BGSU vs. Washington State

Should I go to Bowling Green State University Main Campus or Washington State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BGSU or Washington State 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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Bowling Green State University Main Campus vs. Washington State University comparison
Bowling Green State University Main Campus Washington State University College 3 College 4
Bowling Green State University Main Campus Washington State University
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Overview

 BGSU Washington State
Location Bowling Green, OH Pullman, WA
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 16,920 27,539
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #728 #386
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bgsu.edu wsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BGSU Washington State
Tuition (In State) $11,272 $10,708
Tuition (Out of State) $19,845 $26,392
Room & Board $12,584 $12,396
Avg Net Price $20,485 $17,911
Avg Grant Aid $8,898 $10,689
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 83%

Admission

 BGSU Washington State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,447 19,401
Admitted 13,723 16,123
Acceptance Rate 78.7% 83.1%
Enrolled % 21.4% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 20/26
SAT Range 990/1200 1020/1210
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2025 Jan 31, 2025

Academics

 BGSU Washington State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 BGSU Washington State
Graduation Rate 58% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,600 $54,400
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $20,429
Median Loan Payment $268 $211

Diversity

 BGSU Washington State
% Men 42% 46%
% Women 58% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 78% 63%
% Black 10% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 13%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 8%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 BGSU Washington State
% In-State 88% 83%
% Out-of-State 11% 15%

Campus

 BGSU Washington State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Washington State University is larger than than BGSU based on total student enrollment (27,539 students vs. 16,920 students)

BGSU vs. Washington State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BGSU or Washington State?

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is 5.3% more expensive to attend than Washington State for in-state tuition ($11,272.00 vs. $10,708.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33% higher at Washington State than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($26,392.00 vs. $19,845.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Washington State University than BGSU ($17,911 vs. $20,485)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Washington State University are 1.5% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($12,396 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bowling Green State University Main Campus than Washington State University (95% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington State University students is 20.1% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($10,689 vs. $8,898)

BGSU vs. Washington State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Washington State University (1039) is 27 points higher than at BGSU (1012)
  • Incoming Washington State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at BGSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BGSU students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Washington State (3.5)
  • Washington State has a higher acceptance rate (83.1%) than BGSU (78.7%)

BGSU vs. Washington State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BGSU or Washington State? 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 Washington State and BGSU.

  • The graduation rate at Washington State is higher than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (67% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Washington State University earn on average $10,800 more per year than BGSU graduates after ten years. ($54,400 vs. $43,600)
  • Washington State University students graduate with a $5,571 lower median federal student loan debt than BGSU graduates. ($20,429 vs. $26,000)
  • Washington State graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than BGSU graduates. ($211 vs. $268)
  • More Washington State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BGSU students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 53%)

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