Menlo vs. Cleveland Institute of Music

Comparable Facts

Compare Menlo College in Atherton, CA with Cleveland Institute of Music in Cleveland, OH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Menlo College is larger than Cleveland Institute of Music based on total student enrollment (810 students vs. 293 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Menlo College is located in Atherton, CA (Large Suburban setting); Cleveland Institute of Music is in Cleveland, OH (Large City setting).
• Menlo College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Cleveland Institute of Music is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Menlo College 14:1; Cleveland Institute of Music 6:1.

Menlo vs. Cleveland Institute of Music Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Menlo or Cleveland Institute of Music? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cleveland Institute of Music than Menlo ($29,683 vs. $32,563).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cleveland Institute of Music are 9% lower than at Menlo College ($16,600 vs. $18,236).
• Menlo College is 1.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cleveland Institute of Music (about $750 more per year; $53,630.00 vs. $52,880.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.4% higher at Menlo than at Cleveland Institute of Music (about $750 more per year; $53,630.00 vs. $52,880.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Menlo College as at Cleveland Institute of Music (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Menlo College students is 25.6% larger than aid received by Cleveland Institute of Music students ($39,174 vs. $31,191).

Menlo vs. Cleveland Institute of Music Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Menlo or Cleveland Institute of Music? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Cleveland Institute of Music and Menlo.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Menlo - Test-free; Cleveland Institute of Music - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Menlo Apr 1, 2027; Cleveland Institute of Music Dec 1, 2026.
• Menlo has a higher acceptance rate (68.5%) than Cleveland Institute of Music (47.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 5.3% at Menlo vs. 14.9% at Cleveland Institute of Music.

Menlo vs. Cleveland Institute of Music Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Menlo and Cleveland Institute of Music? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Cleveland Institute of Music's six-year graduation rate (67%) is higher than Menlo College's (34%).
• Graduates from Menlo College earn a median of about $8,700 more per year than Cleveland Institute of Music graduates about ten years after starting college ($53,900 vs. $45,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Menlo College graduates have a $5,938 lower median loan debt than Cleveland Institute of Music graduates ($21,062 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Menlo graduates have an estimated $62 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Cleveland Institute of Music graduates ($217 vs. $279).
• More Cleveland Institute of Music graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Menlo students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 55%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.