WSU vs. Penn State

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

WSU Penn State
Location Detroit, MI University Park, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 23,630 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #582 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wayne.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WSU Penn State
Tuition (In State) $12,933 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $29,622 $35,946
Room & Board $11,321 $12,744
Avg Net Price $15,347 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $10,605 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 44%

Admission

WSU Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,002 85,784
Admitted 10,547 47,360
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 55.2%
Enrolled % 24.4% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 26/31
SAT Range 1040/1260 1210/1390
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 1, 2024

Academics

WSU Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

WSU Penn State
Graduation Rate 26% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,258 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $230 $277

Diversity

WSU Penn State
% Men 40% 53%
% Women 60% 47%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 57% 69%
% Black 19% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

WSU Penn State
% In-State 93% 51%
% Out-of-State 3% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than WSU based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 23,630 students)

WSU vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSU or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 42% more expensive to attend than WSU for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $12,933.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.3% higher at Penn State than Wayne State University ($35,946.00 vs. $29,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than Penn State ($15,347 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State University are 12.6% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($11,321 vs. $12,744)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wayne State University than Penn State Main Campus (96% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wayne State University students is 5.4% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($10,605 vs. $10,066)

WSU vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 132 points higher than at WSU (1070)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at WSU (23)
  • WSU has a higher acceptance rate (75.3%) than Penn State (55.2%)

WSU vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WSU or Penn State? 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 Penn State and WSU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Wayne State University (87% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $4,300 more per year than WSU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $51,000)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $4,560 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($22,258 vs. $26,818)
  • WSU graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($230 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 38%)

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