WSU vs. WCU

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

 WSU WCU
Location Detroit, MI West Chester, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 23,630 17,275
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #582 #496
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wayne.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WSU WCU
Tuition (In State) $12,933 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $29,622 $19,290
Room & Board $11,321 $14,228
Avg Net Price $15,347 $22,973
Avg Grant Aid $10,605 $5,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 64%

Admission

 WSU WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,002 14,778
Admitted 10,547 12,982
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 87.8%
Enrolled % 24.4% 23.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 23/30
SAT Range 1040/1260 1080/1260
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 WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 WSU WCU
Graduation Rate 26% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,258 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $230 $242

Diversity

 WSU WCU
% Men 40% 39%
% Women 60% 61%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 78%
% Black 19% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

 WSU WCU
% In-State 93% 87%
% Out-of-State 3% 12%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Wayne State University is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (23,630 students vs. 17,275 students)

WSU vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSU or WCU?

  • Wayne State University is 67.6% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($12,933.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 53.6% higher at WSU than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($29,622.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than WCU ($15,347 vs. $22,973)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State University are 25.7% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($11,321 vs. $14,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wayne State University than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (96% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wayne State University students is 94.8% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($10,605 vs. $5,443)

WSU vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 2 points higher than at WSU (1070)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than WSU (75.3%)

WSU vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Wayne State University (68% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Wayne State University earn on average $2,000 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $49,000)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $1,242 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($22,258 vs. $23,500)
  • WSU graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($230 vs. $242)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 38%)

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