Cleveland State vs. Youngstown State

Should I go to Cleveland State University or Youngstown State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cleveland State 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

University of Dayton Kent State BGSU UC Ohio State WSU Gannon University Lewis University University of Akron Case Western Wright State ISU
Cleveland State University vs. Youngstown State University comparison
Cleveland State University Youngstown State University College 3 College 4
Cleveland State University Youngstown State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Cleveland State Youngstown State
Location Cleveland, OH Youngstown, OH
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 14,385 11,071
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #769 #983
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuohio.edu ysu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cleveland State Youngstown State
Tuition (In State) $12,144 $10,410
Tuition (Out of State) $17,359 $10,770
Room & Board $14,197 $10,016
Avg Net Price $15,719 $11,900
Avg Grant Aid $9,436 $7,631
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 93%

Admission

 Cleveland State Youngstown State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,570 7,481
Admitted 9,872 6,030
Acceptance Rate 85.3% 80.6%Open
Enrolled % 16.8% 26.9%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.51
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 18/24
SAT Range 880/1130 830/1160
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Cleveland State Youngstown State
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Engineering Technology (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)

Outcomes

 Cleveland State Youngstown State
Graduation Rate 30% 35%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,200 $37,700
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 36%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $279

Diversity

 Cleveland State Youngstown State
% Men 46% 43%
% Women 54% 57%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 64% 76%
% Black 17% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 5% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

 Cleveland State Youngstown State
% In-State 85% 76%
% Out-of-State 7% 15%

Campus

 Cleveland State 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

  • Cleveland State University is larger than than Youngstown State based on total student enrollment (14,385 students vs. 11,071 students)

Cleveland State vs. Youngstown State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cleveland State or Youngstown State?

  • Cleveland State University is 16.7% more expensive to attend than Youngstown State for in-state tuition ($12,144.00 vs. $10,410.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 61.2% higher at Cleveland State than Youngstown State University ($17,359.00 vs. $10,770.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Youngstown State University than Cleveland State ($11,900 vs. $15,719)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Youngstown State University are 41.7% lower than costs at Cleveland State University ($10,016 vs. $14,197)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Youngstown State University than Cleveland State University (93% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cleveland State University students is 23.7% larger than aid received Youngstown State University ($9,436 vs. $7,631)

Cleveland State vs. Youngstown State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cleveland State University (1028) is 47 points higher than at Youngstown State (981)
  • Incoming Cleveland State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Youngstown State (21)
  • Accepted freshman Youngstown State students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at Cleveland State (3.31)
  • Cleveland State has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than Youngstown State (80.6%)

Cleveland State vs. Youngstown State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cleveland State 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 Cleveland State.

  • The graduation rate at Youngstown State is higher than Cleveland State University (35% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from Cleveland State University earn on average $6,500 more per year than Youngstown State graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $37,700)
  • Cleveland State University students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Youngstown State graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Cleveland State graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Youngstown State graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
  • More Cleveland State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Youngstown State students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 36%)

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