WMU vs. LRC

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

WMU LRC
Location Kalamazoo, MI Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 17,000 2,068
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #634 #796
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wmich.edu laroche.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WMU LRC
Tuition (In State) $14,523 $31,334
Tuition (Out of State) $18,154 $31,334
Room & Board $11,102 $12,886
Avg Net Price $20,030 $24,233
Avg Grant Aid $6,813 $20,948
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 94%

Admission

WMU LRC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,501 3,222
Admitted 17,334 3,137
Acceptance Rate 84.6% 97.4%
Enrolled % 15.1% 4.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.2
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/27 20/26
SAT Range 990/1220 970/1170
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

WMU LRC
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

WMU LRC
Graduation Rate 56% 51%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $44,300
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,633 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $275 $268

Diversity

WMU LRC
% Men 47% 37%
% Women 53% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 72% 62%
% Black 12% 8%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 16%
% Unknown Race 1% 8%

Students

WMU LRC
% In-State 79% 75%
% Out-of-State 19% 5%

Campus

WMU LRC
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 LRC based on total student enrollment (17,000 students vs. 2,068 students)

WMU vs. LRC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WMU or LRC?

  • La Roche College is 115.8% more expensive to attend than WMU for in-state tuition ($31,334.00 vs. $14,523.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 72.6% higher at LRC than Western Michigan University ($31,334.00 vs. $18,154.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Michigan University than LRC ($20,030 vs. $24,233)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Michigan University are 16.1% lower than costs at La Roche College ($11,102 vs. $12,886)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at La Roche College than Western Michigan University (94% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by La Roche College students is 207.5% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($20,948 vs. $6,813)

WMU vs. LRC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Michigan University (1030) is 91 points higher than at LRC (939)
  • Incoming WMU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at LRC (20)
  • Accepted freshman WMU students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at LRC (3.2)
  • LRC has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than WMU (84.6%)

WMU vs. LRC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WMU is higher than La Roche College (56% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from Western Michigan University earn on average $4,600 more per year than LRC graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $44,300)
  • La Roche College students graduate with a $633 lower median federal student loan debt than WMU graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,633)
  • LRC graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than WMU graduates. ($268 vs. $275)
  • More LRC 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/