IPFW vs. WSU

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

IPFW WSU
Location Fort Wayne, IN Detroit, MI
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 9,069 23,630
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #848 #582
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ipfw.edu wayne.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IPFW WSU
Tuition (In State) $7,815 $12,933
Tuition (Out of State) $20,403 $29,622
Room & Board $10,111 $11,321
Avg Net Price $11,951 $15,347
Avg Grant Aid $7,432 $10,605
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

IPFW WSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,853 14,002
Admitted 4,721 10,547
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 75.3%
Enrolled % 25.6% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26 21/28
SAT Range 980/1210 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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

IPFW WSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

IPFW WSU
Graduation Rate 26% 26%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,600 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 38%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $22,258
Median Loan Payment $253 $230

Diversity

IPFW WSU
% Men 48% 40%
% Women 52% 60%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 82% 57%
% Black 5% 19%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

IPFW WSU
% In-State 85% 93%
% Out-of-State 11% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Wayne State University is larger than than IPFW based on total student enrollment (23,630 students vs. 9,069 students)

IPFW vs. WSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IPFW or WSU?

  • Wayne State University is 65.5% more expensive to attend than IPFW for in-state tuition ($12,933.00 vs. $7,815.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.2% higher at WSU than Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne ($29,622.00 vs. $20,403.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne than WSU ($11,951 vs. $15,347)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne are 12% lower than costs at Wayne State University ($10,111 vs. $11,321)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne than Wayne State University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wayne State University students is 42.7% larger than aid received Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne ($10,605 vs. $7,432)

IPFW vs. WSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wayne State University (1070) is 75 points higher than at IPFW (995)
  • Incoming WSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at IPFW (22)
  • Accepted freshman WSU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at IPFW (3.37)
  • IPFW has a higher acceptance rate (80.7%) than WSU (75.3%)

IPFW vs. WSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IPFW 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 IPFW.

  • The graduation rate at IPFW is the same as at Wayne State University (26% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Wayne State University earn on average $12,400 more per year than IPFW graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $38,600)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $2,242 lower median federal student loan debt than IPFW graduates. ($22,258 vs. $24,500)
  • WSU graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than IPFW graduates. ($230 vs. $253)
  • More IPFW graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 38%)

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