GWU vs. Wright State

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

 GWU Wright State
Location Boiling Springs, NC Dayton, OH
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,144 9,678
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #639 #873
Religious Affiliation Southern Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gardner-webb.edu wright.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 GWU Wright State
Tuition (In State) $31,220 $10,814
Tuition (Out of State) $31,220 $20,232
Room & Board $10,770 $10,686
Avg Net Price $22,339 $15,650
Avg Grant Aid $24,130 $8,867
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 92%

Admission

 GWU Wright State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,728 7,162
Admitted 4,293 6,820
Acceptance Rate 74.9% 95.2%Open
Enrolled % 9.4% 18.8%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.41
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 17/24
SAT Range 1020/1210 913/1168
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, 2025

Academics

 GWU Wright State
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (4%)
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

 GWU Wright State
Graduation Rate 55% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,500 $43,400
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,969 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $258

Diversity

 GWU Wright State
% Men 32% 45%
% Women 68% 55%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 72%
% Black 17% 12%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 10% 0%

Students

 GWU Wright State
% In-State 54% 95%
% Out-of-State 41% 5%

Campus

 GWU 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

  • Wright State University Main Campus is larger than than GWU based on total student enrollment (9,678 students vs. 3,144 students)

GWU vs. Wright State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, GWU or Wright State?

  • Gardner Webb University is 188.7% more expensive to attend than Wright State for in-state tuition ($31,220.00 vs. $10,814.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 54.3% higher at GWU than Wright State University Main Campus ($31,220.00 vs. $20,232.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wright State University Main Campus than GWU ($15,650 vs. $22,339)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wright State University Main Campus are 0.8% lower than costs at Gardner Webb University ($10,686 vs. $10,770)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Gardner Webb University than Wright State University Main Campus (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gardner Webb University students is 172.1% larger than aid received Wright State University Main Campus ($24,130 vs. $8,867)

GWU vs. Wright State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wright State University Main Campus (1034) is 57 points higher than at GWU (977)
  • Incoming Wright State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at GWU (21)
  • Accepted freshman GWU students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Wright State (3.41)
  • Wright State has a higher acceptance rate (95.2%) than GWU (74.9%)

GWU vs. Wright State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, GWU 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 GWU.

  • The graduation rate at GWU is higher than Wright State University Main Campus (55% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Wright State University Main Campus earn on average $2,900 more per year than GWU graduates after ten years. ($43,400 vs. $40,500)
  • Gardner Webb University students graduate with a $31 lower median federal student loan debt than Wright State graduates. ($24,969 vs. $25,000)
  • Wright State University Main Campus and GWU graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($258 vs. $258)
  • More GWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wright State students, three years after graduation. (52% vs. 51%)

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