WSU vs. WMU

Should I go to Wayne State University or Western Michigan University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WSU or WMU 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Wayne State University vs. Western Michigan University comparison
Wayne State University Western Michigan University College 3 College 4
Wayne State University Western Michigan University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

WSU WMU
Location Detroit, MI Kalamazoo, MI
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 23,630 17,000
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #582 #634
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wayne.edu wmich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WSU WMU
Tuition (In State) $12,933 $14,523
Tuition (Out of State) $29,622 $18,154
Room & Board $11,321 $11,102
Avg Net Price $15,347 $20,030
Avg Grant Aid $10,605 $6,813
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 93%

Admission

WSU WMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,002 20,501
Admitted 10,547 17,334
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 84.6%
Enrolled % 24.4% 15.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 19/27
SAT Range 1040/1260 990/1220
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 WMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)

Outcomes

WSU WMU
Graduation Rate 26% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $48,900
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,258 $26,633
Median Loan Payment $230 $275

Diversity

WSU WMU
% Men 40% 47%
% Women 60% 53%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 72%
% Black 19% 12%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

WSU WMU
% In-State 93% 79%
% Out-of-State 3% 19%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Wayne State University is larger than than WMU based on total student enrollment (23,630 students vs. 17,000 students)

WSU vs. WMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSU or WMU?

  • Western Michigan University is 12.3% more expensive to attend than WSU for in-state tuition ($14,523.00 vs. $12,933.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 63.2% higher at WSU than Western Michigan University ($29,622.00 vs. $18,154.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than WMU ($15,347 vs. $20,030)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Michigan University are 2% lower than costs at Wayne State University ($11,102 vs. $11,321)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wayne State University than Western Michigan University (96% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wayne State University students is 55.7% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($10,605 vs. $6,813)

WSU vs. WMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wayne State University (1070) is 40 points higher than at WMU (1030)
  • Incoming WSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at WMU (22)
  • Accepted freshman WMU students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • WMU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than WSU (75.3%)

WSU vs. WMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WMU is higher than Wayne State University (56% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Wayne State University earn on average $2,100 more per year than WMU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $48,900)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $4,375 lower median federal student loan debt than WMU graduates. ($22,258 vs. $26,633)
  • WSU graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than WMU graduates. ($230 vs. $275)
  • More WMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 38%)

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