ISU vs. Cleveland State

Should I go to Illinois State University or Cleveland State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ISU 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. 

Northern Illinois University of Dayton Illinois Kent State UIC DePaul EIU IWU Western Illinois University WMU BGSU UC
Illinois State University vs. Cleveland State University comparison
Illinois State University Cleveland State University College 3 College 4
Illinois State University Cleveland State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 ISU Cleveland State
Location Normal, IL Cleveland, OH
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 20,683 14,385
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #769
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu csuohio.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU Cleveland State
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $12,144
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $17,359
Room & Board $10,602 $14,197
Avg Net Price $20,551 $15,719
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $9,436
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 91%

Admission

 ISU Cleveland State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 11,570
Admitted 16,899 9,872
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 85.3%
Enrolled % 23.6% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 18/25
SAT Range 1000/1210 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 Apr 1, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 ISU Cleveland State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 ISU Cleveland State
Graduation Rate 71% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $227 $222

Diversity

 ISU Cleveland State
% Men 42% 46%
% Women 58% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 64%
% Black 8% 17%
% Hispanic 9% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 ISU Cleveland State
% In-State 96% 85%
% Out-of-State 3% 7%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois State University is larger than than Cleveland State based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 14,385 students)

ISU vs. Cleveland State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Cleveland State?

  • Cleveland State University is 2.6% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($12,144.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 36.4% higher at ISU than Cleveland State University ($23,681.00 vs. $17,359.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cleveland State University than ISU ($15,719 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 33.9% lower than costs at Cleveland State University ($10,602 vs. $14,197)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Cleveland State University (97% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 23.1% larger than aid received Cleveland State University ($11,619 vs. $9,436)

ISU vs. Cleveland State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 62 points higher than at Cleveland State (1028)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Cleveland State (22)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Cleveland State (3.31)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than Cleveland State (85.3%)

ISU vs. Cleveland State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU 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 ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Cleveland State University (71% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $4,800 more per year than Cleveland State graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $44,200)
  • Cleveland State University students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,000)
  • Cleveland State graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($222 vs. $227)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleveland State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 47%)

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