CMU vs. WSU

Should I go to Central Michigan University or Wayne State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CMU 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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Central Michigan University vs. Wayne State University comparison
Central Michigan University Wayne State University College 3 College 4
Central Michigan University Wayne State University
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Overview

CMU WSU
Location Mount Pleasant, MI Detroit, MI
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 14,557 23,630
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #715 #582
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cmich.edu wayne.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CMU WSU
Tuition (In State) $13,200 $12,933
Tuition (Out of State) $13,200 $29,622
Room & Board $11,248 $11,321
Avg Net Price $15,605 $15,347
Avg Grant Aid $11,314 $10,605
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 96%

Admission

CMU WSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,888 14,002
Admitted 15,701 10,547
Acceptance Rate 78.9% 75.3%
Enrolled % 12.9% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.47 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 21/28
SAT Range 980/1220 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

CMU WSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

CMU WSU
Graduation Rate 54% 26%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,500 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 38%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,258
Median Loan Payment $279 $230

Diversity

CMU WSU
% Men 40% 40%
% Women 60% 60%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 79% 57%
% Black 8% 19%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

CMU WSU
% In-State 90% 93%
% Out-of-State 9% 3%

Campus

CMU 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 CMU based on total student enrollment (23,630 students vs. 14,557 students)

CMU vs. WSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CMU or WSU?

  • Central Michigan University is 2.1% more expensive to attend than WSU for in-state tuition ($13,200.00 vs. $12,933.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 124.4% higher at WSU than Central Michigan University ($29,622.00 vs. $13,200.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than CMU ($15,347 vs. $15,605)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Central Michigan University are 0.6% lower than costs at Wayne State University ($11,248 vs. $11,321)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Central Michigan University as Wayne State University (96% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Central Michigan University students is 6.7% larger than aid received Wayne State University ($11,314 vs. $10,605)

CMU vs. WSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wayne State University (1070) is 21 points higher than at CMU (1049)
  • Incoming CMU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at WSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman CMU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.47) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • CMU has a higher acceptance rate (78.9%) than WSU (75.3%)

CMU vs. WSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CMU 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 CMU.

  • The graduation rate at CMU is higher than Wayne State University (54% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Wayne State University earn on average $6,500 more per year than CMU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $44,500)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $4,742 lower median federal student loan debt than CMU graduates. ($22,258 vs. $27,000)
  • WSU graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than CMU graduates. ($230 vs. $279)
  • More CMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 38%)

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