Cleveland State vs. Penn State Beaver

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

Cleveland State Penn State Beaver
Location Cleveland, OH Monaca, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 14,385 522
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #769
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuohio.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cleveland State Penn State Beaver
Tuition (In State) $12,144 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $17,359 $23,086
Room & Board $14,197 $12,254
Avg Net Price $15,719 $18,113
Avg Grant Aid $9,436 $9,274
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 87%

Admission

Cleveland State Penn State Beaver
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,570 1,707
Admitted 9,872 1,591
Acceptance Rate 85.3% 93.2%
Enrolled % 16.8% 10.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Very Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 20/28
SAT Range 880/1130 1050/1260
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 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Cleveland State Penn State Beaver
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (54%)
  • Psychology (24%)
  • Communication (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (3%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (1%)

Outcomes

Cleveland State Penn State Beaver
Graduation Rate 30% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $222 $277

Diversity

Cleveland State Penn State Beaver
% Men 46% 55%
% Women 54% 45%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 64% 75%
% Black 17% 9%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 5% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Cleveland State Penn State Beaver
% In-State 85% 63%
% Out-of-State 7% 34%

Campus

Cleveland State Penn State Beaver
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Cleveland State University is larger than than Penn State Beaver based on total student enrollment (14,385 students vs. 522 students)

Cleveland State vs. Penn State Beaver Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cleveland State or Penn State Beaver?

  • Penn State Beaver is 13.8% more expensive to attend than Cleveland State for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $12,144.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33% higher at Penn State Beaver than Cleveland State University ($23,086.00 vs. $17,359.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cleveland State University than Penn State Beaver ($15,719 vs. $18,113)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Beaver are 15.9% lower than costs at Cleveland State University ($12,254 vs. $14,197)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cleveland State University than Penn State Beaver (91% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cleveland State University students is 1.7% larger than aid received Penn State Beaver ($9,436 vs. $9,274)

Cleveland State vs. Penn State Beaver Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cleveland State University (1028) is 29 points higher than at Penn State Beaver (999)
  • Incoming Cleveland State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Penn State Beaver (21)
  • Penn State Beaver has a higher acceptance rate (93.2%) than Cleveland State (85.3%)

Cleveland State vs. Penn State Beaver Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cleveland State or Penn State Beaver? 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 Penn State Beaver and Cleveland State.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Beaver is higher than Cleveland State University (47% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Beaver earn on average $11,100 more per year than Cleveland State graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $44,200)
  • Cleveland State University students graduate with a $5,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Beaver graduates. ($21,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Cleveland State graduates are paying $55 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Beaver graduates. ($222 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Beaver graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleveland State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 47%)

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