CMU vs. Oakland

Should I go to Central Michigan University or Oakland University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CMU or Oakland 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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Central Michigan University vs. Oakland University comparison
Central Michigan University Oakland University College 3 College 4
Central Michigan University Oakland University
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Overview

CMU Oakland
Location Mount Pleasant, MI Rochester Hills, MI
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 14,557 16,108
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #715 #751
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cmich.edu oakland.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CMU Oakland
Tuition (In State) $13,200 $14,476
Tuition (Out of State) $13,200 $23,730
Room & Board $11,248 $11,192
Avg Net Price $15,605 $15,161
Avg Grant Aid $11,314 $9,755
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 100%

Admission

CMU Oakland
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,888 11,110
Admitted 15,701 10,005
Acceptance Rate 78.9% 90.1%
Enrolled % 12.9% 21.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.47 3.51
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27
SAT Range 980/1220 1015/1245
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

Academics

CMU Oakland
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

CMU Oakland
Graduation Rate 54% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,500 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

CMU Oakland
% Men 40% 43%
% Women 60% 57%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 76%
% Black 8% 8%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

CMU Oakland
% In-State 90% 95%
% Out-of-State 9% 2%

Campus

CMU Oakland
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Oakland University is larger than than CMU based on total student enrollment (16,108 students vs. 14,557 students)

CMU vs. Oakland Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CMU or Oakland?

  • Oakland University is 9.7% more expensive to attend than CMU for in-state tuition ($14,476.00 vs. $13,200.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 79.8% higher at Oakland than Central Michigan University ($23,730.00 vs. $13,200.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Oakland University than CMU ($15,161 vs. $15,605)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Oakland University are 0.5% lower than costs at Central Michigan University ($11,192 vs. $11,248)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Oakland University than Central Michigan University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Central Michigan University students is 16% larger than aid received Oakland University ($11,314 vs. $9,755)

CMU vs. Oakland Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Oakland University (1070) is 21 points higher than at CMU (1049)
  • Incoming CMU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Oakland (23)
  • Accepted freshman Oakland students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at CMU (3.47)
  • Oakland has a higher acceptance rate (90.1%) than CMU (78.9%)

CMU vs. Oakland Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CMU or Oakland? 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 Oakland and CMU.

  • The graduation rate at CMU is higher than Oakland University (54% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Oakland University earn on average $2,200 more per year than CMU graduates after ten years. ($46,700 vs. $44,500)
  • Oakland University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CMU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Oakland graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than CMU graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More CMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Oakland students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 51%)

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