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University at Albany- SUNY SUNY Stony Brook Michigan State Binghamton University UM-Dearborn Oakland Penn State State University of New York at New Paltz SUNY at Geneseo Syracuse ASU Detroit Mercy- UDM- U of D- University of Detroit| Wayne State University | University at Buffalo | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
WSU | UB | ||
| Location | Detroit, MI | Buffalo, NY | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 23,553 | 31,889 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #580 | #101 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wayne.edu | buffalo.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WSU | UB | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $12,493 | $7,070 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $28,615 | $26,860 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,762 | $16,754 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,021 | $20,511 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,862 | $9,996 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 95% | 74% |
Admission |
WSU | UB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 15,190 | 38,210 | ||
| Admitted | 12,461 | 26,481 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 82% | 69.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 24% | 16.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.75 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 27/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1040/1260 | 1210/1380 | ||
| 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, 2026 |
Academics |
WSU | UB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
WSU | UB | ||
| Graduation Rate | 26% | 71% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,000 | $58,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 38% | 70% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,258 | $19,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $230 | $201 |
Diversity |
WSU | UB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 12% | 17% | ||
| % Women | 19% | 19% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 48% | ||
| % Black | 19% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 2% | ||
| % International | 2% | 16% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 5% |
Students |
WSU | UB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 95% | 88% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 2% | 3% | ||
Campus |
WSU | UB | ||
| 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
- University at Buffalo is larger than than WSU based on total student enrollment (31,889 students vs. 23,553 students)
WSU vs. UB Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WSU or UB?
- Wayne State University is 76.7% more expensive to attend than UB for in-state tuition ($12,493.00 vs. $7,070.00)
- Out of state tuition is 6.5% higher at WSU than University at Buffalo ($28,615.00 vs. $26,860.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than UB ($16,021 vs. $20,511)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State University are 42.4% lower than costs at University at Buffalo ($11,762 vs. $16,754)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Wayne State University than University at Buffalo (95% vs. 74%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Wayne State University students is 8.7% larger than aid received University at Buffalo ($10,862 vs. $9,996)
WSU vs. UB Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, WSU or UB? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UB or WSU .
- The average SAT score at University at Buffalo (1173) is 103 points higher than at WSU (1070)
- Incoming UB students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at WSU (23)
- Accepted freshman UB students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at WSU (3.42)
- WSU has a higher acceptance rate (82%) than UB (69.3%)
WSU vs. UB Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, WSU or UB? 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 UB and WSU.
- The graduation rate at UB is higher than Wayne State University (71% vs. 26%)
- Graduates from University at Buffalo earn on average $7,400 more per year than WSU graduates after ten years. ($58,400 vs. $51,000)
- University at Buffalo students graduate with a $2,758 lower median federal student loan debt than WSU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $22,258)
- UB graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than WSU graduates. ($201 vs. $230)
- More UB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 38%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/