WMU: the complete school report for parents

What does WMU actually weigh in admissions?

WMU rates 1 of the 18 factors "Very Important": GPA. It does not consider 10 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is WMU's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.

What GPA do admitted students actually have?

58% of enrolled students had a 3.50 GPA or above. The average was 3.55 on a 4 scale, reported for 98.5% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.

Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?

WMU admitted 79.8% of 1,897 transfer applicants, against 85.3% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.

When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?

WMU reports its early rounds below.

What will WMU actually cost us?

Families pay an average of $15,273 a year at WMU after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $15,814. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 63.5% of demonstrated need on average.

What families at each income level actually paid:

64% of WMU graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $38,912 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $278 a month in repayment. WMU’s net price calculator gives your own figure.

Does a degree from WMU pay off?

Graduates earn a median $53,562 ten years after entering, and $45,356 at six years. 75% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 56% are actively paying down their loans three years in.

Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:

A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.

$100,965 to $25,211, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at WMU:

College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.

Will my child actually graduate?

82% of first-years return for a second year. 34% graduate within four years and 59% within six (2017 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 50.9% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 61.6% of everyone else, a gap of 10.7 points.

How big are the classes?

47% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 2% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 16:1, and 63% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Higher Learning Commission.

What is life at WMU like?

13,714 undergraduates, 22.3% of first-years from out of state. 83.5% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 29.4% across all undergraduates. 29% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $69,141.

What this means for your student

• 58% of enrolled students are at a 3.50 GPA or above, averaging 3.55. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
• Do not spend money on test preparation for WMU: scores are not read even if you send them.
• Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
• Its highest-earning major returns $100,965 five years out against $25,211 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
• See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.

Common questions about WMU

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