National university
#5 Lowest net price for middle-income families in MichiganWestern Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $15,273 a year
Median debt at graduation: $26,188 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#71 of 690
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#82 of 682
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#109 of 681
In Michigan
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.58%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.81%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.Not reported
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.16 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$13,167
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $29,237 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 13,026 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 48% · Women 52% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 29% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 21% |
| Total students | 16,693 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $15,273 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $29,237 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $26,188 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 58% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 55% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 54% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 56% |
| First-year retention | 81% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $53,562 |
| Admission rate | 85% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $40 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $998 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 27% |
Value: Good · Top 41% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Paper Science and Engineering | |
| Electrical engineering | |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | |
| Industrial Engineering | |
| Chemical Engineering | |
| Computer science | |
| Air Transportation | |
| Engineering-Related Fields | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Drafting and design | |
| Nursing | |
| Industrial technology | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Automotive technology | |
| Business administration | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Finance | |
| Human resources | |
| Marketing | |
| Rehabilitation and therapy | |
| Accounting | |
| Clinical and counseling psychology | |
| Public relations | |
| Biology | |
| Design | |
| Geology and earth science | |
| Speech-language pathology | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Apparel and Textiles | |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | |
| Political science | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Health administration | |
| Sociology | |
| Communication studies | |
| Special education | |
| Psychology | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Geography | |
| Social work | |
| Secondary education | |
| Family and human development | |
| Allied health | |
| Teacher education | |
| History | |
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations | |
| Film and video | |
| Dance | |
| Theatre | |
| English | |
| Anthropology | |
| Writing and rhetoric | |
| Global studies | |
| Romance languages | |
| Fine arts | |
| Music |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Applied mathematics, Arts management, Biochemistry, Broadcasting, Business (general), Chemistry, City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning, Classics, Computer engineering, Data Analytics, Data Science, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Ecology and evolutionary biology, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Ethnic and gender studies, Experimental psychology, Food Science and Technology, Foods, Nutrition,, Geography and Environmental Studies, German, Health sciences, Information technology, Journalism, Management information systems, Management science, Managerial economics, Manufacturing Engineering, Mathematics, Mathematics and Computer Science, Medical Illustration and Informatics, Natural resources and conservation, Other education, Other engineering, Other legal professions and studies, Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies, Philosophy, Physics, Public health, Religious studies, Statistics, Telecommunications Management.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Engineering | |
| Transportation | |
| Health professions | |
| Visual and performing arts |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 13% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 9% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $12,174 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Mid-American Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 16 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 6%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 63%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $45,183IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 37% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport (AZO)About 5 miles away · about 15 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)About 115 miles away |
| Town population | 73,076Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | Fort WayneAbout 86 miles away · about 2 hours 20 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 25°F in January · 73°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Kalamazoo Battle Ck International Airport, MI, about 5 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.03 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.01 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.08 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.13 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Western Michigan University’s Compass Score?
- Good (grade B). The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Western Michigan University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $15,273 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Western Michigan University?
- Western Michigan University admitted 85% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Western Michigan University’s graduates do?
- 58% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $53,562; the median federal debt at graduation is $26,188.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 172699
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (high research)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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