Cleary College vs. WMU

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

Cleary College WMU
Location Ann Arbor, MI Kalamazoo, MI
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 891 17,000
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #634
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cleary.edu wmich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cleary College WMU
Tuition (In State) $22,279 $14,523
Tuition (Out of State) $22,279 $18,154
Room & Board $14,200 $11,102
Avg Net Price $27,209 $20,030
Avg Grant Aid $8,447 $6,813
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 93%

Admission

Cleary College WMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 810 20,501
Admitted 547 17,334
Acceptance Rate 67.5%Open 84.6%
Enrolled % 18.8%Open 15.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.17 3.5
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/19 19/27
SAT Range 950/1170 990/1220
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 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

Cleary College WMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (79%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (5%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)

Outcomes

Cleary College WMU
Graduation Rate 59% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,900 $48,900
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $30,227 $26,633
Median Loan Payment $312 $275

Diversity

Cleary College WMU
% Men 59% 47%
% Women 41% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 72%
% Black 5% 12%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 9% 1%

Students

Cleary College WMU
% In-State 82% 79%
% Out-of-State 12% 19%

Campus

Cleary College WMU
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

  • Western Michigan University is larger than than Cleary College based on total student enrollment (17,000 students vs. 891 students)

Cleary College vs. WMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cleary College or WMU?

  • Cleary University is 53.4% more expensive to attend than WMU for in-state tuition ($22,279.00 vs. $14,523.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22.7% higher at Cleary College than Western Michigan University ($22,279.00 vs. $18,154.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Michigan University than Cleary College ($20,030 vs. $27,209)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Michigan University are 27.9% lower than costs at Cleary University ($11,102 vs. $14,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Michigan University than Cleary University (93% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cleary University students is 24% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($8,447 vs. $6,813)

Cleary College vs. WMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Michigan University (1030) is 80 points higher than at Cleary College (950)
  • Incoming WMU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Cleary College (20)
  • Accepted freshman WMU students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Cleary College (3.17)
  • WMU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than Cleary College (67.5%)

Cleary College vs. WMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cleary College or WMU? 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 WMU and Cleary College.

  • The graduation rate at Cleary College is higher than Western Michigan University (59% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Cleary University earn on average $6,000 more per year than WMU graduates after ten years. ($54,900 vs. $48,900)
  • Western Michigan University students graduate with a $3,594 lower median federal student loan debt than Cleary College graduates. ($26,633 vs. $30,227)
  • WMU graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Cleary College graduates. ($275 vs. $312)
  • More WMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleary College students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 47%)

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