Hope College vs. WMU

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

 Hope College WMU
Location Holland, MI Kalamazoo, MI
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 3,251 17,000
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #275 #634
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hope.edu wmich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Hope College WMU
Tuition (In State) $37,990 $14,523
Tuition (Out of State) $37,990 $18,154
Room & Board $11,900 $11,102
Avg Net Price $25,800 $20,030
Avg Grant Aid $24,880 $6,813
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 93%

Admission

 Hope College WMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,152 20,501
Admitted 4,145 17,334
Acceptance Rate 80.5% 84.6%
Enrolled % 23% 15.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.5
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/31 19/27
SAT Range 1090/1330 990/1220
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

Academics

 Hope College WMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Physical Sciences (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)

Outcomes

 Hope College WMU
Graduation Rate 79% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,500 $48,900
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,633
Median Loan Payment $279 $275

Diversity

 Hope College WMU
% Men 39% 47%
% Women 61% 53%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 84% 72%
% Black 3% 12%
% Hispanic 8% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 Hope College WMU
% In-State 68% 79%
% Out-of-State 32% 19%

Campus

 Hope College WMU
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

  • Western Michigan University is larger than than Hope College based on total student enrollment (17,000 students vs. 3,251 students)

Hope College vs. WMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Hope College or WMU?

  • Hope College is 161.6% more expensive to attend than WMU for in-state tuition ($37,990.00 vs. $14,523.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 109.3% higher at Hope College than Western Michigan University ($37,990.00 vs. $18,154.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Michigan University than Hope College ($20,030 vs. $25,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Michigan University are 7.2% lower than costs at Hope College ($11,102 vs. $11,900)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Hope College than Western Michigan University (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Hope College students is 265.2% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($24,880 vs. $6,813)

Hope College vs. WMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Hope College (1205) is 175 points higher than at WMU (1030)
  • Incoming Hope College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at WMU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Hope College students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at WMU (3.5)
  • WMU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than Hope College (80.5%)

Hope College vs. WMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Hope College or WMU? 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 WMU and Hope College.

  • The graduation rate at Hope College is higher than Western Michigan University (79% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Western Michigan University earn on average $1,400 more per year than Hope College graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $47,500)
  • Western Michigan University students graduate with a $367 lower median federal student loan debt than Hope College graduates. ($26,633 vs. $27,000)
  • WMU graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Hope College graduates. ($275 vs. $279)
  • More Hope College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WMU students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 54%)

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