WSU vs. ONU

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

WSU ONU
Location Detroit, MI Ada, OH
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 23,630 3,015
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #582 #211
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wayne.edu onu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WSU ONU
Tuition (In State) $12,933 $35,480
Tuition (Out of State) $29,622 $35,480
Room & Board $11,321 $12,900
Avg Net Price $15,347 $27,398
Avg Grant Aid $10,605 $24,235
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 97%

Admission

WSU ONU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,002 6,625
Admitted 10,547 3,602
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 54.4%
Enrolled % 24.4% 18.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.78
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 25/30
SAT Range 1040/1260 1160/1340
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 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

WSU ONU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

WSU ONU
Graduation Rate 26% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $71,200
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,258 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $230 $279

Diversity

WSU ONU
% Men 40% 52%
% Women 60% 48%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 84%
% Black 19% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

WSU ONU
% In-State 93% 83%
% Out-of-State 3% 16%

Campus

WSU ONU
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

  • Wayne State University is larger than than ONU based on total student enrollment (23,630 students vs. 3,015 students)

WSU vs. ONU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSU or ONU?

  • Ohio Northern University is 174.3% more expensive to attend than WSU for in-state tuition ($35,480.00 vs. $12,933.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.8% higher at ONU than Wayne State University ($35,480.00 vs. $29,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than ONU ($15,347 vs. $27,398)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State University are 13.9% lower than costs at Ohio Northern University ($11,321 vs. $12,900)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio Northern University than Wayne State University (97% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio Northern University students is 128.5% larger than aid received Wayne State University ($24,235 vs. $10,605)

WSU vs. ONU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ohio Northern University (1158) is 88 points higher than at WSU (1070)
  • Incoming ONU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at WSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman ONU students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.78) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • WSU has a higher acceptance rate (75.3%) than ONU (54.4%)

WSU vs. ONU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ONU is higher than Wayne State University (65% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Ohio Northern University earn on average $20,200 more per year than WSU graduates after ten years. ($71,200 vs. $51,000)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $4,742 lower median federal student loan debt than ONU graduates. ($22,258 vs. $27,000)
  • WSU graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than ONU graduates. ($230 vs. $279)
  • More ONU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 38%)

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