University of Western Australia vs Murdoch University: Which One’s the Better Fit for You?
University of Western Australia vs Murdoch University: Which One’s the Better Fit for You?
If you’re comparing universities in Western Australia, University of Western Australia and Murdoch University often end up on the same shortlist, especially for students who want to study in Perth but are weighing up different campus vibes, teaching styles, and career pathways.
The University of Western Australia (UWA) is WA’s only Group of Eight university, with a long-standing reputation as a research-intensive institution and a strong profile in areas that connect closely to WA’s industries and environment.
Murdoch University (Murdoch) is also a public university in Perth, known for flexible entry options, a practical, student-support-focused approach, and signature strengths in fields like veterinary science, agriculture, environmental and conservation science, and health-related research.
Neither is automatically “better”. They’re built for different types of students, and different goals. This guide breaks down the differences that actually matter, so you can choose the university that fits how you learn, what support you’ll use, and what you want your degree to lead to.
UWA has a traditional, research-led identity and is typically placed in the global top 100 band across major ranking systems. It is also the only WA member of the Group of Eight, which influences its culture, its research intensity, and how it is perceived nationally and internationally. Its main campus is in Crawley, near the Swan River (Derbal Yerrigan), and it has a distinctive sandstone, river-adjacent campus feel that shapes student life as much as academics.
Murdoch sits in a different reputation lane. It is generally positioned in the mid-tier globally (commonly in the 400–600 style bands depending on the ranking system), and it places strong emphasis on equity, accessibility and applied learning. Murdoch’s main campus is in the suburb of Murdoch, south of Perth’s CBD, with additional study options in Mandurah and a transnational footprint through teaching presence in Singapore and Dubai. It is also part of the Innovative Research Universities (IRU) network, which aligns with its focus on practical impact and student opportunity.
QS World University Rankings: 77th (7th in Australia)
Times Higher Education World University Rankings: 153rd (9th in Australia)
Student Satisfaction: 75.4% reported a positive overall educational experience
Graduate Full-Time Employment: 69.6%
Graduate Median Salary: $67,300 for undergraduates in full-time work
Sources: QS World Rankings; Times Higher Education World University Rankings; QILT SES 2023; QILT GOS 2023.
QS World University Rankings: 423rd (24th in Australia)
Times Higher Education World University Rankings: 401 to 500 band (equal 26th in Australia)
Student Satisfaction: 77.4% reported a positive overall educational experience
Graduate Full-Time Employment: 67.7%
Graduate Median Salary: $71,100 for undergraduates in full-time work
Sources: QS World Rankings; Times Higher Education World University Rankings; QILT SES 2023; QILT GOS 2023.
2. Academic Focus and Teaching Style
In “how learning feels” terms, UWA can feel more research-led and academically traditional, with built-in breadth and clear pathways for some competitive professions. Murdoch often feels more applied and student-support-oriented, with a strong focus on helping you build momentum and confidence as you move through your degree.
UWA’s teaching model is designed to broaden your thinking beyond your main area. A key feature is its broadening curriculum, where undergraduate students complete units outside their primary field. This can suit students who like connecting ideas across disciplines, or who want room to explore before locking into a narrow path. UWA also offers Assured Pathways into selected high-demand professional postgraduate programs (such as medicine, dentistry, and law), which can appeal if you want a clear mapped route from early on, and you are confident you can meet the required academic performance.
In terms of academic strengths, UWA is widely recognised for areas aligned to WA’s economy and geography, including agriculture, marine and earth sciences, and disciplines tied to resources and the environment, alongside a strong health and biomedical presence.
Murdoch’s teaching approach is often described through a different set of priorities: flexible entry, supportive learning structures, and practical components such as placements, work integrated learning and industry projects across many degrees. Murdoch’s course portfolio spans arts, business, law, social sciences, health, science, engineering, IT and education, with standout recognition for veterinary medicine, plus strong positioning in agriculture and environmental and conservation fields.
Murdoch is also well known for pathways that support students who do not come through a straightforward ATAR route. If you’re someone who wants an institution that actively builds in alternative entry options and structured academic support, Murdoch’s model is designed with you in mind.
3. Research and Global Impact
Research is a genuine separator here, mostly because of scale. UWA is a large, research-intensive university with substantial global recognition. It is associated with major research institutes and centres, and it has a strong track record in areas such as oceans, agriculture, and large-scale science partnerships. For students, that matters if you want research-led teaching, access to honours projects, lab-based or field-based opportunities, or you see yourself moving into postgraduate study.
Murdoch is also research-active and can be very strong in selected areas, especially relative to its size. A flagship example is the Australian National Phenome Centre, supporting advanced metabolomics and health-related research with applications across health, agriculture and environmental projects. Murdoch also highlights strong performance in national research assessment outcomes across many disciplines, and it connects research activity to social equity and community outcomes through institutes such as the Ngangk Yira Institute for Change.
So the difference is not “research vs no research”. It’s closer to: UWA has a larger research ecosystem, broader global research profile, and depth across many fields. Murdoch has targeted research strengths, often closely connected to applied outcomes in health, environment, agriculture and equity.
4. Campus Life and Student Experience
A day in the life at...
