UNK vs. WSC

Should I go to University of Nebraska at Kearney or Wayne State College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNK or WSC 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 Nebraska at Kearney vs. Wayne State College comparison
University of Nebraska at Kearney Wayne State College College 3 College 4
University of Nebraska at Kearney
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Overview

 UNK WSC
Location Kearney, NE Wayne, NE
Setting Remote Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 6,041 4,773
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #571
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unk.edu wsc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNK WSC
Tuition (In State) $6,220 $5,700
Tuition (Out of State) $12,036 $5,700
Room & Board $11,390 $8,870
Avg Net Price $16,564 $14,271
Avg Grant Aid $7,282 $7,838
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

 UNK WSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,794 -
Admitted 5,842 -
Acceptance Rate 86% Open
Enrolled % 14.8% Open
Avg High School GPA 3.24 3.36
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25
SAT Range 1000/1200
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 UNK WSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Education (30%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 UNK WSC
Graduation Rate 61% 51%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,400 $39,400
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,250 $20,050
Median Loan Payment $219 $207

Diversity

 UNK WSC
% Men 34% 40%
% Women 66% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 82%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 11% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 5% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 UNK WSC
% In-State 85% 81%
% Out-of-State 11% 15%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Nebraska at Kearney is larger than than WSC based on total student enrollment (6,041 students vs. 4,773 students)

UNK vs. WSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNK or WSC?

  • University of Nebraska at Kearney is 9.1% more expensive to attend than WSC for in-state tuition ($6,220.00 vs. $5,700.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 111.2% higher at UNK than Wayne State College ($12,036.00 vs. $5,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State College than UNK ($14,271 vs. $16,564)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State College are 28.4% lower than costs at University of Nebraska at Kearney ($8,870 vs. $11,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Nebraska at Kearney than Wayne State College (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wayne State College students is 7.6% larger than aid received University of Nebraska at Kearney ($7,838 vs. $7,282)

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

  • Accepted freshman WSC students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at UNK (3.24)

UNK vs. WSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNK or WSC? 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 WSC and UNK.

  • The graduation rate at UNK is higher than Wayne State College (61% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from University of Nebraska at Kearney earn on average $4,000 more per year than WSC graduates after ten years. ($43,400 vs. $39,400)
  • Wayne State College students graduate with a $1,200 lower median federal student loan debt than UNK graduates. ($20,050 vs. $21,250)
  • WSC graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than UNK graduates. ($207 vs. $219)
  • More UNK graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSC students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 67%)

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