WSU vs. UB

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

WSU UB
Location Detroit, MI Buffalo, NY
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 23,630 32,099
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #582 #103
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wayne.edu buffalo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WSU UB
Tuition (In State) $12,933 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $29,622 $24,990
Room & Board $11,321 $16,212
Avg Net Price $15,347 $18,524
Avg Grant Aid $10,605 $8,521
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 74%

Admission

WSU UB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,002 30,939
Admitted 10,547 20,948
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 67.7%
Enrolled % 24.4% 20.1%
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 25/32
SAT Range 1040/1260 1190/1380
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, 2025

Academics

WSU UB
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Communication (8%)

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 40% 52%
% Women 60% 48%
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 93% 88%
% Out-of-State 3% 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 (32,099 students vs. 23,630 students)

WSU vs. UB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSU or UB?

  • Wayne State University is 82.9% more expensive to attend than UB for in-state tuition ($12,933.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.5% higher at WSU than University at Buffalo ($29,622.00 vs. $24,990.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than UB ($15,347 vs. $18,524)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State University are 43.2% lower than costs at University at Buffalo ($11,321 vs. $16,212)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wayne State University than University at Buffalo (96% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wayne State University students is 24.5% larger than aid received University at Buffalo ($10,605 vs. $8,521)

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 (75.3%) than UB (67.7%)

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/