WSU vs. SU

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

WSU SU
Location Detroit, MI Winchester, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 23,630 4,260
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #582 #537
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wayne.edu su.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WSU SU
Tuition (In State) $12,933 $33,790
Tuition (Out of State) $29,622 $33,790
Room & Board $11,321 $11,230
Avg Net Price $15,347 $26,143
Avg Grant Aid $10,605 $23,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 100%

Admission

WSU SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,002 2,296
Admitted 10,547 1,845
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 80.4%
Enrolled % 24.4% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 19/26
SAT Range 1040/1260 1010/1230
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, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

WSU SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

WSU SU
Graduation Rate 26% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,258 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $230 $258

Diversity

WSU SU
% Men 40% 32%
% Women 60% 68%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 59%
% Black 19% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 5% 13%

Students

WSU SU
% In-State 93% 52%
% Out-of-State 3% 48%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Wayne State University is larger than than SU based on total student enrollment (23,630 students vs. 4,260 students)

WSU vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSU or SU?

  • Shenandoah University is 161.3% more expensive to attend than WSU for in-state tuition ($33,790.00 vs. $12,933.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.1% higher at SU than Wayne State University ($33,790.00 vs. $29,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than SU ($15,347 vs. $26,143)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shenandoah University are 0.8% lower than costs at Wayne State University ($11,230 vs. $11,321)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shenandoah University than Wayne State University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shenandoah University students is 121.3% larger than aid received Wayne State University ($23,467 vs. $10,605)

WSU vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wayne State University (1070) is 65 points higher than at SU (1005)
  • Incoming WSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at SU (22)
  • Accepted freshman SU students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • SU has a higher acceptance rate (80.4%) than WSU (75.3%)

WSU vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at SU is higher than Wayne State University (45% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Wayne State University earn on average $2,700 more per year than SU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $48,300)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $2,742 lower median federal student loan debt than SU graduates. ($22,258 vs. $25,000)
  • WSU graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than SU graduates. ($230 vs. $258)
  • More SU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 38%)

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