UM-Dearborn vs. SAU

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

UM-Dearborn SAU
Location Dearborn, MI Spring Arbor, MI
Setting Small City Small Suburban
Enrollment 8,035 2,390
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #405 #553
Religious Affiliation - Free Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umich.edu arbor.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UM-Dearborn SAU
Tuition (In State) $14,544 $31,940
Tuition (Out of State) $30,960 $31,940
Room & Board $10,803 $10,960
Avg Net Price $12,798 $21,720
Avg Grant Aid $9,552 $21,522
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 100%

Admission

UM-Dearborn SAU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,373 3,145
Admitted 7,254 1,174
Acceptance Rate 58.6% 37.3%
Enrolled % 15.9% 17.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 23/30 17/25
SAT Range 990/1260 935/1165
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, 2026

Academics

UM-Dearborn SAU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (31%)
  • Work and Family Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Human Services (9%)

Outcomes

UM-Dearborn SAU
Graduation Rate 49% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,800 $42,600
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,750 $24,043
Median Loan Payment $266 $248

Diversity

UM-Dearborn SAU
% Men 15% 7%
% Women 9% 48%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 77%
% Black 9% 10%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

UM-Dearborn SAU
% In-State 93% 82%
% Out-of-State 3% 15%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Michigan Dearborn is larger than than SAU based on total student enrollment (8,035 students vs. 2,390 students)

UM-Dearborn vs. SAU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UM-Dearborn or SAU?

  • Spring Arbor University is 119.6% more expensive to attend than UM-Dearborn for in-state tuition ($31,940.00 vs. $14,544.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.2% higher at SAU than University of Michigan Dearborn ($31,940.00 vs. $30,960.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Michigan Dearborn than SAU ($12,798 vs. $21,720)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Michigan Dearborn are 1.5% lower than costs at Spring Arbor University ($10,803 vs. $10,960)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Spring Arbor University than University of Michigan Dearborn (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Spring Arbor University students is 125.3% larger than aid received University of Michigan Dearborn ($21,522 vs. $9,552)

UM-Dearborn vs. SAU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Michigan Dearborn (1105) is 32 points higher than at SAU (1073)
  • Incoming UM-Dearborn students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at SAU (23)
  • Accepted freshman UM-Dearborn students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at SAU (3.61)
  • UM-Dearborn has a higher acceptance rate (58.6%) than SAU (37.3%)

UM-Dearborn vs. SAU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UM-Dearborn or SAU? 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 SAU and UM-Dearborn.

  • The graduation rate at SAU is higher than University of Michigan Dearborn (56% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from University of Michigan Dearborn earn on average $10,200 more per year than SAU graduates after ten years. ($52,800 vs. $42,600)
  • Spring Arbor University students graduate with a $1,707 lower median federal student loan debt than UM-Dearborn graduates. ($24,043 vs. $25,750)
  • SAU graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than UM-Dearborn graduates. ($248 vs. $266)
  • More SAU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UM-Dearborn students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 46%)

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