Eastern vs. Cleveland State

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

 Eastern Cleveland State
Location Richmond, KY Cleveland, OH
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 14,324 14,385
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #854 #769
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eku.edu csuohio.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Eastern Cleveland State
Tuition (In State) $9,544 $12,144
Tuition (Out of State) $19,922 $17,359
Room & Board $10,360 $14,197
Avg Net Price $10,806 $15,719
Avg Grant Aid $10,583 $9,436
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 91%

Admission

 Eastern Cleveland State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,821 11,570
Admitted 10,174 9,872
Acceptance Rate 64.3% 85.3%
Enrolled % 26.9% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/24 18/25
SAT Range 940/1185 880/1130
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 1, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 Eastern Cleveland State
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 Eastern Cleveland State
Graduation Rate 38% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,900 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,695 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $245 $222

Diversity

 Eastern Cleveland State
% Men 39% 46%
% Women 61% 54%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 85% 64%
% Black 6% 17%
% Hispanic 2% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Eastern Cleveland State
% In-State 91% 85%
% Out-of-State 9% 7%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Cleveland State University is larger than than Eastern based on total student enrollment (14,385 students vs. 14,324 students)

Eastern vs. Cleveland State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Eastern or Cleveland State?

  • Cleveland State University is 27.2% more expensive to attend than Eastern for in-state tuition ($12,144.00 vs. $9,544.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.8% higher at Eastern than Cleveland State University ($19,922.00 vs. $17,359.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than Cleveland State ($10,806 vs. $15,719)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Kentucky University are 37% lower than costs at Cleveland State University ($10,360 vs. $14,197)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Kentucky University than Cleveland State University (98% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Kentucky University students is 12.2% larger than aid received Cleveland State University ($10,583 vs. $9,436)

Eastern vs. Cleveland State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Eastern Kentucky University (1028) is the same at Cleveland State (1028)
  • Incoming Eastern students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Cleveland State (22)
  • Accepted freshman Eastern students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at Cleveland State (3.31)
  • Cleveland State has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than Eastern (64.3%)

Eastern vs. Cleveland State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Eastern or Cleveland 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 Cleveland State and Eastern.

  • The graduation rate at Eastern is higher than Cleveland State University (38% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from Cleveland State University earn on average $6,300 more per year than Eastern graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $37,900)
  • Cleveland State University students graduate with a $2,195 lower median federal student loan debt than Eastern graduates. ($21,500 vs. $23,695)
  • Cleveland State graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than Eastern graduates. ($222 vs. $245)
  • More Eastern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleveland State students, three years after graduation. (49% vs. 47%)

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