Cleary College vs. Michigan State

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

Cleary College Michigan State
Location Howell, MI East Lansing, MI
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,040 51,316
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #796 #227
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cleary.edu msu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cleary College Michigan State
Tuition (In State) $23,292 $15,648
Tuition (Out of State) $23,292 $43,032
Room & Board $12,800 $11,754
Avg Net Price $24,965 $24,630
Avg Grant Aid $13,563 $8,147
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 96%

Admission

Cleary College Michigan State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 593 58,879
Admitted 295 49,414
Acceptance Rate 49.7%Open 83.9%
Enrolled % 30.8%Open 19.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.17 3.72
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/19 26/31
SAT Range 950/1170 1150/1350
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2026

Academics

Cleary College Michigan State
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (79%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (5%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

Cleary College Michigan State
Graduation Rate 59% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,900 $60,000
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $30,227 $25,484
Median Loan Payment $312 $263

Diversity

Cleary College Michigan State
% Men 10% 9%
% Women 12% 12%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 79% 67%
% Black 5% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 2% 13%
% Unknown Race 9% 1%

Students

Cleary College Michigan State
% In-State 82% 76%
% Out-of-State 12% 18%

Campus

Cleary College Michigan State
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Michigan State University is larger than than Cleary College based on total student enrollment (51,316 students vs. 1,040 students)

Cleary College vs. Michigan State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cleary College or Michigan State?

  • Cleary University is 48.8% more expensive to attend than Michigan State for in-state tuition ($23,292.00 vs. $15,648.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 84.8% higher at Michigan State than Cleary University ($43,032.00 vs. $23,292.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Michigan State University than Cleary College ($24,630 vs. $24,965)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Michigan State University are 8.9% lower than costs at Cleary University ($11,754 vs. $12,800)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cleary University than Michigan State University (98% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cleary University students is 66.5% larger than aid received Michigan State University ($13,563 vs. $8,147)

Cleary College vs. Michigan State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Michigan State University (1159) is 209 points higher than at Cleary College (950)
  • Incoming Michigan State students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Cleary College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Michigan State students have a 0.55 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Cleary College (3.17)
  • Michigan State has a higher acceptance rate (83.9%) than Cleary College (49.7%)

Cleary College vs. Michigan State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cleary College or Michigan 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 Michigan State and Cleary College.

  • The graduation rate at Michigan State is higher than Cleary University (77% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Michigan State University earn on average $5,100 more per year than Cleary College graduates after ten years. ($60,000 vs. $54,900)
  • Michigan State University students graduate with a $4,743 lower median federal student loan debt than Cleary College graduates. ($25,484 vs. $30,227)
  • Michigan State graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than Cleary College graduates. ($263 vs. $312)
  • More Michigan State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleary College students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 47%)

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