Wake Forest vs. Denison

Should I go to Wake Forest University or Denison University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wake Forest or Denison 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Kenyon Wooster Oberlin Bucknell Lafayette College UNC Chapel Hill University of Richmond Skidmore College DePauw Miami Miami BC
Wake Forest University vs. Denison University comparison
Wake Forest University Denison University College 3 College 4
Wake Forest University Denison University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Wake Forest Denison
Location Winston Salem, NC Granville, OH
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 9,121 2,405
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #44 #98
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wfu.edu denison.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wake Forest Denison
Tuition (In State) $63,608 $64,000
Tuition (Out of State) $63,608 $64,000
Room & Board $17,848 $15,400
Avg Net Price $27,790 $42,177
Avg Grant Aid $55,090 $34,723
% Receiving Grant Aid 34% 95%

Admission

Wake Forest Denison
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,479 14,580
Admitted 3,768 2,468
Acceptance Rate 21.6% 16.9%
Enrolled % 36.8% 25.8%
Avg High School GPA - 3.76
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 32/34 29/32
SAT Range 1390/1510 1300/1470
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 15, 2026

Academics

Wake Forest Denison
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Wake Forest Denison
Graduation Rate 88% 79%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $77,200 $56,100
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $237 $268

Diversity

Wake Forest Denison
% Men 16% 0%
% Women 24% 0%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 72% 66%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 7% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 7% 8%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Wake Forest Denison
% In-State 15% 21%
% Out-of-State 76% 65%

Campus

Wake Forest Denison
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

  • Wake Forest University is larger than than Denison based on total student enrollment (9,121 students vs. 2,405 students)

Wake Forest vs. Denison Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wake Forest or Denison?

  • Denison University is 0.6% more expensive to attend than Wake Forest for in-state tuition ($64,000.00 vs. $63,608.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.6% higher at Denison than Wake Forest University ($64,000.00 vs. $63,608.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wake Forest University than Denison ($27,790 vs. $42,177)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Denison University are 15.9% lower than costs at Wake Forest University ($15,400 vs. $17,848)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Denison University than Wake Forest University (95% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 58.7% larger than aid received Denison University ($55,090 vs. $34,723)

Wake Forest vs. Denison Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Wake Forest has a higher acceptance rate (21.6%) than Denison (16.9%)

Wake Forest vs. Denison Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Wake Forest is higher than Denison University (88% vs. 79%)
  • Graduates from Wake Forest University earn on average $21,100 more per year than Denison graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $56,100)
  • Wake Forest University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Denison graduates. ($23,000 vs. $26,000)
  • Wake Forest graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Denison graduates. ($237 vs. $268)
  • More Wake Forest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Denison students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 83%)

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