WSU vs. Canisius

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

WSU Canisius
Location Detroit, MI Buffalo, NY
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 23,553 2,545
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #580 #389
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wayne.edu canisius.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WSU Canisius
Tuition (In State) $12,493 $31,100
Tuition (Out of State) $28,615 $31,100
Room & Board $11,762 $13,160
Avg Net Price $16,021 $19,321
Avg Grant Aid $10,862 $22,779
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 100%

Admission

WSU Canisius
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,190 4,147
Admitted 12,461 3,391
Acceptance Rate 82% 81.8%
Enrolled % 24% 12.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 22/28
SAT Range 1040/1260 1050/1320
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026

Academics

WSU Canisius
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

WSU Canisius
Graduation Rate 26% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $49,900
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,258 $24,750
Median Loan Payment $230 $255

Diversity

WSU Canisius
% Men 12% 12%
% Women 19% 17%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 73%
% Black 19% 8%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 5% 4%

Students

WSU Canisius
% In-State 95% 75%
% Out-of-State 2% 18%

Campus

WSU Canisius
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 Canisius based on total student enrollment (23,553 students vs. 2,545 students)

WSU vs. Canisius Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSU or Canisius?

  • Canisius College is 148.9% more expensive to attend than WSU for in-state tuition ($31,100.00 vs. $12,493.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.7% higher at Canisius than Wayne State University ($31,100.00 vs. $28,615.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than Canisius ($16,021 vs. $19,321)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State University are 11.9% lower than costs at Canisius College ($11,762 vs. $13,160)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Canisius College than Wayne State University (100% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Canisius College students is 109.7% larger than aid received Wayne State University ($22,779 vs. $10,862)

WSU vs. Canisius Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Canisius College (1078) is 8 points higher than at WSU (1070)
  • Incoming Canisius students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Canisius students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • WSU has a higher acceptance rate (82%) than Canisius (81.8%)

WSU vs. Canisius Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Canisius is higher than Wayne State University (67% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Wayne State University earn on average $1,100 more per year than Canisius graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $49,900)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $2,492 lower median federal student loan debt than Canisius graduates. ($22,258 vs. $24,750)
  • WSU graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than Canisius graduates. ($230 vs. $255)
  • More Canisius graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 38%)

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