand Rapids, MI Detroit, MI
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 1,265 23,630
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #819 #582
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website aquinas.edu wayne.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AQ WSU
Tuition (In State) $36,480 $12,933
Tuition (Out of State) $36,480 $29,622
Room & Board $10,572 $11,321
Avg Net Price $18,605 $15,347
Avg Grant Aid $30,049 $10,605
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

AQ WSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,116 14,002
Admitted 1,921 10,547
Acceptance Rate 90.8% 75.3%
Enrolled % 16% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28
SAT Range 1000/1180 1040/1260
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

AQ WSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

AQ WSU
Graduation Rate 52% 26%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 38%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $22,258
Median Loan Payment $268 $230

Diversity

AQ WSU
% Men 43% 40%
% Women 57% 60%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 82% 57%
% Black 3% 19%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

AQ WSU
% In-State 84% 93%
% Out-of-State 13% 3%

Campus

AQ WSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Wayne State University is larger than than AQ based on total student enrollment (23,630 students vs. 1,265 students)

AQ vs. WSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AQ or WSU?

  • Aquinas College is 182.1% more expensive to attend than WSU for in-state tuition ($36,480.00 vs. $12,933.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.2% higher at AQ than Wayne State University ($36,480.00 vs. $29,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than AQ ($15,347 vs. $18,605)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Aquinas College are 7.1% lower than costs at Wayne State University ($10,572 vs. $11,321)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Aquinas College than Wayne State University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Aquinas College students is 183.3% larger than aid received Wayne State University ($30,049 vs. $10,605)

AQ vs. WSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, AQ or WSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WSU or AQ .

  • The average SAT score at Aquinas College (1090) is 20 points higher than at WSU (1070)
  • Incoming AQ students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman AQ students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • AQ has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than WSU (75.3%)

AQ vs. WSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AQ or WSU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between WSU and AQ.

  • The graduation rate at AQ is higher than Wayne State University (52% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Wayne State University earn on average $11,000 more per year than AQ graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $40,000)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $3,742 lower median federal student loan debt than AQ graduates. ($22,258 vs. $26,000)
  • WSU graduates are paying $38 less per month on federal student loans than AQ graduates. ($230 vs. $268)
  • More AQ graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 38%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/