Cleveland State University

Cleveland, Ohio

Public City: Large

Cleveland State University is a public institution in Cleveland, Ohio enrolling 8,969 students, according to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. The acceptance rate is 91.3%. Graduates earn a median of $52,131 ten years after enrollment, based on U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid data. The average net price after financial aid is $14,764. This profile includes admissions data, graduation rates, program-level earnings, and cost breakdowns to help students compare colleges using official federal data.

What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Cleveland State University

Cleveland State University operates as a public institution located in Cleveland, Ohio (city: large), with a total reported enrollment of 8,969 students of which 10,981 are undergraduates. Institution-level records in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) classify each school by Carnegie category, ownership sector, and urban/rural locale, which is how this profile’s peer group and cost cohort are determined. Cleveland State University is categorized as “16” under the Carnegie classification system, a meaningful signal when comparing like-to-like institutions.

Selectivity and financial signals give context to what applicants can expect. The reported admission rate is 91.3%, drawn from the most recent IPEDS Fall enrollment survey and an ACT midpoint of 23. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $14,764, with published in-state tuition of $12,988 and a Pell grant recipient share of 40.5%. Median federal student debt at graduation is $21,797, drawn from the U.S. Treasury-matched College Scorecard file.

Outcomes reveal whether the investment pays back. The 4-year completion rate is 49.7%, and the first-year retention rate is 70.3%. Graduates earn a median of $52,131 ten years after enrolling, compared with $44,625 six years post-enrollment. Within three years of entering repayment, 699800.0% of borrowers are making progress on their federal loans, and 66.1% of graduates earn above the high-school threshold. Treating these numbers as a single snapshot alongside the cost cohort is the standard approach for evaluating ROI under the College Scorecard methodology.

Quick Facts

8,969
Total enrollment
91.3%
Acceptance rate
SAT average
49.7%
4-yr graduation rate
$52,131
10-yr median earnings
70.3%
First-year retention

Admissions

Admission Rate 91.3%
ACT Average 23

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $12,988
Out-of-State Tuition $18,510
Average Net Price $14,764

Net Price by Family Income

$0 – $30,000 $11,958
$30,001 – $48,000 $13,561
$48,001 – $75,000 $14,727
Over $110,000 $20,378
40.5%
Pell Grant Rate
73.7%
Federal Loan Rate
$21,797
Median Debt
$231/mo
Monthly Payment

Student Demographics

White 55.9%
African American 17.7%
Hispanic or Latino 9.5%
Asian 4.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.6%
International 6.0%
58.9%
Female
38.4%
First Generation

Outcomes

49.7%
4-Year Completion Rate
70.3%
Retention Rate
$44,625
Median Earnings (6yr)
$52,131
Median Earnings (10yr)
66.1%
Earning Over $25K
699800.0%
Loan Repayment (3yr)

