BSU vs. Cleveland State

Should I go to Ball State University or Cleveland State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BSU or Cleveland State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Ball State University vs. Cleveland State University comparison
Ball State University Cleveland State University College 3 College 4
Ball State University Cleveland State University
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Overview

 BSU Cleveland State
Location Muncie, IN Cleveland, OH
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 19,777 14,385
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #769
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu csuohio.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU Cleveland State
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $12,144
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $17,359
Room & Board $10,904 $14,197
Avg Net Price $12,615 $15,719
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $9,436
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 91%

Admission

 BSU Cleveland State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 11,570
Admitted 15,761 9,872
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 85.3%
Enrolled % 22.1% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 18/25
SAT Range 1090/1260 880/1130
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 BSU Cleveland State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 BSU Cleveland State
Graduation Rate 55% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $222

Diversity

 BSU Cleveland State
% Men 35% 46%
% Women 65% 54%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 81% 64%
% Black 8% 17%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 BSU Cleveland State
% In-State 90% 85%
% Out-of-State 9% 7%

Campus

 BSU Cleveland State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than Cleveland State based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 14,385 students)

BSU vs. Cleveland State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or Cleveland State?

  • Cleveland State University is 44% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($12,144.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.3% higher at BSU than Cleveland State University ($25,918.00 vs. $17,359.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than Cleveland State ($12,615 vs. $15,719)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 30.2% lower than costs at Cleveland State University ($10,904 vs. $14,197)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ball State University than Cleveland State University (97% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 21% larger than aid received Cleveland State University ($11,418 vs. $9,436)

BSU vs. Cleveland State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BSU or Cleveland State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cleveland State or BSU .

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 42 points higher than at Cleveland State (1028)
  • Incoming BSU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Cleveland State (22)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at Cleveland State (3.31)
  • Cleveland State has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. Cleveland State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BSU or Cleveland State? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Cleveland State and BSU.

  • The graduation rate at BSU is higher than Cleveland State University (55% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from Cleveland State University earn on average $1,700 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $42,500)
  • Cleveland State University students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $25,000)
  • Cleveland State graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($222 vs. $258)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleveland State students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 47%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/