Wayne State University is a public four-year institution based in Detroit, Michigan. Its campus is in a large city. Fall 2024 enrollment was 23,803, made up of 16,012 undergraduates and 7,791 graduate students. It holds the Carnegie R1 designation for very high research activity.
Wayne State University offers certificates, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctoral degrees, and professional doctorates across 194 programs. Its largest programs by number of graduates are Social Work, Psychology, General, and Business Administration and Management. It awarded 6,417 degrees and certificates in 2024-25. 34 of its programs can be completed entirely online.
83% of full-time first-year students return for a second year. The student-to-faculty ratio is 14 to 1.
Key figures
23,803
Students enrolled
83%
First-year retention
6,417
Degrees and certificates awarded, 2024-25
194
Programs and majors
14:1
Student-to-faculty ratio
Free, no obligation
Request information about Wayne State University
Tell us which programs interest you and we will reply with details on this school and others like it.
Tell us the programs you are considering and when you want to start.
We reply by email with schools and programs that fit what you told us.
We use your details only to respond to your request.
Delivery modes
CampusOnlineHybrid
Program levels
CertificateBachelorMasterPhDProfessional
Programs and majors offered 194
Graduate counts are degrees and certificates awarded in each program between July 2024 and June 2025. Largest fields are listed first.
Retention is for students who started in fall 2023 and returned in fall 2024.
First-year retention, full-time students
83%
First-year retention, part-time students
43%
Student-to-faculty ratio
14:1
Degrees and certificates awarded
Awards conferred between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.
Bachelor's degrees
3,686
Master's degrees
1,713
Doctoral degrees (research)
224
Professional doctorates
591
Certificates under 1 year
11
Postbaccalaureate certificates
123
Post-master's certificates
69
Enrollment
Students, fall 2024
23,803
Undergraduates, fall 2024
16,012
Graduate students, fall 2024
7,791
Full-time, fall 2024
75%
Students over the full 2024-25 year
26,860
Undergraduates, 2024-25
17,985
Graduate students, 2024-25
8,875
Full-time, 2024-25
71%
Size category
20,000 students or more
Student body
Share of all students enrolled during 2024-25. Small groups can round to zero and are not listed.
Women
60%
Men
40%
White
53%
Hispanic or Latino
7%
Black or African American
18%
Asian
12%
Two or more races
4%
International (U.S. nonresident)
5%
Race or ethnicity unknown
1%
Online and flexible learning
Distance education in 2024-25.
Programs that can be completed fully online
34
Programs with a fully online option
5
Online undergraduate programs
Yes
Online graduate programs
Yes
Students studying fully online
16%
Students taking some online courses
43%
Weekend or evening classes
Yes
Campus and services
Setting
Large city
Academic calendar
Semester
Carnegie classification
Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
Research designation
Research 1: Very High Spending and Doctorate Production
Athletic association
NCAA
Athletic conference
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Interim President
Richard A Bierschbach
Services and opportunities
Study abroad, ROTC, Undergraduate research, Teacher certification, Academic and career counseling, Student employment services, Job placement for graduates, On-campus day care, Accepts AP credit, Credit for life experience
For veterans and service members
Yellow Ribbon Program, Credit for military training, Dedicated veterans contact, Student veteran organization