WSU vs. BGSU

Should I go to Wayne State University or Bowling Green State University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WSU or BGSU 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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Wayne State University vs. Bowling Green State University Main Campus comparison
Wayne State University Bowling Green State University Main Campus College 3 College 4
Wayne State University Bowling Green State University Main Campus
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Overview

WSU BGSU
Location Detroit, MI Bowling Green, OH
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 23,630 16,920
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #582 #728
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wayne.edu bgsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WSU BGSU
Tuition (In State) $12,933 $11,272
Tuition (Out of State) $29,622 $19,845
Room & Board $11,321 $12,584
Avg Net Price $15,347 $20,485
Avg Grant Aid $10,605 $8,898
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 95%

Admission

WSU BGSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,002 17,447
Admitted 10,547 13,723
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 78.7%
Enrolled % 24.4% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 20/25
SAT Range 1040/1260 990/1200
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 Aug 1, 2025 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

WSU BGSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

WSU BGSU
Graduation Rate 26% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $43,600
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,258 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $230 $268

Diversity

WSU BGSU
% Men 40% 42%
% Women 60% 58%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 78%
% Black 19% 10%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

WSU BGSU
% In-State 93% 88%
% Out-of-State 3% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Wayne State University is larger than than BGSU based on total student enrollment (23,630 students vs. 16,920 students)

WSU vs. BGSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSU or BGSU?

  • Wayne State University is 14.7% more expensive to attend than BGSU for in-state tuition ($12,933.00 vs. $11,272.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.3% higher at WSU than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($29,622.00 vs. $19,845.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than BGSU ($15,347 vs. $20,485)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State University are 11.2% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($11,321 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wayne State University than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (96% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wayne State University students is 19.2% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($10,605 vs. $8,898)

WSU vs. BGSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wayne State University (1070) is 58 points higher than at BGSU (1012)
  • Incoming WSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at BGSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BGSU students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • BGSU has a higher acceptance rate (78.7%) than WSU (75.3%)

WSU vs. BGSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WSU or BGSU? 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 BGSU and WSU.

  • The graduation rate at BGSU is higher than Wayne State University (58% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Wayne State University earn on average $7,400 more per year than BGSU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $43,600)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $3,742 lower median federal student loan debt than BGSU graduates. ($22,258 vs. $26,000)
  • WSU graduates are paying $38 less per month on federal student loans than BGSU graduates. ($230 vs. $268)
  • More BGSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 38%)

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