University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) vs Washington State University (WSU)

Nestled in the heartland of America, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) and Washington State University (WSU) stand as beacons of higher education, each offering a unique tapestry of academic opportunities and vibrant student life. UNL, rooted in the rich agricultural heritage of Nebraska, boasts a strong focus on STEM disciplines, while WSU, nestled amidst the natural splendor of the Palouse region, excels in fields like agriculture, engineering, and veterinary medicine. With distinct acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, these universities cater to diverse student aspirations. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover which institution aligns best with your academic pursuits and personal preferences, embarking on a journey toward success in your chosen field.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln logo

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Washington State University logo

Washington State University

Overview

Location Lincoln, Nebraska Pullman, Washington
Campus setting City: Large Town: Distant
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 80.0% 81.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 81.1% 85.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $45

Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $75
SAT range 1090 - 1320 N/A
ACT range 22 - 28 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 8.0%
Students submitting ACT score 85.0%
Total number of applicants 17,775 18,197
Total number of admissions given out 14,411 15,607
Admitted students who chose to enroll 4,736 4,007
Yield rate 32.9% 25.7%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $26,316

Out of state: $43,446
In state: $28,767

Out of state: $44,083
Average net price $18,403 $11,877
Tuition
In state: $7,770

Out of state: $24,900
In state: $10,457

Out of state: $25,773
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,485

Meal plan: $4,653
Room/dormitory: $7,400

Meal plan: $4,350
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

96.0%
Average amount $8,608
86.0%
Average amount $9,993
Students receiving federal student loan 34.0%
Average amount $4,691
27.0%
Average amount $5,042
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $13,909
3.0%
Average amount $15,454

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 19,552
Men 50.5% Women 49.5%
24,278
Men 45.9% Women 54.1%
Graduate students 4,879
Men 49.2% Women 50.8%
5,565
Men 44.7% Women 55.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students 25.7% 15.2%
International students 7.4% 5.7%
Campus local/setting City: Large Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity 6,936 7,043
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Nebraska Illinois Minnesota Kansas Iowa Washington California Oregon Idaho Hawaii

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Agriculture
  • Education
  • Business
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Social Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Education
Students to faculty ratio 16:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome

Graduation rate 66.4% 59.5%
Dropout rate 10.7% 38.1%
Transferred out 21.4% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,695
  • Year 2: $91,017
  • Year 3: $102,607
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,888
  • Year 2: $78,134
  • Year 3: $86,893
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,533
  • Year 2: $64,493
  • Year 3: $86,584
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,494
  • Year 2: $68,918
  • Year 3: $78,265
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,969
  • Year 2: $70,680
  • Year 3: $75,873
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,040
  • Year 2: $71,015
  • Year 3: $74,823
Education, Other (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $72,325
  • Year 3: $73,798
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,124
  • Year 2: $58,402
  • Year 3: $73,111
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,572
  • Year 2: $66,168
  • Year 3: $72,183
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,299
  • Year 2: $66,821
  • Year 3: $71,063
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $135,393
  • Year 3: $143,888
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,911
  • Year 2: $123,178
  • Year 3: $127,531
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $90,080
  • Year 2: $100,915
  • Year 3: $120,737
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $111,957
  • Year 2: $112,073
  • Year 3: $119,910
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $106,275
  • Year 2: $105,813
  • Year 3: $117,478
Veterinary Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $82,971
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $96,760
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,468
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $88,746
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,693
  • Year 2: $75,204
  • Year 3: $81,535
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,112
  • Year 2: $68,808
  • Year 3: $80,939
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,531
  • Year 2: $72,881
  • Year 3: $79,650

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The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
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