WMU vs. Ripon College

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

WMU Ripon College
Location Kalamazoo, MI Ripon, WI
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 17,000 766
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #634
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wmich.edu ripon.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WMU Ripon College
Tuition (In State) $14,523 $49,300
Tuition (Out of State) $18,154 $49,300
Room & Board $11,102 $9,490
Avg Net Price $20,030 $21,999
Avg Grant Aid $6,813 $38,826
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 100%

Admission

WMU Ripon College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,501 2,142
Admitted 17,334 1,742
Acceptance Rate 84.6% 81.3%
Enrolled % 15.1% 11.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/27 20/27
SAT Range 990/1220 940/1160
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 Ripon College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Business (13%)
  • History (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)

Outcomes

WMU Ripon College
Graduation Rate 56% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $49,200
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,633 $28,000
Median Loan Payment $275 $289

Diversity

WMU Ripon College
% Men 47% 51%
% Women 53% 49%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 83%
% Black 12% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

WMU Ripon College
% In-State 79% 63%
% Out-of-State 19% 35%

Campus

WMU Ripon College
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 Ripon College based on total student enrollment (17,000 students vs. 766 students)

WMU vs. Ripon College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WMU or Ripon College?

  • Ripon College is 239.5% more expensive to attend than WMU for in-state tuition ($49,300.00 vs. $14,523.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 171.6% higher at Ripon College than Western Michigan University ($49,300.00 vs. $18,154.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Michigan University than Ripon College ($20,030 vs. $21,999)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ripon College are 17% lower than costs at Western Michigan University ($9,490 vs. $11,102)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ripon College than Western Michigan University (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ripon College students is 469.9% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($38,826 vs. $6,813)

WMU vs. Ripon College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ripon College (1105) is 75 points higher than at WMU (1030)
  • Incoming Ripon College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WMU (22)
  • Accepted freshman WMU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Ripon College (3.41)
  • WMU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than Ripon College (81.3%)

WMU vs. Ripon College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WMU or Ripon College? 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 Ripon College and WMU.

  • The graduation rate at Ripon College is higher than Western Michigan University (70% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Ripon College earn on average $300 more per year than WMU graduates after ten years. ($49,200 vs. $48,900)
  • Western Michigan University students graduate with a $1,367 lower median federal student loan debt than Ripon College graduates. ($26,633 vs. $28,000)
  • WMU graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than Ripon College graduates. ($275 vs. $289)
  • More Ripon College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WMU students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 54%)

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