CMU vs. Wright State

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

 CMU Wright State
Location Mount Pleasant, MI Dayton, OH
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 14,399 9,884
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #802 #795
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cmich.edu wright.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CMU Wright State
Tuition (In State) $13,740 $11,138
Tuition (Out of State) $13,740 $20,556
Room & Board $12,178 $10,900
Avg Net Price $15,826 $15,400
Avg Grant Aid $10,638 $7,890
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 90%

Admission

 CMU Wright State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,102 8,894
Admitted 16,474 8,463
Acceptance Rate 91% 95.2%Open
Enrolled % 12.4% 17.3%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.47 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 17/25
SAT Range 960/1210 913/1230
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 23, 2026

Academics

 CMU Wright State
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

 CMU Wright State
Graduation Rate 54% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,500 $43,400
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

 CMU Wright State
% Men 13% 14%
% Women 17% 16%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 72%
% Black 8% 12%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

 CMU Wright State
% In-State 88% 95%
% Out-of-State 8% 5%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Central Michigan University is larger than than Wright State based on total student enrollment (14,399 students vs. 9,884 students)

CMU vs. Wright State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CMU or Wright State?

  • Central Michigan University is 23.4% more expensive to attend than Wright State for in-state tuition ($13,740.00 vs. $11,138.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.6% higher at Wright State than Central Michigan University ($20,556.00 vs. $13,740.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wright State University Main Campus than CMU ($15,400 vs. $15,826)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wright State University Main Campus are 11.7% lower than costs at Central Michigan University ($10,900 vs. $12,178)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Central Michigan University than Wright State University Main Campus (95% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Central Michigan University students is 34.8% larger than aid received Wright State University Main Campus ($10,638 vs. $7,890)

CMU vs. Wright State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Central Michigan University (1049) is 15 points higher than at Wright State (1034)
  • Incoming CMU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Wright State (22)
  • Accepted freshman CMU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.47) than students at Wright State (3.41)
  • Wright State has a higher acceptance rate (95.2%) than CMU (91%)

CMU vs. Wright State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CMU or Wright 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 Wright State and CMU.

  • The graduation rate at CMU is higher than Wright State University Main Campus (54% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Central Michigan University earn on average $1,100 more per year than Wright State graduates after ten years. ($44,500 vs. $43,400)
  • Wright State University Main Campus students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CMU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Wright State graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than CMU graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More CMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wright State students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 51%)

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