WMU vs. Washington State

Should I go to Western Michigan University or Washington State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WMU or Washington State 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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Western Michigan University vs. Washington State University comparison
Western Michigan University Washington State University College 3 College 4
Western Michigan University Washington State University
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Overview

WMU Washington State
Location Kalamazoo, MI Pullman, WA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 17,000 27,539
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #634 #386
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wmich.edu wsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WMU Washington State
Tuition (In State) $14,523 $10,708
Tuition (Out of State) $18,154 $26,392
Room & Board $11,102 $12,396
Avg Net Price $20,030 $17,911
Avg Grant Aid $6,813 $10,689
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 83%

Admission

WMU Washington State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,501 19,401
Admitted 17,334 16,123
Acceptance Rate 84.6% 83.1%
Enrolled % 15.1% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/27 20/26
SAT Range 990/1220 1020/1210
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 31, 2025

Academics

WMU Washington State
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

WMU Washington State
Graduation Rate 56% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $54,400
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,633 $20,429
Median Loan Payment $275 $211

Diversity

WMU Washington State
% Men 47% 46%
% Women 53% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 72% 63%
% Black 12% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 13%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 8%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

WMU Washington State
% In-State 79% 83%
% Out-of-State 19% 15%

Campus

WMU Washington State
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

  • Washington State University is larger than than WMU based on total student enrollment (27,539 students vs. 17,000 students)

WMU vs. Washington State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WMU or Washington State?

  • Western Michigan University is 35.6% more expensive to attend than Washington State for in-state tuition ($14,523.00 vs. $10,708.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.4% higher at Washington State than Western Michigan University ($26,392.00 vs. $18,154.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Washington State University than WMU ($17,911 vs. $20,030)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Michigan University are 11.7% lower than costs at Washington State University ($11,102 vs. $12,396)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Michigan University than Washington State University (93% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington State University students is 56.9% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($10,689 vs. $6,813)

WMU vs. Washington State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Washington State University (1039) is 9 points higher than at WMU (1030)
  • Incoming Washington State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at WMU (22)
  • Accepted freshman WMU students have at the same average high school GPA (3.5) as students at Washington State (3.5)
  • WMU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than Washington State (83.1%)

WMU vs. Washington State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WMU or Washington State? 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 Washington State and WMU.

  • The graduation rate at Washington State is higher than Western Michigan University (67% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Washington State University earn on average $5,500 more per year than WMU graduates after ten years. ($54,400 vs. $48,900)
  • Washington State University students graduate with a $6,204 lower median federal student loan debt than WMU graduates. ($20,429 vs. $26,633)
  • Washington State graduates are paying $64 less per month on federal student loans than WMU graduates. ($211 vs. $275)
  • More Washington State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WMU students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 54%)

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