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Detroit , MI
Wayne State University, located in Detroit, Michigan, is a renowned public research university. Established in 1868, Wayne State has a rich history and a strong commitment to providing accessible higher education to students. The university offers more than 350 bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs, spanning various disciplines including business, engineering, medicine, education, and the arts.
Wayne State is recognized as a top-tier research institution, with its faculty and students actively engaged in groundbreaking research and innovation. The university is particularly renowned for its programs in engineering, health sciences, and social sciences. It operates numerous research centers and institutes, attracting grants and funding to support cutting-edge research initiatives. Wayne State also prides itself on its close relationship with the city of Detroit, offering unique opportunities for students to engage in community service and contribute to the revitalization efforts of the city.
In addition to its academic excellence, Wayne State University provides a vibrant campus life to its students. The university offers more than 400 registered student organizations, ranging from cultural and academic clubs to sports, performing arts, and student government. The campus boasts state-of-the-art facilities, including modern classrooms, research labs, and libraries. Wayne State's location in Detroit provides students with a dynamic urban environment, offering cultural events, professional opportunities, and a diverse mix of people and lifestyles.
Overall, Wayne State University stands as a prestigious institution known for its research contributions, diverse academic programs, and strong commitment to community engagement. It continues to foster a supportive and stimulating environment for students, empowering them to excel academically and personally while making a positive impact on society.
Located in Detroit, MI and set in an urban environment, Wayne State University is a public university. This school uses a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 77%. The freshman retention rate at Wayne State University is 82.62% and the six-year graduation rate is 58%.
The freshmen application deadline for this school is August 1. For transfer students, the application deadline is July 15.
Explore this school's profile to find out all the important things about Wayne State University.
Quick Facts
16,173
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
16:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
58%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you know as much as possible about the school's criteria for admission, you can make a better judgment about your eligibility and boost your chances of getting accepted. Here are the most relevant information you need to know about admission at Wayne State University.
According to the most recent information reported, this school uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 13,781 in 2025. Wayne State University has an official test-optional admission policy but takes into consideration standardized test scores for the candidates who choose to submit them. As far as admission difficulty is considered, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is moderately difficult to get into.
Test Scores
Out of the number of students who submitted test scores, the percentage of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students who submitted SAT scores was 40.19% and ACT scores 2.5%. 6.05% of the first-year students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 35.24% between 1,200 and 1,399, 47.01% between 1,000 and 1,199, 10.97% between 800 and 999, and 0.73% between 600 and 799. The percent of incoming freshmen who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 24.68, 48.05 between 24-29, 27.27 in the range between 18-23, 6 between 12-17, and 1 between 6-11.
The ACT composite average score for all the accepted students in 2025 was 24 while the average GPA was 3.4. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into Wayne State University; the same goes for your ACT score.
The new students had an average SAT Critical Reading score of 565 and an average SAT Math score of 560.
Deadlines
Be sure to apply to this school by August 1. If you are applying for a transfer, the application deadline is July 15.
Retention Rate
The student retention rate is the percentage of students who re-enroll from one year to the next. This piece of data is important as it can reveal to the prospective students how many freshmen liked the school enough to return to it as sophomores.
The freshman retention rate for Wayne State University was 82.62% in 2025, a testament to the outstanding educational experience provided by this institution.
Another important metric to consider is the graduation rate. This rate indicates how many students finish their degrees within a certain timeframe. At this academic institution, the proportion of students graduating in six years is 58%.
Student Body
Figuring out which school is the right fit for you is not a task you should take lightly. You can get a better insight into a school's culture and life by learning more about its student body.
Main Student Body
In 2025, the institution had an enrollment of 23,964 students.
That year, the school had 1.62% of out-of-state students. There was a total of 16,173 undergrad students, including 347 international students. The school reported to have a total of 1,360 transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 7,010 male and 10,186 female full-time students in 2025. There were 2,031 full-time graduate male and 3,040 full-time graduate female students at this school.
Student Population Diversity
Higer Education is committed to focusing on the diversity of its student population and improving students' sense of inclusion and belonging. In a diverse learning space, you will be exposed to people from different backgrounds, which promotes the feeling of inclusion and acceptance. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.
In 2025, out of the total number of students enrolled at the institution, the number of Asian students was 2,330, while the number of Black American students was 2,786. 1,212 students at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 703 as multirace. The school also had 5 students who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 34 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 98 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Before you submit an application to any college or university, you should take into account the financial component. The latest information on the expenses that most students at this school incur are detailed below.
Books and Supplies
The approximate price of books and supplies for a college or university should also be taken into consideration as another important expense. Most students have to give about $1,360 for books and supplies during their time at Wayne State University.
Boarding
Besides tuition, another cost to consider is the price of housing in the dorms and eating at the school cafeteria. What is the typical amount colleges and universities charge for lodging and meals?
The cost of room and board (on campus) per academic year at Wayne State University was $13,050 in 2025. Room-only (on campus) cost per academic year at this school stood at $8,146, according to the data from 2025.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Room and Board | $ 13,050 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,360 |
Financial Aid
Getting some financial help in forms of grants, loans, scholarships or work-study programs can be crucial for finishing your studies. If you wish to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Wayne State University, here are some recent data you should take into consideration.
According to the most recent data, 2,252 freshmen were awarded financial aid. The average amount of financial aid given to students was $16,717.59.
Need-based
Need-based financial aid is exactly what it sounds like — it’s awarded based on the determined financial need.
7,921 students secured some form of need-based financial aid. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Wayne State University is available to international students. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need amounted to 8,903. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution totaled $51,259,265, and state $22,481,871.
$5,592
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based aid is any type of financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid. The most popular forms of non-need-based financial aid for students are loans and grants, like Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
6,943 students, including freshmen, were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid at this institution in 2025. 2,205 full-time freshmen were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid. The total dollar amount of federal non-need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the studens at this school was $51,259,265 while the state aid is $65,376. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $49,912,184. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $2,286,010 USD.
Majors
Faculty
16:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty or student-to-professor ratio represents the number of students compared to the number of professors at a school.
In 2025, this ratio at Wayne State University was 16:1. That means that there were 16 times more students than teachers at this school. This school has recently reported to have 1,627 faculty members. Out of that number, there were 760 men and 867 women. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school speaks volumes for gender equality at Wayne State University.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Knowing what to expect out of campus life at a college or university can set you up for success. Check out some information about social life at Wayne State University.
It has a campus size of 195 acres.
Student Organizations
Participating in different student organizations can make your educational experience more interesting and fulfilling.
This school has 548 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. That includes sororities and fraternities. Students who like music can join the Wayne State University band or chorus. There is a drama club you can join if acting is something that interests you. Interested in media and communication? Wayne State University publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
Wayne State University provides a number of services needed for a pleasant and secure life on campus.
There are phone and alarm devices that can be accessed 24/7 for emergency situations. The school has electronically operated dormitory entrances. There is a security patrol available 24/7. The transport/escort service operates during late hours.
There is a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Legal Services and Veteran's Affairs are available to the students of Wayne State University.
All in all, campus life at Wayne State University is rich and vibrant and provides everything most students need.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Wayne State University.
Career Counselling
At Wayne State University, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a job bank and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. There is campus employer recruitment for all the students. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
FAQ
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Wayne State University is located in Detroit, MI.
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Wayne State University offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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This school has an official test-optional admission policy but makes use of SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, or other standardized test scores in admission decisions for the candidates who choose to submit them.
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The most recent data indicate that the acceptance rate for Wayne State University is 77%.
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The most recent data indicate that the freshman retention rate for Wayne State University is 82.62%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.