Wayne State University

Detroit, MI · Public

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82.0%
Acceptance Rate
1140
Median SAT
$53,493
Median Earnings
15,190
Applicants

Acceptance Rate Trend

Up 10.9 percentage points since 2018

Applications & Admissions

Yield Rate Trend

Percentage of admitted students who enroll

Most Popular Majors (2023)

Degrees awarded in latest year

Major Popularity Over Time

How top majors have grown or declined

Earnings by Major

This school vs. national range (2yr after graduation)

Electrical, Electronics and Co... $79,473
$9,348 $155,297
Industrial Engineering $77,401
$9,348 $155,297
Electrical Engineering Technol... $76,460
$9,348 $155,297
Computer and Information Scien... $76,460
$9,348 $155,297
Chemical Engineering $76,460
$9,348 $155,297
Mechanical Engineering $75,921
$9,348 $155,297
Civil Engineering $62,579
$9,348 $155,297
Registered Nursing, Nursing Ad... $62,426
$9,348 $155,297
This school National avg

Historical Admissions Data

Each row shows the admissions cycle for that academic year. Applicants is the total number of students who applied for freshman admission. Admitted shows how many received acceptance letters. Rate is the acceptance rate (admitted ÷ applicants) — lower percentages indicate more selective schools. Yield measures the percentage of admitted students who actually enrolled — a high yield (above 50%) suggests the school is a top choice for admitted students, while lower yields indicate students often choose other options. SAT shows the 25th-75th percentile range, meaning the middle 50% of enrolled students scored within this range. Data is sourced from IPEDS, the federal database where all US colleges report annually.

Year Applicants Admitted Rate Yield
2023 15,190 12,461 82.0% 24.0%
2022 14,002 10,547 75.3% 24.4%
2021 15,181 9,603 63.3% 28.4%
2020 17,093 11,796 69.0% 26.5%
2019 15,716 11,495 73.1% 25.8%
2018 16,210 11,533 71.2% 26.3%
2017 15,331 10,334 67.4% 25.7%
2016 11,093 9,036 81.5% 28.6%
2015 10,009 7,994 79.9% 32.0%

Graduate Outcomes

Median Earnings (10 years)
$53,493
Median Earnings (6 years)
$45,207
Median Debt
$21,250
6-Year Graduation Rate
56.5%

Tuition & Costs (2023)

In-State Tuition
$11,912
Out-of-State Tuition
$27,282
Fees
$1,605
Room & Board
$10,694
Total Cost of Attendance
$39,581

What You'll Actually Pay

Net price after grants/scholarships by family income

$0-30k income $12,337
$30-48k income $12,560
$48-75k income $14,864
$75-110k income $19,189
$110k+ income $21,543

Popular Majors

  • 1 Psychology, General
  • 2 Public Health
  • 3 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
  • 4 Human Resources Management and Services
  • 5 Business Administration, Management and Operations

Highest Earning Majors

  • Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering $79,473
  • Industrial Engineering $77,401
  • Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians $76,460
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General $76,460
  • Chemical Engineering $76,460

Student Demographics (2023)

Total Enrollment 23,553
International 6%
Women 60%
Race/Ethnicity
White 54%
Black 16%
Asian 12%
Hispanic 7%

Financial Aid (2023)

Grants are free money; loans must be repaid

Receive Grants 75%
Avg: $9,671 free money/year
Pell Grant Recipients 43%
Federal aid for <$60k income families
Have Federal Loans 40%
Avg: $6,868
School's Own Grants 90%
Avg: $7,481 from school funds