Wayne State acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Wayne State University · Public · Detroit, MI · 16,117 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Wayne State admitted 82.0% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 76.2% in 2013. Michigan residents pay $15,862 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $33,467.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 76.2% | 11,524 | 8,786 |
| 2014 | 77.3% | 12,199 | 9,433 |
| 2015 | 79.9% | 10,009 | 7,994 |
| 2016 | 81.5% | 11,093 | 9,036 |
| 2017 | 67.4% | 15,331 | 10,334 |
| 2018 | 71.1% | 16,210 | 11,533 |
| 2019 | 73.1% | 15,716 | 11,495 |
| 2020 | 69.0% | 17,093 | 11,796 |
| 2021 | 63.3% | 15,181 | 9,603 |
| 2022 | 75.3% | 14,002 | 10,547 |
| 2023 | 82.0% | 15,190 | 12,461 |
Applications went from 11,524 in fall 2013 to 15,190 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $9,694 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $9,087 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $9,680 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $12,492 |
| Over $110,000 | $18,584 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $15,862 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $33,467 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $26,709 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $11,212 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 44% submitted the SAT, 4% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Michigan MI | 81.3% | $17,004 same for all |
| Michigan State MI | 83.9% | $17,256 in-state |
| Western Michigan MI | 84.7% | $15,954 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Of 15,190 applications for fall 2023, Wayne State admitted 12,461, which is 82.0%.1 In 2013 the rate was 76.2%, a rise of 5.8 percentage points to the latest fall, with a low of 63.3% in 2021 along the way.1 Declines were uncommon, appearing in 3 of the 10 yearly changes.1 Applications grew 32% over the span and admitted students grew 42%.1 Since 2020 applications have gone down 11% while admitted students have gone up 6%.1
Test scores are optional, and the middle 50% of SAT reading and writing results ran from 530 to 640 in 2023, with 44% of entrants submitting SAT results.1
Tuition and fees for 2025-26 run $15,862 for Michigan residents and $33,467 for nonresidents.2 The in-state price is close to the $15,872 median of the 15 public bachelor's colleges in Michigan, and slightly lower.2 After grants in 2024-25, families earning $0 to $30,000 paid $9,694 on average, the $30,001 to $48,000 group paid $9,087, and those over $110,000 paid $18,584.2
Of 2019 entrants, 60% graduated within 6 years, against a state median of 59% across 42 bachelor's colleges.2 Median earnings were $59,525 at 10 years after entry, compared with $59,874 across 43 Michigan colleges.2 Median federal debt for graduating borrowers was $19,500.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 15,190 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 12,461 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 2,988 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 16,117 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 530 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 640 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 510 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 620 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 21 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 28 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 44% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 4% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $15,862 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $33,467 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $26,709 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $11,212 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $9,694 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $9,087 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $9,680 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $12,492 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $18,584 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 60% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 83% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 51% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $59,525 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $19,500 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, Michigan (N = 15) | $15,872 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Michigan (N = 42) | 59% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry, Michigan (N = 43) | $59,874 | College Scorecard, median MD_EARN_WNE_P10, bachelor's institutions, 2022-232 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Wayne State, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page