IUPUI vs. WSU

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

IUPUI WSU
Location Indianapolis, IN Detroit, MI
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 25,979 23,630
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #482 #582
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iupui.edu wayne.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IUPUI WSU
Tuition (In State) $8,972 $12,933
Tuition (Out of State) $31,410 $29,622
Room & Board $11,252 $11,321
Avg Net Price $11,462 $15,347
Avg Grant Aid $12,201 $10,605
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 96%

Admission

IUPUI WSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,637 14,002
Admitted 12,961 10,547
Acceptance Rate 82.9% 75.3%
Enrolled % 27.2% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 21/28
SAT Range 1050/1250 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 May 15, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

IUPUI WSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

IUPUI WSU
Graduation Rate 33% 26%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,600 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 38%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,090 $22,258
Median Loan Payment $238 $230

Diversity

IUPUI WSU
% Men 40% 40%
% Women 60% 60%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 72% 57%
% Black 10% 19%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

IUPUI WSU
% In-State 91% 93%
% Out-of-State 7% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is larger than than WSU based on total student enrollment (25,979 students vs. 23,630 students)

IUPUI vs. WSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IUPUI or WSU?

  • Wayne State University is 44.1% more expensive to attend than IUPUI for in-state tuition ($12,933.00 vs. $8,972.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6% higher at IUPUI than Wayne State University ($31,410.00 vs. $29,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis than WSU ($11,462 vs. $15,347)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis are 0.6% lower than costs at Wayne State University ($11,252 vs. $11,321)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wayne State University than Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (96% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis students is 15% larger than aid received Wayne State University ($12,201 vs. $10,605)

IUPUI vs. WSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wayne State University (1070) is 56 points higher than at IUPUI (1014)
  • Incoming WSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at IUPUI (22)
  • Accepted freshman IUPUI students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • IUPUI has a higher acceptance rate (82.9%) than WSU (75.3%)

IUPUI vs. WSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IUPUI 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 IUPUI.

  • The graduation rate at IUPUI is higher than Wayne State University (33% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Wayne State University earn on average $2,400 more per year than IUPUI graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $48,600)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $832 lower median federal student loan debt than IUPUI graduates. ($22,258 vs. $23,090)
  • WSU graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than IUPUI graduates. ($230 vs. $238)
  • More IUPUI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 38%)

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