UWM vs. WLC

Should I go to University of Wisconsin Milwaukee or Wisconsin Lutheran College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UWM or WLC 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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University of Wisconsin Milwaukee vs. Wisconsin Lutheran College comparison
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Wisconsin Lutheran College College 3 College 4
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Wisconsin Lutheran College
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Overview

UWM WLC
Location Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee, WI
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 22,481 1,094
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #845 #417
Religious Affiliation - Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uwm.edu wlc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UWM WLC
Tuition (In State) $8,455 $34,520
Tuition (Out of State) $20,455 $34,520
Room & Board $10,980 $11,880
Avg Net Price $16,499 $22,809
Avg Grant Aid $5,305 $24,122
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 100%

Admission

UWM WLC
Applied 16,662 1,847
Admitted 14,736 1,460
Acceptance Rate 88.4% 79%
Enrolled % 22.8% 17.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.16 3.54
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/24 22/28
SAT Range 1060/1300
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 Sep 1, 2025

Academics

UWM WLC
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

UWM WLC
Graduation Rate 40% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,100 $43,000
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,958 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $258

Diversity

UWM WLC
% Men 8% 2%
% Women 12% 4%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 68% 83%
% Black 8% 5%
% Hispanic 9% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

UWM WLC
% In-State 89% 69%
% Out-of-State 10% 31%

Campus

UWM WLC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Wisconsin Milwaukee is larger than than WLC based on total student enrollment (22,481 students vs. 1,094 students)

UWM vs. WLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UWM or WLC?

  • Wisconsin Lutheran College is 308.3% more expensive to attend than UWM for in-state tuition ($34,520.00 vs. $8,455.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 68.8% higher at WLC than University of Wisconsin Milwaukee ($34,520.00 vs. $20,455.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee than WLC ($16,499 vs. $22,809)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee are 8.2% lower than costs at Wisconsin Lutheran College ($10,980 vs. $11,880)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wisconsin Lutheran College than University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wisconsin Lutheran College students is 354.7% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Milwaukee ($24,122 vs. $5,305)

UWM vs. WLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wisconsin Lutheran College (1101) is 51 points higher than at UWM (1050)
  • Incoming WLC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at UWM (23)
  • Accepted freshman WLC students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at UWM (3.16)
  • UWM has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than WLC (79%)

UWM vs. WLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UWM or WLC? 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 WLC and UWM.

  • The graduation rate at WLC is higher than University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (63% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Milwaukee earn on average $3,100 more per year than WLC graduates after ten years. ($46,100 vs. $43,000)
  • University of Wisconsin Milwaukee students graduate with a $42 lower median federal student loan debt than WLC graduates. ($24,958 vs. $25,000)
  • Wisconsin Lutheran College and UWM graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($258 vs. $258)
  • More WLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UWM students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 62%)

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