St. Ambrose University vs. WMU

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

St. Ambrose University WMU
Location Davenport, IA Kalamazoo, MI
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 2,747 17,000
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #402 #634
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sau.edu wmich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

St. Ambrose University WMU
Tuition (In State) $34,290 $14,523
Tuition (Out of State) $34,290 $18,154
Room & Board $11,988 $11,102
Avg Net Price $23,359 $20,030
Avg Grant Aid $25,476 $6,813
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 93%

Admission

St. Ambrose University WMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,589 20,501
Admitted 2,653 17,334
Acceptance Rate 73.9% 84.6%
Enrolled % 17.3% 15.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 19/27
SAT Range 1020/1240 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

St. Ambrose University WMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)

Outcomes

St. Ambrose University WMU
Graduation Rate 62% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,300 $48,900
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,764 $26,633
Median Loan Payment $266 $275

Diversity

St. Ambrose University WMU
% Men 42% 47%
% Women 58% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 72%
% Black 3% 12%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

St. Ambrose University WMU
% In-State 33% 79%
% Out-of-State 64% 19%

Campus

St. Ambrose University WMU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Western Michigan University is larger than than St. Ambrose University based on total student enrollment (17,000 students vs. 2,747 students)

St. Ambrose University vs. WMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Ambrose University or WMU?

  • Saint Ambrose University is 136.1% more expensive to attend than WMU for in-state tuition ($34,290.00 vs. $14,523.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 88.9% higher at St. Ambrose University than Western Michigan University ($34,290.00 vs. $18,154.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Michigan University than St. Ambrose University ($20,030 vs. $23,359)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Michigan University are 8% lower than costs at Saint Ambrose University ($11,102 vs. $11,988)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Ambrose University than Western Michigan University (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Ambrose University students is 273.9% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($25,476 vs. $6,813)

St. Ambrose University vs. WMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Saint Ambrose University (1050) is 20 points higher than at WMU (1030)
  • Incoming St. Ambrose University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at WMU (22)
  • Accepted freshman WMU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at St. Ambrose University (3.39)
  • WMU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than St. Ambrose University (73.9%)

St. Ambrose University vs. WMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, St. Ambrose University 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 St. Ambrose University .

  • The graduation rate at St. Ambrose University is higher than Western Michigan University (62% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Western Michigan University earn on average $600 more per year than St. Ambrose University graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $48,300)
  • Saint Ambrose University students graduate with a $869 lower median federal student loan debt than WMU graduates. ($25,764 vs. $26,633)
  • St. Ambrose University graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than WMU graduates. ($266 vs. $275)
  • More St. Ambrose University 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/