Wayne State vs Iowa State

Wayne State University and Iowa State University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Wayne State, located in the heart of Detroit, Michigan, boasts a diverse student body and a strong focus on urban studies, while Iowa State, situated in Ames, Iowa, excels in agricultural sciences and engineering. With acceptance rates of 79% and 84%, respectively, both universities welcome a substantial number of applicants. While Wayne State's student body is predominantly undergraduate, Iowa State has a larger graduate population. Explore the comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details, including popular majors, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your decision in choosing the university that best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Iowa State University logo

Iowa State University

Wayne State University logo

Wayne State University

Overview

Location Ames, Iowa Detroit, Michigan
Campus setting City: Small City: Large
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 88.0% 81.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 91.1% 63.3%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $60
Undergraduate: $25

Graduate: $50
SAT range 1083 - 1330 1030 - 1260
ACT range 21 - 28 22 - 28
Students submitting SAT score 13.0% 48.0%
Students submitting ACT score 63.0% 7.0%
Total number of applicants 20,357 15,181
Total number of admissions given out 18,550 9,603
Admitted students who chose to enroll 5,387 2,732
Yield rate 29.0% 28.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $22,152

Out of state: $37,964
In state: $32,193

Out of state: $48,163
Average net price $15,422 $15,710
Tuition
In state: $8,324

Out of state: $24,136
In state: $12,376

Out of state: $28,346
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,590

Meal plan: $4,498
Room/dormitory: $7,463

Meal plan: $4,280
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

87.0%
Average amount $8,833
98.0%
Average amount $10,091
Students receiving federal student loan 47.0%
Average amount $5,202
38.0%
Average amount $4,807
Students taking out private loans 11.0%
Average amount $11,630
3.0%
Average amount $11,147

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 25,808
Men 56.1% Women 43.9%
16,839
Men 40.6% Women 59.4%
Graduate students 4,900
Men 50.6% Women 49.4%
8,080
Men 40.0% Women 60.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A 1.8%
International students 8.2% 4.4%
Campus local/setting City: Small City: Large
Dormitory capacity 9,400 3,192
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Michigan Ohio Illinois New York Washington

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Agriculture
  • Education
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Education
Students to faculty ratio 18:1 14:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 76.0% 55.8%
Dropout rate 6.1% 38.5%
Transferred out 16.7% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $85,739
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $101,292
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,956
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $95,081
Industrial Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $99,120
  • Year 2: $89,059
  • Year 3: $92,521
Veterinary Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $77,573
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $85,108
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,299
  • Year 2: $73,321
  • Year 3: $83,452
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,598
  • Year 2: $73,839
  • Year 3: $83,292
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,184
  • Year 2: $71,734
  • Year 3: $81,196
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $83,223
  • Year 2: $70,680
  • Year 3: $79,916
Construction Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,580
  • Year 2: $70,083
  • Year 3: $77,479
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,534
  • Year 2: $67,156
  • Year 3: $76,113
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $109,713
  • Year 2: $118,922
  • Year 3: $120,470
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $111,568
  • Year 2: $105,465
  • Year 3: $119,721
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $99,273
  • Year 2: $105,037
  • Year 3: $108,496
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,257
  • Year 2: $90,079
  • Year 3: $91,709
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,278
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $90,813
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,864
  • Year 2: $79,473
  • Year 3: $89,687
Civil Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,116
  • Year 2: $72,510
  • Year 3: $88,775
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,198
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $86,111
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,849
  • Year 2: $75,921
  • Year 3: $85,185
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,406
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $79,412

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