WSU vs. Mason

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

WSU Mason
Location Detroit, MI Fairfax, VA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 23,630 39,049
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #582 #228
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wayne.edu gmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WSU Mason
Tuition (In State) $12,933 $9,795
Tuition (Out of State) $29,622 $35,377
Room & Board $11,321 $13,120
Avg Net Price $15,347 $18,479
Avg Grant Aid $10,605 $10,760
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 74%

Admission

WSU Mason
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,002 20,001
Admitted 10,547 18,001
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 90%
Enrolled % 24.4% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 25/31
SAT Range 1040/1260 1140/1350
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

WSU Mason
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

WSU Mason
Graduation Rate 26% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,258 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $230 $204

Diversity

WSU Mason
% Men 40% 48%
% Women 60% 52%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 43%
% Black 19% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 5% 5%

Students

WSU Mason
% In-State 93% 77%
% Out-of-State 3% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • George Mason University is larger than than WSU based on total student enrollment (39,049 students vs. 23,630 students)

WSU vs. Mason Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSU or Mason?

  • Wayne State University is 32% more expensive to attend than Mason for in-state tuition ($12,933.00 vs. $9,795.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.4% higher at Mason than Wayne State University ($35,377.00 vs. $29,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than Mason ($15,347 vs. $18,479)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State University are 15.9% lower than costs at George Mason University ($11,321 vs. $13,120)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wayne State University than George Mason University (96% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by George Mason University students is 1.5% larger than aid received Wayne State University ($10,760 vs. $10,605)

WSU vs. Mason Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at George Mason University (1153) is 83 points higher than at WSU (1070)
  • Incoming Mason students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at WSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Mason students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • Mason has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than WSU (75.3%)

WSU vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Mason is higher than Wayne State University (64% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from George Mason University earn on average $10,900 more per year than WSU graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $51,000)
  • George Mason University students graduate with a $2,508 lower median federal student loan debt than WSU graduates. ($19,750 vs. $22,258)
  • Mason graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than WSU graduates. ($204 vs. $230)
  • More Mason graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 38%)

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