TU vs. WMU

Should I go to Towson University or Western Michigan University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if TU or WMU 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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Towson University vs. Western Michigan University comparison
Towson University Western Michigan University College 3 College 4
Towson University Western Michigan University
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Overview

TU WMU
Location Towson, MD Kalamazoo, MI
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 19,793 17,000
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #445 #634
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website towson.edu wmich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

TU WMU
Tuition (In State) $7,238 $14,523
Tuition (Out of State) $23,240 $18,154
Room & Board $13,642 $11,102
Avg Net Price $14,443 $20,030
Avg Grant Aid $11,415 $6,813
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 93%

Admission

TU WMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,770 20,501
Admitted 13,967 17,334
Acceptance Rate 78.6% 84.6%
Enrolled % 19.1% 15.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 19/27
SAT Range 1010/1230 990/1220
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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

TU WMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)

Outcomes

TU WMU
Graduation Rate 64% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $48,900
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,750 $26,633
Median Loan Payment $183 $275

Diversity

TU WMU
% Men 39% 47%
% Women 61% 53%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 61% 72%
% Black 18% 12%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

TU WMU
% In-State 89% 79%
% Out-of-State 8% 19%

Campus

TU WMU
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

  • Towson University is larger than than WMU based on total student enrollment (19,793 students vs. 17,000 students)

TU vs. WMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TU or WMU?

  • Western Michigan University is 100.6% more expensive to attend than TU for in-state tuition ($14,523.00 vs. $7,238.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28% higher at TU than Western Michigan University ($23,240.00 vs. $18,154.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Towson University than WMU ($14,443 vs. $20,030)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Michigan University are 22.9% lower than costs at Towson University ($11,102 vs. $13,642)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Michigan University than Towson University (93% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Towson University students is 67.5% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($11,415 vs. $6,813)

TU vs. WMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Towson University (1081) is 51 points higher than at WMU (1030)
  • Incoming TU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at WMU (22)
  • Accepted freshman TU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at WMU (3.5)
  • WMU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than TU (78.6%)

TU vs. WMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, TU or WMU? 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 WMU and TU.

  • The graduation rate at TU is higher than Western Michigan University (64% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Towson University earn on average $4,600 more per year than WMU graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $48,900)
  • Towson University students graduate with a $8,883 lower median federal student loan debt than WMU graduates. ($17,750 vs. $26,633)
  • TU graduates are paying $92 less per month on federal student loans than WMU graduates. ($183 vs. $275)
  • More TU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WMU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 54%)

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