WMU vs. Wright State

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

 WMU Wright State
Location Kalamazoo, MI Dayton, OH
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 17,000 9,678
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #634 #873
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wmich.edu wright.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WMU Wright State
Tuition (In State) $14,523 $10,814
Tuition (Out of State) $18,154 $20,232
Room & Board $11,102 $10,686
Avg Net Price $20,030 $15,650
Avg Grant Aid $6,813 $8,867
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 92%

Admission

 WMU Wright State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,501 7,162
Admitted 17,334 6,820
Acceptance Rate 84.6% 95.2%Open
Enrolled % 15.1% 18.8%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/27 17/24
SAT Range 990/1220 913/1168
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 23, 2025

Academics

 WMU Wright State
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

 WMU Wright State
Graduation Rate 56% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $43,400
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,633 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $275 $258

Diversity

 WMU Wright State
% Men 47% 45%
% Women 53% 55%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 72%
% Black 12% 12%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 WMU Wright State
% In-State 79% 95%
% Out-of-State 19% 5%

Campus

 WMU Wright 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

  • Western Michigan University is larger than than Wright State based on total student enrollment (17,000 students vs. 9,678 students)

WMU vs. Wright State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WMU or Wright State?

  • Western Michigan University is 34.3% more expensive to attend than Wright State for in-state tuition ($14,523.00 vs. $10,814.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.4% higher at Wright State than Western Michigan University ($20,232.00 vs. $18,154.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wright State University Main Campus than WMU ($15,650 vs. $20,030)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wright State University Main Campus are 3.9% lower than costs at Western Michigan University ($10,686 vs. $11,102)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Michigan University than Wright State University Main Campus (93% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wright State University Main Campus students is 30.1% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($8,867 vs. $6,813)

WMU vs. Wright State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wright State University Main Campus (1034) is 4 points higher than at WMU (1030)
  • Incoming WMU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Wright State (22)
  • Accepted freshman WMU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Wright State (3.41)
  • Wright State has a higher acceptance rate (95.2%) than WMU (84.6%)

WMU vs. Wright State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WMU or Wright 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 Wright State and WMU.

  • The graduation rate at WMU is higher than Wright State University Main Campus (56% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Western Michigan University earn on average $5,500 more per year than Wright State graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $43,400)
  • Wright State University Main Campus students graduate with a $1,633 lower median federal student loan debt than WMU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,633)
  • Wright State graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than WMU graduates. ($258 vs. $275)
  • More WMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wright State students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 51%)

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