Oakland vs. WSU

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

Oakland WSU
Location Rochester Hills, MI Detroit, MI
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 16,108 23,630
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #751 #582
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website oakland.edu wayne.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Oakland WSU
Tuition (In State) $14,476 $12,933
Tuition (Out of State) $23,730 $29,622
Room & Board $11,192 $11,321
Avg Net Price $15,161 $15,347
Avg Grant Aid $9,755 $10,605
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

Oakland WSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,110 14,002
Admitted 10,005 10,547
Acceptance Rate 90.1% 75.3%
Enrolled % 21.2% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28
SAT Range 1015/1245 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

Oakland WSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Oakland WSU
Graduation Rate 40% 26%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,700 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 38%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $22,258
Median Loan Payment $258 $230

Diversity

Oakland WSU
% Men 43% 40%
% Women 57% 60%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 57%
% Black 8% 19%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

Oakland WSU
% In-State 95% 93%
% Out-of-State 2% 3%

Campus

Oakland 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

  • Wayne State University is larger than than Oakland based on total student enrollment (23,630 students vs. 16,108 students)

Oakland vs. WSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Oakland or WSU?

  • Oakland University is 11.9% more expensive to attend than WSU for in-state tuition ($14,476.00 vs. $12,933.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.8% higher at WSU than Oakland University ($29,622.00 vs. $23,730.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Oakland University than WSU ($15,161 vs. $15,347)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Oakland University are 1.2% lower than costs at Wayne State University ($11,192 vs. $11,321)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Oakland University than Wayne State University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wayne State University students is 8.7% larger than aid received Oakland University ($10,605 vs. $9,755)

Oakland vs. WSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Oakland University (1070) is the same at WSU (1070)
  • Incoming Oakland students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at WSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Oakland students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • Oakland has a higher acceptance rate (90.1%) than WSU (75.3%)

Oakland vs. WSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Oakland 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 Oakland.

  • The graduation rate at Oakland is higher than Wayne State University (40% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Wayne State University earn on average $4,300 more per year than Oakland graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $46,700)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $2,742 lower median federal student loan debt than Oakland graduates. ($22,258 vs. $25,000)
  • WSU graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than Oakland graduates. ($230 vs. $258)
  • More Oakland 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/