SAU vs. WSU

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

SAU WSU
Location Spring Arbor, MI Detroit, MI
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 2,396 23,630
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #501 #582
Religious Affiliation Free Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website arbor.edu wayne.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SAU WSU
Tuition (In State) $31,020 $12,933
Tuition (Out of State) $31,020 $29,622
Room & Board $10,652 $11,321
Avg Net Price $22,375 $15,347
Avg Grant Aid $20,677 $10,605
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 96%

Admission

SAU WSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,312 14,002
Admitted 1,094 10,547
Acceptance Rate 47.3% 75.3%
Enrolled % 20.8% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 21/28
SAT Range 970/1135 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

SAU WSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (31%)
  • Work and Family Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

SAU WSU
Graduation Rate 56% 26%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,600 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 38%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,043 $22,258
Median Loan Payment $248 $230

Diversity

SAU WSU
% Men 23% 40%
% Women 77% 60%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 57%
% Black 10% 19%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 5% 5%

Students

SAU WSU
% In-State 83% 93%
% Out-of-State 13% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Wayne State University is larger than than SAU based on total student enrollment (23,630 students vs. 2,396 students)

SAU vs. WSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SAU or WSU?

  • Spring Arbor University is 139.9% more expensive to attend than WSU for in-state tuition ($31,020.00 vs. $12,933.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.7% higher at SAU than Wayne State University ($31,020.00 vs. $29,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than SAU ($15,347 vs. $22,375)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Spring Arbor University are 6.3% lower than costs at Wayne State University ($10,652 vs. $11,321)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Spring Arbor University than Wayne State University (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Spring Arbor University students is 95% larger than aid received Wayne State University ($20,677 vs. $10,605)

SAU vs. WSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Spring Arbor University (1073) is 3 points higher than at WSU (1070)
  • Incoming SAU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at WSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman SAU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • WSU has a higher acceptance rate (75.3%) than SAU (47.3%)

SAU vs. WSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SAU 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 SAU.

  • The graduation rate at SAU is higher than Wayne State University (56% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Wayne State University earn on average $8,400 more per year than SAU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $42,600)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $1,785 lower median federal student loan debt than SAU graduates. ($22,258 vs. $24,043)
  • WSU graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than SAU graduates. ($230 vs. $248)
  • More SAU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 38%)

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