WUSTL vs. NYU vs. Michigan vs. Case Western

Should I go to Washington University in St Louis or New York University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WUSTL or NYU 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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Washington University in St Louis vs. New York University vs. University of Michigan vs. Case Western Reserve University comparison
Washington University in St Louis New York University University of Michigan Case Western Reserve University
Washington University in St Louis New York University University of Michigan Case Western Reserve University
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Overview

 WUSTL NYU Michigan Case Western
Location Saint Louis, MO New York, NY Ann Arbor, MI Cleveland, OH
Setting Large Suburban Large City Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 16,500 57,335 52,065 12,266
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #21 #39 #47 #49
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website wustl.edu nyu.edu umich.edu case.edu
Team Colors                                        

Costs

 WUSTL NYU Michigan Case Western
Tuition (In State) $61,750 $60,438 $16,896 $64,100
Tuition (Out of State) $61,750 $60,438 $57,740 $64,100
Room & Board $20,778 $22,786 $13,856 $18,202
Avg Net Price $22,440 $30,730 $19,005 $41,351
Avg Grant Aid $61,036 $48,269 $22,005 $40,197
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 41% 55% 86%

Admission

 WUSTL NYU Michigan Case Western
Applied 32,240 113,578 87,632 39,033
Admitted 3,855 10,693 15,722 11,193
Acceptance Rate 12% 9.4% 17.9% 12.8%
Enrolled % 47.4% 54.4% 47.5% 9.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.79 3.88 3.86
Typical High School Grades A- A- A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme Very High High
ACT Range 33/35 33/35 31/34 32/35
SAT Range 1500/1570 1480/1570 1350/1530 1430/1540
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 4, 2026 Feb 1, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 WUSTL NYU Michigan Case Western
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 8:1 11:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Engineering (4%)
  • Biology (2%)
  • Social Sciences (2%)
  • Business (1%)
  • Health Professions (1%)

Outcomes

 WUSTL NYU Michigan Case Western
Graduation Rate 93% 86% 90% 78%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,800 $76,000 $74,400 $84,700
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 77% 78% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,900 $23,250 $20,103 $24,066
Median Loan Payment $205 $240 $207 $248

Diversity

 WUSTL NYU Michigan Case Western
% Men 25% 20% 18% 22%
% Women 25% 28% 18% 28%
Racial Diversity High Very High Medium High
HBCU No No No No
% White 55% 34% 62% 52%
% Black 6% 5% 4% 5%
% Hispanic 7% 12% 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4% 3% 4%
% International 8% 17% 7% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 8% 6% 2%

Students

 WUSTL NYU Michigan Case Western
% In-State 12% 23% 51% 14%
% Out-of-State 76% 50% 44% 69%

Campus

 WUSTL NYU Michigan Case Western
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No Yes No
Daycare Facility No No Yes No
Learn More Details Details Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • New York University is larger than than WUSTL based on total student enrollment (57,335 students vs. 16,500 students)

WUSTL vs. NYU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WUSTL or NYU?

  • Washington University in St Louis is 2.2% more expensive to attend than NYU for in-state tuition ($61,750.00 vs. $60,438.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.2% higher at WUSTL than New York University ($61,750.00 vs. $60,438.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Washington University in St Louis than NYU ($22,440 vs. $30,730)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Washington University in St Louis are 9.7% lower than costs at New York University ($20,778 vs. $22,786)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Washington University in St Louis than New York University (48% vs. 41%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington University in St Louis students is 26.4% larger than aid received New York University ($61,036 vs. $48,269)

WUSTL vs. NYU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Washington University in St Louis (1469) is 109 points higher than at NYU (1360)
  • Incoming WUSTL students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at NYU (31)
  • Accepted freshman WUSTL students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at NYU (3.79)
  • WUSTL has a higher acceptance rate (12%) than NYU (9.4%)

WUSTL vs. NYU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WUSTL or NYU? 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 NYU and WUSTL .

  • The graduation rate at WUSTL is higher than New York University (93% vs. 86%)
  • Graduates from Washington University in St Louis earn on average $6,800 more per year than NYU graduates after ten years. ($82,800 vs. $76,000)
  • Washington University in St Louis students graduate with a $3,350 lower median federal student loan debt than NYU graduates. ($19,900 vs. $23,250)
  • WUSTL graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than NYU graduates. ($205 vs. $240)
  • More WUSTL graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NYU students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 77%)

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