UD vs. Wake Forest

Deciding between University of Delaware and Wake Forest University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

University of Delaware
Wake Forest University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • UD Newark, DE
  • Wake Forest Winston-Salem, NC
  • Setting
  • UD Large Suburban
  • Wake Forest Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • UD 24,412
  • Wake Forest 9,322
  • Type
  • UD Public 4 Year
  • Wake Forest Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UD #150
  • Wake Forest #49
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UD -
  • Wake Forest -
  • Status
  • UD Non-profit
  • Wake Forest Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UD
  • Wake Forest

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UD $16,810
  • Wake Forest $67,642
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UD $41,400
  • Wake Forest $67,642
  • Room & Board
  • UD $15,386
  • Wake Forest $18,494
  • Average Net Price
  • UD $19,139
  • Wake Forest $24,401
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UD $13,302
  • Wake Forest $63,117
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UD 91%
  • Wake Forest 35%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UD 39,995
  • Wake Forest 18,727
  • Admitted
  • UD 28,238
  • Wake Forest 4,058
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UD 70.6%
  • Wake Forest 21.7%
  • Enrolled
  • UD 15.7%
  • Wake Forest 36.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UD 1280
  • Wake Forest 1470
  • Typical ACT score
  • UD 30
  • Wake Forest 33
  • Average High School GPA
  • UD 3.94
  • Wake Forest -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UD A
  • Wake Forest -
  • Admissions Standards
  • UD Very High
  • Wake Forest Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • UD Low
  • Wake Forest Very High
  • ACT Range
  • UD 28/32
  • Wake Forest 32/34
  • SAT Range
  • UD 1190/1370
  • Wake Forest 1410/1520
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UD Test optional
  • Wake Forest Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UD Jan 15, 2027
  • Wake Forest Jan 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UD 16:1
  • Wake Forest 10:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UD
    • Business (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Education (8%)
    • Engineering (7%)
    • Health Professions (7%)
  • Wake Forest
    • Business (21%)
    • Social Sciences (20%)
    • Communication (8%)
    • Biology (7%)
    • Psychology (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UD 78%
  • Wake Forest 88%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UD $61,300
  • Wake Forest $77,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UD 80%
  • Wake Forest 88%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UD $24,203
  • Wake Forest $23,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UD $250
  • Wake Forest $237

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UD 41%
  • Wake Forest 43%
  • % Women
  • UD 59%
  • Wake Forest 57%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UD Low
  • Wake Forest Medium
  • HBCU
  • UD No
  • Wake Forest No
  • % White
  • UD 74%
  • Wake Forest 72%
  • % Asian
  • UD 5%
  • Wake Forest 5%
  • % Black
  • UD 6%
  • Wake Forest 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • UD 8%
  • Wake Forest 7%
  • % Native American
  • UD 0%
  • Wake Forest 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UD 0%
  • Wake Forest 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UD 3%
  • Wake Forest 3%
  • % International
  • UD 4%
  • Wake Forest 7%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UD 1%
  • Wake Forest 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UD 39%
  • Wake Forest 12%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UD 59%
  • Wake Forest 84%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • UD Yes
  • Wake Forest Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • UD No
  • Wake Forest No
  • Meal Plan
  • UD Yes
  • Wake Forest Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • UD No
  • Wake Forest No
  • Daycare Facility
  • UD No
  • Wake Forest No

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Delaware in Newark, DE with Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Delaware is larger than Wake Forest based on total student enrollment (24,412 students vs. 9,322 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Delaware is located in Newark, DE (Large Suburban setting); Wake Forest University is in Winston-Salem, NC (Midsize City setting).
  • University of Delaware is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Wake Forest University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Delaware 16:1; Wake Forest University 10:1.

UD vs. Wake Forest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UD or Wake Forest? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Delaware than Wake Forest ($19,139 vs. $24,401).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Delaware are 16.8% lower than at Wake Forest University ($15,386 vs. $18,494).
  • Wake Forest University is 302.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than UD (about $50,832 more per year; $67,642.00 vs. $16,810.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 63.4% higher at Wake Forest than at University of Delaware (about $26,242 more per year; $67,642.00 vs. $41,400.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Delaware than at Wake Forest University (91% vs. 35%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 374.5% larger than aid received by University of Delaware students ($63,117 vs. $13,302).

UD vs. Wake Forest Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UD or Wake Forest? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Wake Forest and UD.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Wake Forest University (1470) is 190 points higher than at UD (1280).
  • Incoming Wake Forest students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (33 vs. 30 at UD).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Delaware 1190/1370; Wake Forest University 1410/1520.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Delaware 28/32; Wake Forest University 32/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UD - Test optional; Wake Forest - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UD Jan 15, 2027; Wake Forest Jan 1, 2027.
  • UD has a higher acceptance rate (70.6%) than Wake Forest (21.7%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.7% at UD vs. 36.1% at Wake Forest.

UD vs. Wake Forest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UD and Wake Forest? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Wake Forest University's six-year graduation rate (88%) is higher than University of Delaware's (78%).
  • Graduates from Wake Forest University earn a median of about $15,900 more per year than UD graduates about ten years after starting college ($77,200 vs. $61,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Wake Forest University graduates have a $1,203 lower median loan debt than UD graduates ($23,000 vs. $24,203).
  • Among borrowers, Wake Forest graduates have an estimated $13 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UD graduates ($237 vs. $250).
  • More Wake Forest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UD students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 80%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.