Central State University vs. Youngstown State

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

 Central State University Youngstown State
Location Wilberforce, OH Youngstown, OH
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 3,454 11,040
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1017 #971
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website centralstate.edu ysu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Central State University Youngstown State
Tuition (In State) $5,404 $10,723
Tuition (Out of State) $7,404 $11,083
Room & Board $11,390 $10,384
Avg Net Price $14,821 $11,740
Avg Grant Aid $6,318 $8,114
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 92%

Admission

 Central State University Youngstown State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,291 5,799
Admitted 1,514 4,658
Acceptance Rate 46% 80.3%Open
Enrolled % 37.9% 28.3%Open
Avg High School GPA 2.8 3.51
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/18 17/24
SAT Range 770/950 940/1210
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 Central State University Youngstown State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Engineering Technology (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)

Outcomes

 Central State University Youngstown State
Graduation Rate 24% 35%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $27,200 $37,700
Making Student Loan Payments 16% 36%
Median Student Loan Debt $39,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $403 $279

Diversity

 Central State University Youngstown State
% Men 0% 10%
% Women 0% 14%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 1% 76%
% Black 95% 11%
% Hispanic 1% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

 Central State University Youngstown State
% In-State 47% 72%
% Out-of-State 44% 15%

Campus

 Central State University Youngstown State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Youngstown State University is larger than than Central State University based on total student enrollment (11,040 students vs. 3,454 students)

Central State University vs. Youngstown State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central State University or Youngstown State?

  • Youngstown State University is 98.4% more expensive to attend than Central State University for in-state tuition ($10,723.00 vs. $5,404.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.7% higher at Youngstown State than Central State University ($11,083.00 vs. $7,404.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Youngstown State University than Central State University ($11,740 vs. $14,821)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Youngstown State University are 9.7% lower than costs at Central State University ($10,384 vs. $11,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Youngstown State University than Central State University (92% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Youngstown State University students is 28.4% larger than aid received Central State University ($8,114 vs. $6,318)

Central State University vs. Youngstown State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Youngstown State University (981) is 204 points higher than at Central State University (777)
  • Incoming Youngstown State students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Central State University (16)
  • Accepted freshman Youngstown State students have a 0.71 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at Central State University (2.8)
  • Youngstown State has a higher acceptance rate (80.3%) than Central State University (46%)

Central State University vs. Youngstown State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Central State University or Youngstown 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 Youngstown State and Central State University.

  • The graduation rate at Youngstown State is higher than Central State University (35% vs. 24%)
  • Graduates from Youngstown State University earn on average $10,500 more per year than Central State University graduates after ten years. ($37,700 vs. $27,200)
  • Youngstown State University students graduate with a $12,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Central State University graduates. ($27,000 vs. $39,000)
  • Youngstown State graduates are paying $124 less per month on federal student loans than Central State University graduates. ($279 vs. $403)
  • More Youngstown State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Central State University students, three years after graduation. (36% vs. 16%)

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