Wayne State University

https://wayne.edu

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2024 Undergraduate Tuition

$14,274

4.49% growth from 2023

2024 Average Net Price

$14,416

After Financial Aid

2024 Acceptance Rate

81.2%

16,981 Applicants

2024 Enrolled Students

23,803

74.9% Full-Time

2024 Graduation Rate

58.4%

1,727 Graduates

About

Wayne State University is a higher education institution located in Wayne County, MI. In 2024, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Wayne State University were General Psychology (372 degrees awarded), General Marketing & Marketing Management (213 degrees), and General Public Health (204 degrees).

In 2024, 6,566 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Wayne State University. 60.6% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 39.4% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (3,983 degrees), 4.78 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (833 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Wayne State University is $14,274, which is $−17,646 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

Photo by Jeff Dunn

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at Wayne State University is $14,274, which is $17,646 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $14,416.

In 2024, 78% of undergraduate students attending Wayne State University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 38% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$14,274

2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at Wayne State University was $14,274. The cost of tuition at Wayne State University is $−17,646 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Wayne State University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$14,416

2024 Value

10%

1 Year Growth

In 2024 Wayne State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $14,416. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of Wayne State University grew by 10%.

This chart compares the average net price of Wayne State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$11,933

Room and Board

$1,316

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Wayne State University was of $11,933 in 2024. The cost of room and board increased by 3.64% between 2023 and 2024.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,316. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Wayne State University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

78%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

38%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

78% of undergraduate students at Wayne State University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a growth of 4% with respect to 2023, when 75% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Wayne State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Admissions

Wayne State University received 16,981 undergraduate applications in 2024, which represents a 11.8% annual growth. Out of those 16,981 applicants, 13,781 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 81.2% acceptance rate.

There were 23,803 students enrolled at Wayne State University in 2024. 40% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Wayne State University has an overall enrollment yield of 22.4%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

81.2%

Acceptance Rate in 2024

13,781

Accepted Out of 16,981

In 2024, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Wayne State University was 81.2% (13,781 admissions from 16,981 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2023, which was 82%. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of applicants grew by 11.8%, while admissions grew by 10.6%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Wayne State University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

40%

Submission Percentage (2024)

1,239

Scores Submitted (2024)

40% of enrolled first-time students at Wayne State University in 2024 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Wayne State University had a total enrollment of 23,803 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at Wayne State University is 17,838 students and the part-time enrollment is 5,965. This means that 74.9% of students enrolled at Wayne State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Wayne State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 53.2% White, 16.9% Black or African American, 12.1% Asian, 7.28% Hispanic or Latino, 4.19% Two or More Races, 0.185% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.042% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Wayne State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (30.8%), followed by White Male (22%) and Black or African American Female (10.8%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (33.8%), followed by White Male (20.1%) and Black or African American Female (7.23%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

74.9%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Wayne State University in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 23,803 students. The full-time enrollment at Wayne State University is 17,838 and the part-time enrollment is 5,965. This means that 74.9% of students enrolled at Wayne State University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.3% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Wayne State University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

83%

2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Wayne State University was 83%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (82%), Wayne State University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Wayne State University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
12,662 enrolled students
Black or African American
4,019 enrolled students
Asian
2,879 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Wayne State University is 53.2% White, 16.9% Black or African American, 12.1% Asian, 7.28% Hispanic or Latino, 4.19% Two or More Races, 0.185% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.042% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 46.2% White, 16.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 10.4% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 147 students (0.618%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2024, 1,398 more women than men received degrees from Wayne State University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Wayne State University is white (3,983 degrees awarded). There were 4.78 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (833 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Wayne State University is General Psychology (372 degrees awarded), followed by General Marketing & Marketing Management (213 degrees) and General Public Health (204 degrees).

In 2024, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Wayne State University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Library Science (150 degrees awarded), Public Administration and Social Service (367 degrees), and Human Sciences (152 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Social workers, all other

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Wayne State University are Social workers, all other (159,203 people), Other managers (102,687 people), Postsecondary teachers (84,810 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (72,988 people), and Other Physical Scientists (68,392 people).

The most specialized majors at Wayne State University in 2024 are Library Science (150 degrees awarded), Public Administration and Social Service (367 degrees), Human Sciences (152 degrees), Physical Sciences (124 degrees), and Legal (158 degrees) (as of 2024).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Wayne State University are Surgeons, Chief executives & legislators, Physicians, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, and Geoscientists and hydrologists, except geographers

The most specialized majors at Wayne State University are Library Science (150 degrees awarded), Public Administration and Social Service (367 degrees), Human Sciences (152 degrees), Physical Sciences (124 degrees), and Legal (158 degrees) (as of 2024).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Wayne State University are Elementary & secondary schools (220,710 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (183,644 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (148,729 people), Individual & family services (115,250 people), and Outpatient care centers (77,889 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Wayne State University.

Most Common (2024)

General Psychology
372 degrees awarded
General Marketing & Marketing Management
213 degrees awarded
General Public Health
204 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Wayne State University was General Psychology with 372 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Wayne State University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

2,584

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2024

3,982

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2024

In 2024, 2,584 degrees were awarded to men at Wayne State University, which is 0.649 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (3,982).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Wayne State University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2024, 162 degrees were awarded to men at Wayne State University in General Computer & Information Sciences, which is 3.06 times more than the 53 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2024, 341 degrees were awarded to men at Wayne State University in General Psychology, which is 5.88 times more than the 58 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

34%

100% Completion Time

60%

150% Completion Time

In 2024, 34% of students graduating from Wayne State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 60% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 63% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (79.9%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2024 at Wayne State University is Female and Asian (79.9% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (75.5%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 2.67% of graduates (46 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
3,983 degrees awarded
Black or African American
833 degrees awarded
Asian
724 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Wayne State University is white (3,983 degrees awarded). There were 4.78 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (833 degrees).

0.64% of degree recipients (42 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)

White Female
2,662 degrees awarded
White Female
2,536 degrees awarded
White Female
2,446 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Wayne State University is white female (2,662 degrees awarded). There were 1.05 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (2,536 degrees).

Operations

Wayne State University has an endowment valued at nearly $602M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 63.5M (10.5%) compared to the 9.4% average return (23.7M on 252M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2024, Wayne State University had a total salary expenditure of 984M. Wayne State University employs 345 Associate professors, 312 Professors and 310 Assistant professors. Most academics at Wayne State University are Male Professor (201), Female Associate professor (187), and Female Assistant professor (178).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Wayne State University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 579 employees, Management, with 485 employees, and Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 270 employees.

Endowment

$602M

2024 Endowment

18.3%

growth from 2023

Wayne State University has an endowment valued at about $602M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of Wayne State University grew 18.3% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $350M higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Wayne State University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$124M - Federal
$60.4M - State
$14.1M - Local

As of 2024, Wayne State University received $124M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $60.4M from state grants and contracts, and $14.1M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$486M

2024 Salaries

6.14%

growth from 2023

In 2024, Wayne State University paid a median of $486M in salaries, which represents 49.4% of their overall expenditure ($984M) and a 6.14% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 3.84% growth between 2022 and 2023, and a 1.48% decline between 2021 and 2022.

Instructional Salaries

$117M

Instructional Salaries

992

Number of Employees

In 2024, Wayne State University paid a total of $117M to 992 employees working as instructors, which represents 24.1% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $4.1M (2.29%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Wayne State University were Business and Financial Operations with 579 employees, Management with 485 employees, and Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 270 employees.

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