UNLV vs. Washington State

Should I go to University of Nevada Las Vegas or Washington State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNLV or Washington State 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 Nevada Las Vegas vs. Washington State University comparison
University of Nevada Las Vegas Washington State University College 3 College 4
University of Nevada Las Vegas Washington State University
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Overview

 UNLV Washington State
Location Las Vegas, NV Pullman, WA
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 30,660 27,539
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #609 #386
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unlv.edu wsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNLV Washington State
Tuition (In State) $8,159 $10,708
Tuition (Out of State) $24,701 $26,392
Room & Board $11,512 $12,396
Avg Net Price $13,159 $17,911
Avg Grant Aid $6,346 $10,689
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 83%

Admission

 UNLV Washington State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,275 19,401
Admitted 11,325 16,123
Acceptance Rate 85.3% 83.1%
Enrolled % 38.1% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 20/26
SAT Range 1000/1220 1020/1210
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jun 1, 2025 Jan 31, 2025

Academics

 UNLV Washington State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 UNLV Washington State
Graduation Rate 40% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $54,400
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,018 $20,429
Median Loan Payment $196 $211

Diversity

 UNLV Washington State
% Men 43% 46%
% Women 57% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 35% 63%
% Black 8% 3%
% Hispanic 26% 13%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 8%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 UNLV Washington State
% In-State 82% 83%
% Out-of-State 16% 15%

Campus

 UNLV Washington State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Nevada Las Vegas is larger than than Washington State based on total student enrollment (30,660 students vs. 27,539 students)

UNLV vs. Washington State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNLV or Washington State?

  • Washington State University is 31.2% more expensive to attend than UNLV for in-state tuition ($10,708.00 vs. $8,159.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.8% higher at Washington State than University of Nevada Las Vegas ($26,392.00 vs. $24,701.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Nevada Las Vegas than Washington State ($13,159 vs. $17,911)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Nevada Las Vegas are 7.7% lower than costs at Washington State University ($11,512 vs. $12,396)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Nevada Las Vegas than Washington State University (89% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington State University students is 68.4% larger than aid received University of Nevada Las Vegas ($10,689 vs. $6,346)

UNLV vs. Washington State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Washington State University (1039) is 32 points higher than at UNLV (1007)
  • Incoming Washington State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at UNLV (22)
  • Accepted freshman Washington State students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at UNLV (3.4)
  • UNLV has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than Washington State (83.1%)

UNLV vs. Washington State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNLV or Washington State? 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 Washington State and UNLV.

  • The graduation rate at Washington State is higher than University of Nevada Las Vegas (67% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Washington State University earn on average $6,800 more per year than UNLV graduates after ten years. ($54,400 vs. $47,600)
  • University of Nevada Las Vegas students graduate with a $1,411 lower median federal student loan debt than Washington State graduates. ($19,018 vs. $20,429)
  • UNLV graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Washington State graduates. ($196 vs. $211)
  • More Washington State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNLV students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 52%)

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