Cleary College vs. Northern Michigan University

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

Cleary College Northern Michigan University
Location Ann Arbor, MI Marquette, MI
Setting Midsize City Remote Town
Enrollment 891 6,970
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cleary.edu nmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cleary College Northern Michigan University
Tuition (In State) $22,279 $11,796
Tuition (Out of State) $22,279 $17,292
Room & Board $14,200 $11,910
Avg Net Price $27,209 $17,346
Avg Grant Aid $8,447 $9,385
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 100%

Admission

Cleary College Northern Michigan University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 810 6,217
Admitted 547 4,386
Acceptance Rate 67.5%Open 70.5%
Enrolled % 18.8%Open 32.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.17 3.33
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/19
SAT Range 950/1170
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2025

Academics

Cleary College Northern Michigan University
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (79%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (5%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Engineering Technology (6%)

Outcomes

Cleary College Northern Michigan University
Graduation Rate 59% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,900 $38,400
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $30,227 $22,292
Median Loan Payment $312 $230

Diversity

Cleary College Northern Michigan University
% Men 59% 40%
% Women 41% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 85%
% Black 5% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 9% 2%

Students

Cleary College Northern Michigan University
% In-State 82% 74%
% Out-of-State 12% 25%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Michigan University is larger than than Cleary College based on total student enrollment (6,970 students vs. 891 students)

Cleary College vs. Northern Michigan University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cleary College or Northern Michigan University?

  • Cleary University is 88.9% more expensive to attend than Northern Michigan University for in-state tuition ($22,279.00 vs. $11,796.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.8% higher at Cleary College than Northern Michigan University ($22,279.00 vs. $17,292.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Michigan University than Cleary College ($17,346 vs. $27,209)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Michigan University are 19.2% lower than costs at Cleary University ($11,910 vs. $14,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Michigan University than Cleary University (100% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Michigan University students is 11.1% larger than aid received Cleary University ($9,385 vs. $8,447)

Cleary College vs. Northern Michigan University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Michigan University (1011) is 61 points higher than at Cleary College (950)
  • Incoming Northern Michigan University students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Cleary College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Northern Michigan University students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at Cleary College (3.17)
  • Northern Michigan University has a higher acceptance rate (70.5%) than Cleary College (67.5%)

Cleary College vs. Northern Michigan University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cleary College or Northern Michigan University? 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 Northern Michigan University and Cleary College.

  • The graduation rate at Cleary College is higher than Northern Michigan University (59% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Cleary University earn on average $16,500 more per year than Northern Michigan University graduates after ten years. ($54,900 vs. $38,400)
  • Northern Michigan University students graduate with a $7,935 lower median federal student loan debt than Cleary College graduates. ($22,292 vs. $30,227)
  • Northern Michigan University graduates are paying $82 less per month on federal student loans than Cleary College graduates. ($230 vs. $312)
  • More Northern Michigan University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleary College students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 47%)

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