Wake Forest vs. Brown

Should I go to Wake Forest University or Brown University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wake Forest or Brown 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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Wake Forest University vs. Brown University comparison
Wake Forest University Brown University College 3 College 4
Wake Forest University Brown University
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Overview

Wake Forest Brown
Location Winston Salem, NC Providence, RI
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 9,121 11,516
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #44 #11
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wfu.edu brown.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wake Forest Brown
Tuition (In State) $63,608 $65,656
Tuition (Out of State) $63,608 $65,656
Room & Board $17,848 $16,598
Avg Net Price $27,790 $26,608
Avg Grant Aid $55,090 $58,378
% Receiving Grant Aid 34% 51%

Admission

Wake Forest Brown
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,479 51,316
Admitted 3,768 2,686
Acceptance Rate 21.6% 5.2%
Enrolled % 36.8% 63.1%
Avg High School GPA - 3.94
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 32/34 34/35
SAT Range 1390/1510 1500/1570
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 Jan 1, 2026 Jan 5, 2026

Academics

Wake Forest Brown
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Wake Forest Brown
Graduation Rate 88% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $77,200 $87,600
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $237 $155

Diversity

Wake Forest Brown
% Men 16% 15%
% Women 24% 17%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 72% 43%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 7% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 7% 12%
% Unknown Race 0% 7%

Students

Wake Forest Brown
% In-State 15% 3%
% Out-of-State 76% 81%

Campus

Wake Forest Brown
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Brown University is larger than than Wake Forest based on total student enrollment (11,516 students vs. 9,121 students)

Wake Forest vs. Brown Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wake Forest or Brown?

  • Brown University is 3.2% more expensive to attend than Wake Forest for in-state tuition ($65,656.00 vs. $63,608.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.2% higher at Brown than Wake Forest University ($65,656.00 vs. $63,608.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Brown University than Wake Forest ($26,608 vs. $27,790)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Brown University are 7.5% lower than costs at Wake Forest University ($16,598 vs. $17,848)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Brown University than Wake Forest University (51% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Brown University students is 6% larger than aid received Wake Forest University ($58,378 vs. $55,090)

Wake Forest vs. Brown Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Wake Forest has a higher acceptance rate (21.6%) than Brown (5.2%)

Wake Forest vs. Brown Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wake Forest or Brown? 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 Brown and Wake Forest.

  • The graduation rate at Brown is higher than Wake Forest University (95% vs. 88%)
  • Graduates from Brown University earn on average $10,400 more per year than Wake Forest graduates after ten years. ($87,600 vs. $77,200)
  • Brown University students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Wake Forest graduates. ($15,000 vs. $23,000)
  • Brown graduates are paying $82 less per month on federal student loans than Wake Forest graduates. ($155 vs. $237)
  • More Brown graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wake Forest students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 88%)

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