BGSU vs. WLC

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

 BGSU WLC
Location Bowling Green, OH Milwaukee, WI
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 16,920 1,086
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #728 #532
Religious Affiliation - Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bgsu.edu wlc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BGSU WLC
Tuition (In State) $11,272 $33,210
Tuition (Out of State) $19,845 $33,210
Room & Board $12,584 $11,380
Avg Net Price $20,485 $22,682
Avg Grant Aid $8,898 $23,128
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 100%

Admission

 BGSU WLC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,447 1,474
Admitted 13,723 1,383
Acceptance Rate 78.7% 93.8%
Enrolled % 21.4% 22.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.54
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 22/27
SAT Range 990/1200 1038/1243
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 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

 BGSU WLC
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

 BGSU WLC
Graduation Rate 58% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,600 $43,000
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $258

Diversity

 BGSU WLC
% Men 42% 44%
% Women 58% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 83%
% Black 10% 5%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 BGSU WLC
% In-State 88% 66%
% Out-of-State 11% 33%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is larger than than WLC based on total student enrollment (16,920 students vs. 1,086 students)

BGSU vs. WLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BGSU or WLC?

  • Wisconsin Lutheran College is 194.6% more expensive to attend than BGSU for in-state tuition ($33,210.00 vs. $11,272.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 67.3% higher at WLC than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($33,210.00 vs. $19,845.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bowling Green State University Main Campus than WLC ($20,485 vs. $22,682)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wisconsin Lutheran College are 10.6% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($11,380 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wisconsin Lutheran College than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (100% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wisconsin Lutheran College students is 159.9% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($23,128 vs. $8,898)

BGSU vs. WLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wisconsin Lutheran College (1101) is 89 points higher than at BGSU (1012)
  • Incoming WLC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at BGSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BGSU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at WLC (3.54)
  • WLC has a higher acceptance rate (93.8%) than BGSU (78.7%)

BGSU vs. WLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BGSU or WLC? 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 WLC and BGSU.

  • The graduation rate at WLC is higher than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (63% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Bowling Green State University Main Campus earn on average $600 more per year than WLC graduates after ten years. ($43,600 vs. $43,000)
  • Wisconsin Lutheran College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BGSU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
  • WLC graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than BGSU graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More WLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BGSU students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 53%)

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