Wright State vs. NSU

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

Wright State NSU
Location Dayton, OH Aberdeen, SD
Setting Large Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 9,678 3,344
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #873 #820
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wright.edu northern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wright State NSU
Tuition (In State) $10,814 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $20,232 $10,718
Room & Board $10,686 $9,150
Avg Net Price $15,650 $17,264
Avg Grant Aid $8,867 $5,715
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 91%

Admission

Wright State NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,162 1,322
Admitted 6,820 1,033
Acceptance Rate 95.2%Open 78.1%
Enrolled % 18.8%Open 28.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.37
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 18/24
SAT Range 913/1168 800/1150
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

Wright State NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

Wright State NSU
Graduation Rate 40% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,400 $37,400
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $24,399
Median Loan Payment $258 $252

Diversity

Wright State NSU
% Men 45% 37%
% Women 55% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 83%
% Black 12% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 3%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 5% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Wright State NSU
% In-State 95% 69%
% Out-of-State 5% 30%

Campus

Wright State NSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Wright State University Main Campus is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (9,678 students vs. 3,344 students)

Wright State vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wright State or NSU?

  • Wright State University Main Campus is 42% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($10,814.00 vs. $7,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 88.8% higher at Wright State than Northern State University ($20,232.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wright State University Main Campus than NSU ($15,650 vs. $17,264)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern State University are 16.8% lower than costs at Wright State University Main Campus ($9,150 vs. $10,686)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wright State University Main Campus than Northern State University (92% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wright State University Main Campus students is 55.2% larger than aid received Northern State University ($8,867 vs. $5,715)

Wright State vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wright State University Main Campus (1034) is 10 points higher than at NSU (1024)
  • Incoming Wright State students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at NSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Wright State students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at NSU (3.37)
  • Wright State has a higher acceptance rate (95.2%) than NSU (78.1%)

Wright State vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wright State or NSU? 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 NSU and Wright State.

  • The graduation rate at NSU is higher than Wright State University Main Campus (42% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Wright State University Main Campus earn on average $6,000 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($43,400 vs. $37,400)
  • Northern State University students graduate with a $601 lower median federal student loan debt than Wright State graduates. ($24,399 vs. $25,000)
  • NSU graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Wright State graduates. ($252 vs. $258)
  • More NSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wright State students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 51%)

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