University of Western Australia
Murdoch University
If campus atmosphere matters to you, these two feel different day to day. UWA’s Crawley campus is one of Australia’s most recognisable, with heritage sandstone buildings, broad green spaces, and a river-side location. It has strong student guild culture, a wide range of clubs and societies (more than 160), and a social scene shaped by major campus landmarks and events. Accommodation includes residential colleges and other university-managed options, which can add a more traditional “campus community” dimension to the experience.
Murdoch’s South Street campus is a greener, low-rise environment with a contemporary feel. A defining feature is Boola Katitjin, a major timber-built facility that anchors teaching and student services, and shapes the everyday flow of the campus. Murdoch also offers on-campus accommodation through Murdoch University Village, and its public transport access is often a practical advantage for commuting students, with bus and rail connections and a station located near campus.
In social terms, UWA often suits students who want a classic “campus tradition + clubs + colleges” experience in a landmark setting. Murdoch often suits students who want a more relaxed, sustainability-forward environment with straightforward commuting and support services centred in modern learning hubs.
5. Student Support and Wellbeing
Both universities take support seriously, but the emphasis differs. UWA describes a formal mental health and wellbeing framework, alongside counselling and wellbeing services, academic skill support, and peer learning programs. It also offers several structured access and equity pathways (including programs designed for students from partner schools, students facing disadvantage, and first-in-family students), plus dedicated support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Murdoch’s support offering is highly explicit and integrated into its student experience, including structured study support tools, peer academic help, and student success advising. On the wellbeing side, Murdoch provides counselling and a 24-hour After Hours Wellbeing Line, plus accessibility support through access plans and coordinated adjustments. Murdoch’s overall positioning places strong emphasis on equity, inclusion and belonging, including support for students from underrepresented backgrounds.
If you know you’ll want structured support around study skills, transitions into uni, or flexible entry and progression, Murdoch may feel especially “built for that”. If you want a broad support ecosystem inside a larger research-intensive environment, UWA offers depth and scale, including long-established pathways and services.
6. Employability and Industry Connections
Employability will always depend on your course, your work experience, and what you do while you’re studying, but university structures still matter. UWA reports extensive industry partnership activity across education and research, and it highlights a large network of host organisations for work integrated learning. It has strong links to sectors such as resources, agriculture, and health, and its alumni base can be influential in WA.
Murdoch emphasises employability through work integrated learning, placements and industry engagement across many degrees, especially in professionally oriented fields. Graduate outcomes vary by discipline and are influenced by the local job market, course mix, and student circumstances.
A practical way to interpret this is: if you’re choosing a field where professional placement is the main driver of employability (for example, health, education, vet), Murdoch’s applied model can be a strong match. If you’re aiming for pathways where research reputation, large-scale industry networks, and alumni influence may matter more, UWA’s scale and profile can be an advantage, particularly within WA.
Watch our unbiased, independent reviews for University of Western Australia and Murdoch University
7. Cost, Entry and Lifestyle
Because both are Perth-based, cost of living is broadly comparable between them and is often lower than Sydney or Melbourne, but costs still vary significantly depending on accommodation and lifestyle.
Both universities publish indicative budgets for students and refer to common benchmarks for living costs. As a rough guide, many students budget somewhere in the high 20,000s to 30,000s (AUD) per year for living expenses, and more if accommodation or lifestyle costs are higher.
On tuition, international fees vary by course and level. UWA international tuition fees are commonly in the mid 30,000s to 50,000s (AUD) per year depending on the program, with some specialist programs higher. Murdoch international tuition fees are often somewhat lower for many courses, commonly around the 30,000s, with certain specialist programs higher.
On scholarships, UWA reports a large scholarship ecosystem with hundreds of scholarships available annually. Murdoch reports awarding scholarships annually, including international scholarship options on selected degrees.
On entry flexibility, UWA is often more traditional in entry profile but offers multiple equity and pathway options. Murdoch places stronger emphasis on alternative entry pathways and enabling-style options, which can be a major advantage if your results do not reflect your ability, or your schooling journey has had interruptions.
Lifestyle differences are mostly about where you’ll spend your time. UWA’s Crawley campus sits in a river-side, inner-suburb environment with a strong iconic campus feel. Murdoch’s main campus offers a different rhythm, with modern hub-style facilities and strong transport access that suits many commuters.
8. Which One’s Right for You?
If you’re drawn to a research-intensive university experience, like the idea of studying with built-in breadth beyond your major, or you’re aiming for pathways that may benefit from UWA’s scale, alumni network and sector links, you might feel at home at UWA. It can be an especially strong match if you’re interested in areas where UWA has established strengths, including agriculture, marine and earth sciences, and fields connected to WA’s major industries.
If you value flexibility, structured academic support, and applied learning, or you want a university culture that is explicitly built around inclusion, wellbeing and accessible pathways, Murdoch could be a better match. It can be a particularly good fit if you’re looking at fields like veterinary science, agriculture, environmental and conservation science, education, nursing, or other degrees where placements and practice-based learning shape your outcomes.
Either way, you’re choosing between two WA universities with different strengths and different student experiences. The best decision is the one that aligns with how you learn, what support you will actually use, and the kind of student life you want while you build your next step.
Here to help you choose the right uni
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