WMU vs. Chatham

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

WMU Chatham
Location Kalamazoo, MI Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 17,000 2,387
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #634 #288
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wmich.edu chatham.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WMU Chatham
Tuition (In State) $14,523 $40,625
Tuition (Out of State) $18,154 $40,625
Room & Board $11,102 $12,719
Avg Net Price $20,030 $28,322
Avg Grant Aid $6,813 $27,330
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 100%

Admission

WMU Chatham
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,501 3,514
Admitted 17,334 2,331
Acceptance Rate 84.6% 66.3%
Enrolled % 15.1% 13.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.86
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/27 21/29
SAT Range 990/1220 1060/1270
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 Chatham
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

WMU Chatham
Graduation Rate 56% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,633 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $275 $211

Diversity

WMU Chatham
% Men 47% 25%
% Women 53% 75%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 72%
% Black 12% 10%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

WMU Chatham
% In-State 79% 70%
% Out-of-State 19% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Michigan University is larger than than Chatham based on total student enrollment (17,000 students vs. 2,387 students)

WMU vs. Chatham Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WMU or Chatham?

  • Chatham University is 179.7% more expensive to attend than WMU for in-state tuition ($40,625.00 vs. $14,523.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 123.8% higher at Chatham than Western Michigan University ($40,625.00 vs. $18,154.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Michigan University than Chatham ($20,030 vs. $28,322)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Michigan University are 14.6% lower than costs at Chatham University ($11,102 vs. $12,719)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Chatham University than Western Michigan University (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Chatham University students is 301.1% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($27,330 vs. $6,813)

WMU vs. Chatham Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Chatham students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at WMU (3.5)
  • WMU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than Chatham (66.3%)

WMU vs. Chatham Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Chatham is higher than Western Michigan University (60% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Western Michigan University earn on average $12,200 more per year than Chatham graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $36,700)
  • Chatham University students graduate with a $6,133 lower median federal student loan debt than WMU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $26,633)
  • Chatham graduates are paying $64 less per month on federal student loans than WMU graduates. ($211 vs. $275)
  • More Chatham graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WMU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 54%)

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