IU vs. WSU

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

IU WSU
Location Bloomington, IN Detroit, MI
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 47,005 23,630
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #200 #582
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iub.edu wayne.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IU WSU
Tuition (In State) $10,012 $12,933
Tuition (Out of State) $37,685 $29,622
Room & Board $12,228 $11,321
Avg Net Price $16,234 $15,347
Avg Grant Aid $10,336 $10,605
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 96%

Admission

IU WSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,080 14,002
Admitted 41,272 10,547
Acceptance Rate 82.4% 75.3%
Enrolled % 23.6% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.42
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/32 21/28
SAT Range 1180/1400 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

IU WSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

IU WSU
Graduation Rate 72% 26%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,200 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 38%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $22,258
Median Loan Payment $232 $230

Diversity

IU WSU
% Men 51% 40%
% Women 49% 60%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 57%
% Black 4% 19%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 11% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

IU WSU
% In-State 51% 93%
% Out-of-State 42% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Indiana University Bloomington is larger than than WSU based on total student enrollment (47,005 students vs. 23,630 students)

IU vs. WSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU or WSU?

  • Wayne State University is 29.2% more expensive to attend than IU for in-state tuition ($12,933.00 vs. $10,012.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.2% higher at IU than Wayne State University ($37,685.00 vs. $29,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than IU ($15,347 vs. $16,234)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State University are 8% lower than costs at Indiana University Bloomington ($11,321 vs. $12,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wayne State University than Indiana University Bloomington (96% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wayne State University students is 2.6% larger than aid received Indiana University Bloomington ($10,605 vs. $10,336)

IU vs. WSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Indiana University Bloomington (1199) is 129 points higher than at WSU (1070)
  • Incoming IU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at WSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman IU students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • IU has a higher acceptance rate (82.4%) than WSU (75.3%)

IU vs. WSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU 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 IU.

  • The graduation rate at IU is higher than Wayne State University (72% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Indiana University Bloomington earn on average $5,200 more per year than WSU graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $51,000)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $242 lower median federal student loan debt than IU graduates. ($22,258 vs. $22,500)
  • WSU graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than IU graduates. ($230 vs. $232)
  • More IU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 38%)

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