University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Western New England University

Should I go to University of Massachusetts Lowell or Western New England University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of Massachusetts-Lowell or Western New England University 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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University of Massachusetts Lowell vs. Western New England University comparison
University of Massachusetts Lowell Western New England University College 3 College 4
University of Massachusetts Lowell Western New England University
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Overview

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Western New England University
Location Lowell, MA Springfield, MA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 16,770 3,574
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #428 #383
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uml.edu wne.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Western New England University
Tuition (In State) $15,850 $43,380
Tuition (Out of State) $34,676 $43,380
Room & Board $15,424 $14,900
Avg Net Price $17,624 $31,548
Avg Grant Aid $12,647 $27,351
% Receiving Grant Aid 79% 100%

Admission

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Western New England University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,628 6,534
Admitted 10,764 5,440
Acceptance Rate 85.2% 83.3%
Enrolled % 19.4% 13.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.49
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/30 25/27
SAT Range 1180/1350 1130/1310
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 Feb 15, 2026

Academics

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Western New England University
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

Outcomes

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Western New England University
Graduation Rate 50% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $59,800
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $279

Diversity

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Western New England University
% Men 15% 12%
% Women 13% 16%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 64% 73%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 5% 5%

Students

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Western New England University
% In-State 87% 57%
% Out-of-State 10% 41%

Campus

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Western New England University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Massachusetts Lowell is larger than than Western New England University based on total student enrollment (16,770 students vs. 3,574 students)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Western New England University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Massachusetts-Lowell or Western New England University?

  • Western New England University is 173.7% more expensive to attend than University of Massachusetts-Lowell for in-state tuition ($43,380.00 vs. $15,850.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.1% higher at Western New England University than University of Massachusetts Lowell ($43,380.00 vs. $34,676.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Lowell than Western New England University ($17,624 vs. $31,548)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western New England University are 3.5% lower than costs at University of Massachusetts Lowell ($14,900 vs. $15,424)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western New England University than University of Massachusetts Lowell (100% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western New England University students is 116.3% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Lowell ($27,351 vs. $12,647)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Western New England University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, University of Massachusetts-Lowell or Western New England University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Western New England University or University of Massachusetts-Lowell .

  • The average SAT score at University of Massachusetts Lowell (1197) is 117 points higher than at Western New England University (1080)
  • Incoming University of Massachusetts-Lowell students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Western New England University (25)
  • Accepted freshman University of Massachusetts-Lowell students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at Western New England University (3.49)
  • University of Massachusetts-Lowell has a higher acceptance rate (85.2%) than Western New England University (83.3%)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Western New England University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Massachusetts-Lowell or Western New England University? 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 Western New England University and University of Massachusetts-Lowell.

  • The graduation rate at Western New England University is higher than University of Massachusetts Lowell (61% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Western New England University earn on average $4,500 more per year than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $55,300)
  • University of Massachusetts Lowell students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Western New England University graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Western New England University graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Western New England University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Massachusetts-Lowell students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 63%)

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