OC Comets vs. WMU

Should I go to Olivet College or Western Michigan University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if OC Comets 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.

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Olivet College vs. Western Michigan University comparison
Olivet College Western Michigan University College 3 College 4
Western Michigan University
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Overview

OC Comets WMU
Location Olivet, MI Kalamazoo, MI
Setting Distant Rural Small City
Enrollment 919 17,000
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #634
Religious Affiliation United Church of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website olivetcollege.edu wmich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

OC Comets WMU
Tuition (In State) $31,664 $14,523
Tuition (Out of State) $31,664 $18,154
Room & Board $11,242 $11,102
Avg Net Price $21,394 $20,030
Avg Grant Aid $23,361 $6,813
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 93%

Admission

OC Comets WMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,439 20,501
Admitted 1,218 17,334
Acceptance Rate 84.6% 84.6%
Enrolled % 22.3% 15.1%
Avg High School GPA - 3.5
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23 19/27
SAT Range 910/1120 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

Academics

OC Comets WMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (15%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)

Outcomes

OC Comets WMU
Graduation Rate 46% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,300 $48,900
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,633
Median Loan Payment $279 $275

Diversity

OC Comets WMU
% Men 62% 47%
% Women 38% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 72%
% Black 13% 12%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

OC Comets WMU
% In-State 85% 79%
% Out-of-State 8% 19%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Michigan University is larger than than OC Comets based on total student enrollment (17,000 students vs. 919 students)

OC Comets vs. WMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, OC Comets or WMU?

  • Olivet College is 118% more expensive to attend than WMU for in-state tuition ($31,664.00 vs. $14,523.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 74.4% higher at OC Comets than Western Michigan University ($31,664.00 vs. $18,154.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Michigan University than OC Comets ($20,030 vs. $21,394)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Michigan University are 1.3% lower than costs at Olivet College ($11,102 vs. $11,242)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Olivet College than Western Michigan University (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Olivet College students is 242.9% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($23,361 vs. $6,813)

OC Comets vs. WMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Michigan University (1030) is 99 points higher than at OC Comets (931)
  • Incoming WMU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at OC Comets (20)
  • OC Comets has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than WMU (84.6%)

OC Comets vs. WMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, OC Comets 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 OC Comets.

  • The graduation rate at WMU is higher than Olivet College (56% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Western Michigan University earn on average $9,600 more per year than OC Comets graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $39,300)
  • Western Michigan University students graduate with a $367 lower median federal student loan debt than OC Comets graduates. ($26,633 vs. $27,000)
  • WMU graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than OC Comets graduates. ($275 vs. $279)
  • More WMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OC Comets students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 53%)

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