WMU vs. WLC

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

WMU WLC
Location Kalamazoo, MI Milwaukee, WI
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 17,000 1,086
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #634 #532
Religious Affiliation - Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wmich.edu wlc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WMU WLC
Tuition (In State) $14,523 $33,210
Tuition (Out of State) $18,154 $33,210
Room & Board $11,102 $11,380
Avg Net Price $20,030 $22,682
Avg Grant Aid $6,813 $23,128
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 100%

Admission

WMU WLC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,501 1,474
Admitted 17,334 1,383
Acceptance Rate 84.6% 93.8%
Enrolled % 15.1% 22.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.54
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/27 22/27
SAT Range 990/1220 1038/1243
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 WLC
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

WMU WLC
Graduation Rate 56% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $43,000
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,633 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $275 $258

Diversity

WMU WLC
% Men 47% 44%
% Women 53% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 83%
% Black 12% 5%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

WMU WLC
% In-State 79% 66%
% Out-of-State 19% 33%

Campus

WMU WLC
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 WLC based on total student enrollment (17,000 students vs. 1,086 students)

WMU vs. WLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WMU or WLC?

  • Wisconsin Lutheran College is 128.7% more expensive to attend than WMU for in-state tuition ($33,210.00 vs. $14,523.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 82.9% higher at WLC than Western Michigan University ($33,210.00 vs. $18,154.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Michigan University than WLC ($20,030 vs. $22,682)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Michigan University are 2.5% lower than costs at Wisconsin Lutheran College ($11,102 vs. $11,380)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wisconsin Lutheran College than Western Michigan University (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wisconsin Lutheran College students is 239.5% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($23,128 vs. $6,813)

WMU vs. WLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wisconsin Lutheran College (1101) is 71 points higher than at WMU (1030)
  • Incoming WLC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WMU (22)
  • Accepted freshman WLC students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at WMU (3.5)
  • WLC has a higher acceptance rate (93.8%) than WMU (84.6%)

WMU vs. WLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WLC is higher than Western Michigan University (63% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Western Michigan University earn on average $5,900 more per year than WLC graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $43,000)
  • Wisconsin Lutheran College students graduate with a $1,633 lower median federal student loan debt than WMU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,633)
  • WLC graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than WMU graduates. ($258 vs. $275)
  • More WLC 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/