Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Western Michigan University Featured Rankings
- #2 Michigan's Best Online Colleges 2026
- #3 Online Bachelor's in Religious Studies
- #4 Best Colleges in Michigan
- #4 Best Research Universities in Michigan 2026
- #4 Online Bachelor’s in Child Development
- #4 Best Online MBAs Michigan
- #4 Michigan's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #4 Best Grad Schools in Michigan 2026
- #4 Most Influential US Universities by State
- #4 Most Affordable Colleges in Michigan 2026
- #4 Best Public Colleges in Michigan 2026
- #24 Most Influential Colleges in Hockey Today
About Western Michigan University
According to Wikipedia, Western Michigan University is a public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. Bliss for the training of teachers. It was renamed Western Michigan University in 1957.
Western Michigan University's Online Degrees
MA in Coaching Sport Performance
- Required Credits: 36
- Format: Fully online
BS in Family Studies, Child And Family Development
- Required Credits: 122
- Format: Fully online
MA in Educational and Instructional Technology
- Required Credits: 30
- Format: Fully online
BS in Healthcare Services & Sciences
Degree Concentrations
- Clinical Practice in Health
- Audiology Preparation
- Blindness and Low Vision Studies Preparation
- Occupational Therapy Preparation
- Physician Assistant Preparation
- Required Credits: 62
- Completion Time: 24 months
- Format: Fully online
MA in Educational Leadership, Research and Technology
Degree Concentrations
- Higher education and student affairs leadership
- K-12 principal and interscholastic athletic administration
- K-12 school principal leadership
- Educational and global leadership
- Format: Fully online
MA in Spirituality, Culture And Health
- Required Credits: 30
- Format: Fully online
BS/BA in University Studies
- Required Credits: 56 or more
- Format: Fully online
BA in Comparative Religion
Degree Concentrations
- World Religions
- Society
- and Culture
- Religion
- Spirituality
- and Health
- Religion in America
- Required Credits: 127
- Format: Fully online
MA in Vision Rehabilitation Therapy
- Required Credits: 39-40
- Format: Fully online
MA in Workforce Education and Development
- Required Credits: 30-36
- Format: Fully online
Western Michigan University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20,100 | 85% | 81% | 59% | 1105 | 23 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2023; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Western Michigan University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $15,954 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $5,317 |
| 30K - 48K | $5,256 |
| 48K - 75K | $10,093 |
| 75K - 110K | $15,678 |
| 110K+ | $23,166 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Western Michigan University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Western Michigan University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $57,828 a year, and 93% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Western Michigan University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 18,447 | 14,117 | 4,330 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Western Michigan University?
Western Michigan University is located at 1903 W Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5200.
How Safe is Western Michigan University?
Relative to its enrollment, Western Michigan University has a violent crime rate of 0.03% and a property crime rate of 0.13%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft).
What Is Western Michigan University Known For?
Western Michigan University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Anthropology
- Business
- Philosophy
- Mathematics
- Engineering
- History
- Psychology
- Chemistry
- Economics
- Physics
- Earth Sciences
- Medical
- Education
- Literature
- Political Science
- Law
- Communications
- Social Work
- Computer Science
- Nursing
- Biology
- Sociology
- Religious Studies
- Criminal Justice
Western Michigan University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Western Michigan University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Western Michigan University ranks #96 in the U.S. and #253 worldwide for influence in Anthropology.
anthropology DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #107 in the U.S. and #297 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #119 in the U.S. and #378 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #150 in the U.S. and #559 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #157 in the U.S. and #729 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #172 in the U.S. and #486 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #197 in the U.S. and #473 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #199 in the U.S. and #933 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #213 in the U.S. and #1018 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #216 in the U.S. and #921 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #218 in the U.S. and #943 worldwide for influence in Earth Sciences.
earth-science DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #223 in the U.S. and #778 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #233 in the U.S. and #960 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #238 in the U.S. and #689 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #238 in the U.S. and #944 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #241 in the U.S. and #773 worldwide for influence in Law.
Western Michigan University ranks #260 in the U.S. and #923 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #276 in the U.S. and #671 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #286 in the U.S. and #1195 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #305 in the U.S. and #819 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #315 in the U.S. and #1280 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #320 in the U.S. and #1120 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #373 in the U.S. and #1616 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.
religious-studies-hub DegreesWestern Michigan University ranks #609 in the U.S. and #1144 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesWho Are Western Michigan University's Most Influential Alumni?
Western Michigan University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Anthropology, Business, and Philosophy. Here are some of Western Michigan University's most famous alumni:
- Dennis Archer
- A 67th Mayor of Detroit.
- Thom Hartmann
- An American political commentator .
- Akhil Gupta
- An Indian-American anthropologist.
- Luther Vandross
- An American singer, songwriter, and record producer .
- Gardner Ackley
- An Economist, diplomat .
- Ortrud Oellermann
- A South African mathematician.
- Jesús A. De Loera
- A Mexican-American mathematician.
- Michael Adas
- An American historian.
- Tererai Trent
- A Zimbabwean emigrant.
- Merze Tate
- An American academic.
- Bruce Campbell
- An American actor.
- Greg Jennings
- An American football player .
Who Are Western Michigan University's Most Influential Faculty?
Western Michigan University's most influential faculty include professors in the fields of Anthropology, Business, and Philosophy. Here are some of Western Michigan University's most famous faculty:
- Jeffrey Angles
- An American scholar nnd translator, specialising in modern Japanese literature and poetry.
- Terri Goss Kinzy
- An American biochemist and academic administrator.
- Thisbe Nissen
- An American author.
- Myron P. Zalucki
- An Australian entomologist.
- Billy McCaffrey
- An American basketball player-coach.
- Nora Berrah
- An American physicist.
- James E. Carr
- An American behavior analyst.
- Tyler Ludwig
- An American ice hockey defenceman.
