Wake Forest University (WFU) vs Stanford
Wake Forest University and Stanford University, two prestigious institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Wake Forest, a private liberal arts university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, boasts a tight-knit community and a strong emphasis on undergraduate teaching. Stanford, a private research university in Stanford, California, is renowned for its academic excellence, groundbreaking research, and entrepreneurial spirit. With acceptance rates of 30% and 5%, respectively, both universities are highly selective. Wake Forest's popular majors include business, biology, and psychology, while Stanford's strengths lie in computer science, engineering, and economics. Wake Forest's student body is predominantly white (68%) and female (56%), while Stanford's student body is more diverse, with a larger international student population (18%). Both universities boast impressive graduation rates, with Wake Forest at 91% and Stanford at 95%. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these two exceptional universities and determine which
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![]() Stanford University |
![]() Wake Forest University |
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Overview |
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Location | Stanford, California | Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
Campus setting | Suburb: Large | City: Midsize |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Quarter | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 98.0% | 94.0% |
![]() |
No | No |
Religious affiliation | ||
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 3.9% | 25.2% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$90
Graduate:
$125
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Undergraduate:
$85
Graduate:
$80
|
SAT range | 1470 - 1570 | N/A |
ACT range | 34 - 35 | N/A |
Students submitting SAT score | 15.0% | |
Students submitting ACT score | 11.0% | |
Total number of applicants | 55,471 | 15,156 |
Total number of admissions given out | 2,190 | 3,816 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 1,757 | 1,412 |
Yield rate | 80.2% | 37.0% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Not required | Required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Not required | Required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $78,898 | $79,886 |
Average net price | $14,402 | $24,643 |
Tuition | $55,473 | $58,708 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$11,166
Meal plan:
$6,694
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Room/dormitory:
$10,144
Meal plan:
$7,870
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
61.0%
Average amount $56,211 |
33.0%
Average amount $53,244 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
5.0%
Average amount $5,151 |
17.0%
Average amount $4,985 |
Students taking out private loans |
1.0%
Average amount $17,186 |
3.0%
Average amount $32,719 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
7,645
Men 49.4% Women 50.6% |
5,472
Men 45.7% Women 54.3% |
Graduate students |
10,035
Men 56.5% Women 43.5% |
3,475
Men 42.4% Women 57.6% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
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Low
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Out-of-state students | 58.5% | N/A |
International students | 24.4% | 9.8% |
Campus local/setting | Suburb: Large | City: Midsize |
Dormitory capacity | 14,621 | 4,152 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | Yes | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | California Texas Washington New York Illinois | N/A |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 5:1 | 10:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 95.5% | 90.2% |
Dropout rate | 1.7% | 9.5% |
Transferred out | 0.6% | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Law (First Professional Degrees)
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
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Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Law (First Professional Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
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