Programs & Earnings

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions Master's 9 $116,780 $58,960
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Master's 25 $115,285
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Master's 20 $108,840
Mechanical Engineering Master's 38 $106,560
Business Administration, Management and Operations Master's 207 $101,635 $30,750
Computer Science Bachelor's 48 $100,385 $22,115
Biomedical/Medical Engineering Master's 5 $94,556
Law First Professional 135 $91,229 $71,500
Accounting and Related Services Master's 37 $89,792 $39,900
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians Bachelor's 10 $88,732
Computer Engineering Bachelor's 27 $88,595 $24,228
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering Bachelor's 28 $87,713 $25,500
Computer and Information Sciences, General Bachelor's 0 $86,337 $31,125
Mechanical Engineering Bachelor's 86 $85,184 $23,000
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Bachelor's 29 $83,938 $23,000
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Bachelor's 231 $82,201 $24,590
Chemical Engineering Bachelor's 35 $81,185 $25,550
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions First Professional 34 $74,579 $71,872
Finance and Financial Management Services Bachelor's 69 $73,669 $21,875
Civil Engineering Bachelor's 43 $73,575 $26,117
Accounting and Related Services Bachelor's 99 $73,476 $20,661
Education, General Doctoral 13 $73,446
Information Science/Studies Bachelor's 34 $72,661 $24,812
Public Administration Master's 19 $72,439 $27,000
Information Science/Studies Master's 116 $71,030
Educational Administration and Supervision Master's 38 $70,853 $30,750
International Business Bachelor's 11 $68,241
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods Bachelor's 29 $67,614 $18,716
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs Bachelor's 40 $67,214 $18,250
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other Master's 2 $65,332
Human Resources Management and Services Bachelor's 50 $65,203 $22,500
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions Master's 43 $64,255 $51,250
Psychology, General Master's 20 $64,167 $40,935
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions Doctoral $63,666
Chemistry Bachelor's 16 $63,541 $23,391
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services Master's 29 $63,455 $46,000
Public Health Master's 8 $63,255
Economics Bachelor's 10 $62,852 $19,750
Marketing Bachelor's 95 $61,829 $22,750
Business Administration, Management and Operations Bachelor's 82 $58,930 $23,492
Social Work Master's 95 $58,916 $37,500
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians Bachelor's 13 $58,673
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology Master's $58,518 $63,389
Mathematics Bachelor's 21 $58,346 $18,875
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas Master's 47 $58,143 $32,587
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Master's 21 $57,641 $23,426
Sociology Bachelor's 22 $57,211 $23,000
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Bachelor's 102 $55,174 $21,500
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions Bachelor's 153 $55,038 $21,950
Student Counseling and Personnel Services Master's 70 $54,706 $50,999
Special Education and Teaching Master's 30 $54,537 $31,130
Biology, General Bachelor's 109 $53,898 $20,750
Urban Studies/Affairs Bachelor's 39 $53,582 $25,000
Natural Resources Conservation and Research Bachelor's 41 $53,245 $19,038
Criminology Bachelor's 69 $52,713 $22,750
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services Bachelor's 28 $51,540 $19,500
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Master's 26 $51,198 $43,024
Political Science and Government Bachelor's 41 $49,647 $20,375
Communication and Media Studies Bachelor's 45 $48,688 $22,000
Social Work Bachelor's 70 $48,571 $25,000
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics Bachelor's 13 $48,439
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas Bachelor's 16 $48,254
Design and Applied Arts Bachelor's 17 $46,635 $26,875
Natural Resources Conservation and Research Master's 8 $46,458
Psychology, General Bachelor's 235 $46,090 $20,000
Human Resources Management and Services Master's 17 $45,128
International Relations and National Security Studies Bachelor's 12 $45,045 $22,960
Education, Other Master's $43,540
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Bachelor's 66 $43,424 $24,125
History Bachelor's 24 $42,859 $24,625
Community Organization and Advocacy Master's 8 $42,682
English Language and Literature, General Bachelor's 36 $41,767 $20,824
Educational Administration and Supervision Bachelor's 27 $41,308 $20,154
Biology/Biotechnology Technologies/Technicians Bachelor's 1 $41,193
Anthropology Bachelor's 7 $38,972 $20,000
Film/Video and Photographic Arts Bachelor's 60 $37,745 $26,000
Fine and Studio Arts Bachelor's 12 $36,603 $26,750
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Bachelor's 6 $36,174 $23,781
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other Bachelor's 0 $33,993
Public Administration Bachelor's 11 $31,127
Music Bachelor's 17 $29,842 $26,645

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the admissions statistics for Cleveland State University?
Cleveland State University is a public institution in Cleveland, Ohio. The acceptance rate is 91.3%. Total enrollment is 8,969 students.
How much do Cleveland State University graduates earn?
Graduates of Cleveland State University earn a median of $52,131 ten years after enrollment. Six years after enrollment, median earnings are $44,625.
How much does Cleveland State University cost?
The average net price at Cleveland State University is $14,764. In-state tuition is $12,988 and out-of-state tuition is $18,510. Median student debt at graduation is $21,797.
What is the graduation rate at Cleveland State University?
Cleveland State University has a 4-year completion rate of 49.7%. The first-year retention rate is 70.3%.
Is Cleveland State University worth the student debt?
The median student debt at Cleveland State University is $21,797, while graduates earn a median of $52,131 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 42% of first-year post-graduation earnings. 699800.0% of borrowers are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $231.

Data Sources

Data as of 2024-25 academic year. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Primary: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. Data reflects most recent available year.

Institutional characteristics: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) institutional characteristics file.

Earnings: Median earnings 6 and 10 years after enrollment, from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal student aid data.

Program data: Credential-level earnings from the College Scorecard Field of Study dataset.

All federal data sources used on this page

Earnings data sourced from IRS records via the U.S. Treasury–Department of Education matching used by the College Scorecard.