WMU vs. Carthage

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

WMU Carthage
Location Kalamazoo, MI Kenosha, WI
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 17,000 2,667
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #634 #604
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wmich.edu carthage.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WMU Carthage
Tuition (In State) $14,523 $34,500
Tuition (Out of State) $18,154 $34,500
Room & Board $11,102 $12,648
Avg Net Price $20,030 $26,209
Avg Grant Aid $6,813 $20,535
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 100%

Admission

WMU Carthage
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,501 8,112
Admitted 17,334 6,638
Acceptance Rate 84.6% 81.8%
Enrolled % 15.1% 11%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/27 20/27
SAT Range 990/1220 980/1200
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

WMU Carthage
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)
  • Business (28%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

WMU Carthage
Graduation Rate 56% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $48,800
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,633 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $275 $279

Diversity

WMU Carthage
% Men 47% 44%
% Women 53% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 75%
% Black 12% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 11%

Students

WMU Carthage
% In-State 79% 34%
% Out-of-State 19% 64%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Michigan University is larger than than Carthage based on total student enrollment (17,000 students vs. 2,667 students)

WMU vs. Carthage Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WMU or Carthage?

  • Carthage College is 137.6% more expensive to attend than WMU for in-state tuition ($34,500.00 vs. $14,523.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 90% higher at Carthage than Western Michigan University ($34,500.00 vs. $18,154.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Michigan University than Carthage ($20,030 vs. $26,209)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Michigan University are 13.9% lower than costs at Carthage College ($11,102 vs. $12,648)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Carthage College than Western Michigan University (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carthage College students is 201.4% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($20,535 vs. $6,813)

WMU vs. Carthage Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carthage College (1145) is 115 points higher than at WMU (1030)
  • Incoming Carthage students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WMU (22)
  • Accepted freshman WMU students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Carthage (3.36)
  • WMU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than Carthage (81.8%)

WMU vs. Carthage Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WMU or Carthage? 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 Carthage and WMU.

  • The graduation rate at Carthage is higher than Western Michigan University (59% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Western Michigan University earn on average $100 more per year than Carthage graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $48,800)
  • Western Michigan University students graduate with a $367 lower median federal student loan debt than Carthage graduates. ($26,633 vs. $27,000)
  • WMU graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Carthage graduates. ($275 vs. $279)
  • More Carthage graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WMU students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 54%)

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