1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [Wayne State University](/school/wayne-state-university/) 4. / 5. Admissions & selectivity Admissions & selectivity Copy linkPrint brief # Wayne State University Acceptance Rate & Admissions Updated October 1, 2026 [Overview](/school/wayne-state-university/)[Cost & aid](/school/wayne-state-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/wayne-state-university/outcomes/)Admissions[Majors](/school/wayne-state-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/wayne-state-university/similar/) **On this page**+ ## What is the acceptance rate at Wayne State University? Wayne State University’s reported acceptance rate is 81.2%. **Acceptance rate · Fall 2024** 81.2% Source: College Scorecard · Fall 2024 admissions. Acceptance rates can change from year to year; this figure does not predict the current or next admission cycle. First-year applicants and admitted students · CDS 2025-26 **Applicants** 17,263 **Admitted** 14,430 Source: Wayne State University Common Data Set 2025-26, C1 · first-time, first-year students. How to interpret the acceptance rate Wayne State University admitted 81.2% of applicants, a rate that sits near the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size). In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 17,263 applicants, 14,430 admitted, and 3,071 enrolled first-year students. ## What SAT and ACT scores do enrolled Wayne State University students report? In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported a 3.42 average high-school GPA among enrolled first-year students, based on the 95.5% who reported a GPA. For enrolled first-year students who submitted SAT scores, the middle half scored from 1060 to 1290; 36% submitted SAT scores. ACT submitters, at 3% of the class, had a middle-half range of 23 to 28. These ranges describe the enrolled students who chose to submit scores, not a minimum for admission. Applicants can compare their own results with the university's 1060 to 1290 SAT range and 23 to 28 ACT range, keeping in mind that the ranges reflect recent enrolled submitters. The ranges below describe enrolled students who submitted test scores at Wayne State University. Use them as academic context, then check the university’s current testing policy for your application cycle. **36% of entering students submitted SAT scores** SAT: reported composite scores **25th percentile** 1060 **Median** 1180 **75th percentile** 1290 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. **3% of entering students submitted ACT scores** ACT: reported composite scores **25th percentile** 23 **Median** 25 **75th percentile** 28 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. Source: Wayne State University Common Data Set 2025-26, C9 · Enrolled first-time, first-year score submitters. ## Who enrolls at Wayne State University? **Pell Grant recipients** 45.7% **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group** 32.7% **First-year retention** 82.7% Retention source: College Scorecard; full-time first-year retention. About these student measures The entering-student group includes part-time entrants as well as other attendance patterns. Wayne State University enrolls 15,587 undergraduates, of whom 45.7% receive Pell Grants. An estimated 32.7% arrive as transfers or part-time students. That mix suggests a campus built around students who work, commute, or change colleges rather than a single traditional path straight from high school. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, the university reported 4,064 transfer applicants, 2,894 of whom it admitted and 1,381 of whom enrolled. Applicants coming from community colleges or using Pell Grants should check transfer-credit policies and run the cost calculator to see what aid recipients in their income band typically pay. The university retains 82.7% of its full-time first-year students, near the peer median of 83.1%. Its [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for the first-time full-time cohort is 58.4%, below the peer median of 65.0%. In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, Wayne State reported a retention rate of 82% for the first-time, full-time fall 2024 entering class. For the first-time, full-time fall 2019 entering class, the six-year graduation rate was 59.7% overall and 53.8% for Pell recipients, a rate that sits below the overall figure. The federal Pell completion rate of 44.7% runs below the overall rate by 13.7 percentage points. Enrolled students can expect a campus where most first-year students return, though completing a degree within six years requires persistence beyond the first year. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Admission rates describe past applicants, not an individual’s chance of admission; confirm requirements and deadlines with the institution. Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).