Hope College vs. WSU

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

 Hope College WSU
Location Holland, MI Detroit, MI
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 3,368 23,553
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #271 #580
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hope.edu wayne.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Hope College WSU
Tuition (In State) $39,990 $12,493
Tuition (Out of State) $39,990 $28,615
Room & Board $12,180 $11,762
Avg Net Price $28,643 $16,021
Avg Grant Aid $23,633 $10,862
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 95%

Admission

 Hope College WSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,206 15,190
Admitted 3,949 12,461
Acceptance Rate 75.9% 82%
Enrolled % 21.1% 24%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.42
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/31 21/28
SAT Range 1090/1310 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

 Hope College WSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Physical Sciences (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

 Hope College WSU
Graduation Rate 79% 26%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,500 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 38%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,258
Median Loan Payment $279 $230

Diversity

 Hope College WSU
% Men 1% 12%
% Women 1% 19%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 84% 57%
% Black 3% 19%
% Hispanic 8% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

 Hope College WSU
% In-State 68% 95%
% Out-of-State 32% 2%

Campus

 Hope College WSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Wayne State University is larger than than Hope College based on total student enrollment (23,553 students vs. 3,368 students)

Hope College vs. WSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Hope College or WSU?

  • Hope College is 220.1% more expensive to attend than WSU for in-state tuition ($39,990.00 vs. $12,493.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.8% higher at Hope College than Wayne State University ($39,990.00 vs. $28,615.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than Hope College ($16,021 vs. $28,643)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State University are 3.6% lower than costs at Hope College ($11,762 vs. $12,180)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Hope College than Wayne State University (97% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Hope College students is 117.6% larger than aid received Wayne State University ($23,633 vs. $10,862)

Hope College vs. WSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Hope College (1205) is 135 points higher than at WSU (1070)
  • Incoming Hope College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at WSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Hope College students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • WSU has a higher acceptance rate (82%) than Hope College (75.9%)

Hope College vs. WSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Hope College 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 Hope College.

  • The graduation rate at Hope College is higher than Wayne State University (79% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Wayne State University earn on average $3,500 more per year than Hope College graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $47,500)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $4,742 lower median federal student loan debt than Hope College graduates. ($22,258 vs. $27,000)
  • WSU graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than Hope College graduates. ($230 vs. $279)
  • More Hope College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 38%)

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