GSU- Grambling vs. Cleveland State

Should I go to Grambling State University or Cleveland State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if GSU- Grambling 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.
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 Southern University and A & M College BGSU UC Ohio State WSU Gannon University Lewis University University of Akron Youngstown State Case Western
Grambling State University vs. Cleveland State University comparison
Grambling State University Cleveland State University College 3 College 4
Grambling State University Cleveland State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 GSU- Grambling Cleveland State
Location Grambling, LA Cleveland, OH
Setting Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 5,114 14,117
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1009 #780
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gram.edu csuohio.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 GSU- Grambling Cleveland State
Tuition (In State) $5,140 $12,503
Tuition (Out of State) $5,140 $17,863
Room & Board $10,990 $14,760
Avg Net Price $19,092 $16,307
Avg Grant Aid $8,763 $10,148
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 88%

Admission

 GSU- Grambling Cleveland State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 24,521 10,274
Admitted 5,806 9,810
Acceptance Rate 23.7% 95.5%
Enrolled % 15.8% 16.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.01 3.31
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 15/19 18/25
SAT Range 860/1150 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 15, 2026

Academics

 GSU- Grambling Cleveland State
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (15%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 GSU- Grambling Cleveland State
Graduation Rate 27% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $32,400 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 23% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $37,997 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $392 $222

Diversity

 GSU- Grambling Cleveland State
% Men 4% 15%
% Women 12% 18%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Medium
HBCU Yes No
% White 1% 64%
% Black 91% 17%
% Hispanic 1% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 GSU- Grambling Cleveland State
% In-State 60% 85%
% Out-of-State 39% 7%

Campus

 GSU- Grambling 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 GSU- Grambling based on total student enrollment (14,117 students vs. 5,114 students)

GSU- Grambling vs. Cleveland State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, GSU- Grambling or Cleveland State?

  • Cleveland State University is 143.2% more expensive to attend than GSU- Grambling for in-state tuition ($12,503.00 vs. $5,140.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 247.5% higher at Cleveland State than Grambling State University ($17,863.00 vs. $5,140.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cleveland State University than GSU- Grambling ($16,307 vs. $19,092)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grambling State University are 34.3% lower than costs at Cleveland State University ($10,990 vs. $14,760)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grambling State University than Cleveland State University (93% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cleveland State University students is 15.8% larger than aid received Grambling State University ($10,148 vs. $8,763)

GSU- Grambling vs. Cleveland State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cleveland State University (1028) is 157 points higher than at GSU- Grambling (871)
  • Incoming Cleveland State students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at GSU- Grambling (18)
  • Accepted freshman Cleveland State students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at GSU- Grambling (3.01)
  • Cleveland State has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than GSU- Grambling (23.7%)

GSU- Grambling vs. Cleveland State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, GSU- Grambling 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 GSU- Grambling.

  • The graduation rate at Cleveland State is higher than Grambling State University (30% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from Cleveland State University earn on average $11,800 more per year than GSU- Grambling graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $32,400)
  • Cleveland State University students graduate with a $16,497 lower median federal student loan debt than GSU- Grambling graduates. ($21,500 vs. $37,997)
  • Cleveland State graduates are paying $170 less per month on federal student loans than GSU- Grambling graduates. ($222 vs. $392)
  • More Cleveland State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GSU- Grambling students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 23%)

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