IU South Bend vs. Cleveland State

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

 IU South Bend Cleveland State
Location South Bend, IN Cleveland, OH
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 4,446 14,117
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #936 #780
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iusb.edu csuohio.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IU South Bend Cleveland State
Tuition (In State) $7,492 $12,503
Tuition (Out of State) $21,356 $17,863
Room & Board $11,216 $14,760
Avg Net Price $8,090 $16,307
Avg Grant Aid $8,152 $10,148
% Receiving Grant Aid 76% 88%

Admission

 IU South Bend Cleveland State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,777 10,274
Admitted 2,388 9,810
Acceptance Rate 86% 95.5%
Enrolled % 37.1% 16.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.24 3.31
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/25 18/25
SAT Range 970/1170 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

 IU South Bend Cleveland State
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 IU South Bend Cleveland State
Graduation Rate 22% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,530 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $253 $222

Diversity

 IU South Bend Cleveland State
% Men 3% 15%
% Women 9% 18%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 74% 64%
% Black 8% 17%
% Hispanic 9% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 IU South Bend Cleveland State
% In-State 95% 85%
% Out-of-State 3% 7%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Cleveland State University is larger than than IU South Bend based on total student enrollment (14,117 students vs. 4,446 students)

IU South Bend vs. Cleveland State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU South Bend or Cleveland State?

  • Cleveland State University is 66.9% more expensive to attend than IU South Bend for in-state tuition ($12,503.00 vs. $7,492.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.6% higher at IU South Bend than Cleveland State University ($21,356.00 vs. $17,863.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University South Bend than Cleveland State ($8,090 vs. $16,307)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University South Bend are 31.6% lower than costs at Cleveland State University ($11,216 vs. $14,760)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cleveland State University than Indiana University South Bend (88% vs. 76%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cleveland State University students is 24.5% larger than aid received Indiana University South Bend ($10,148 vs. $8,152)

IU South Bend vs. Cleveland State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cleveland State University (1028) is 73 points higher than at IU South Bend (955)
  • Incoming Cleveland State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at IU South Bend (21)
  • Accepted freshman Cleveland State students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at IU South Bend (3.24)
  • Cleveland State has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than IU South Bend (86%)

IU South Bend vs. Cleveland State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU South Bend 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 IU South Bend.

  • The graduation rate at Cleveland State is higher than Indiana University South Bend (30% vs. 22%)
  • Graduates from Cleveland State University earn on average $7,100 more per year than IU South Bend graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $37,100)
  • Cleveland State University students graduate with a $3,030 lower median federal student loan debt than IU South Bend graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,530)
  • Cleveland State graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than IU South Bend graduates. ($222 vs. $253)
  • More IU South Bend graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleveland State students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 47%)

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