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Marquette, MI · Kalamazoo, MI
| Northern Michigan University | Western Michigan University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $14,085/yr | $15,273/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $7,697/yr | $5,263/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $21,474 | $26,188 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $7,185/yr | $5,734/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $11,051/yr | $13,833/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $16,324/yr | $18,307/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $22,268/yr | $23,625/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $228/mo | $278/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $13,274/yr | $12,174/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $11,292/yr | $12,174/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $720/yr | $1,128/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $2,178/yr | $2,697/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $27,841/yr | $29,237/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $14,277/yr | $15,252/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $19,773/yr | $19,034/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 28% | 27% |
| Students taking federal loans | 46% | 47% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 84% | 85% |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 6,922 | 20,100 |
| Students accepted | 4,842 | 17,020 |
| Students who enrolled | 1,551 | 2,472 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 32% | 15% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | No data reported | 58% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | No data reported | 6% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Recommendation letters | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Not considered | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Work experience | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Not considered | Not considered |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 52% | 58% |
| Freshmen who come back | 78% | 81% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $47,107/yr | $53,562/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $29,421–$67,562 | $34,853–$76,786 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 57% | 62% |
| White students graduating | 56% | 61% |
| Black students graduating | 13% | 42% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 33% | 48% |
| Asian students graduating | 67% | 64% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $37,996/yr | $45,356/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 64% | 77% |
| Graduate on time | 35% | 32% |
| Pell students who graduate | 43% | 47% |
| First-gen students who finish | 46% | 54% |
| Low-income students who finish | 40% | 50% |
| Students who transfer out | No data reported | 27% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $43,141/yr | $48,394/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 17% · Health Professions 13% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 8% | Business, Management & Marketing 28% · Engineering 8% · Health Professions 7% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 17% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 28% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Health Professions — 13% of degrees | Engineering — 8% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 8% of degrees | Health Professions — 7% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 7% of degrees | Visual & Performing Arts — 7% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Education — 6% of degrees | Education — 6% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Construction Management — $75,226/yr | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $102,089/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 14% | 16% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 6,556 | 12,568 |
| Students per professor | 18 : 1 | 16 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 725 | 3,717 |
| Average professor pay | $9,306/mo | $10,830/mo |
| Full-time professors | 71% | 63% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
| Median family income | $55,242 | $51,034 |
| Setting | Town (remote) | City (small) |
| Location | Marquette, MI | Kalamazoo, MI |
| Region | Great Lakes | Great Lakes |
| Founded | 1899 | 1903 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Master's Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs | Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 1% | 4.1% |
| Men | 39% | 48% |
| Women | 61% | 52% |
| White students | 84% | 68% |
| Black students | 2% | 8.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 4.4% | 9.3% |
| Asian students | 0.5% | 2.9% |
| Two or more races | 4.1% | 4.8% |
| Other / not reported | 4.5% | 2.7% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 28% | 29% |
| Part-time students | 12% | 13% |
| Students age 25+ | 14% | 9.4% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $8,369/yr | $13,167/yr |
| Endowment | $19.8M | $754.9M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 3,155 | 4,775 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $6,592/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan charge | $5,990/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | No data reported |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army | Yes — Army |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | No |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division II with football | NCAA Division I-FBS |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 20 | 14 |
| Student athletes | 483 | 390 |
| Athletic scholarships | $5.2M | $8.4M |
| Athletics budget | $16.2M | $43.7M |
| Athletics revenue | $16.4M | $43.7M |
| Recruiting spend | $256,337 | $880,602 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.