North Carolina Central University vs. Cleveland State

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

 North Carolina Central University Cleveland State
Location Durham, NC Cleveland, OH
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 7,553 14,385
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #940 #769
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nccu.edu csuohio.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 North Carolina Central University Cleveland State
Tuition (In State) $3,728 $12,144
Tuition (Out of State) $16,764 $17,359
Room & Board $11,864 $14,197
Avg Net Price $13,708 $15,719
Avg Grant Aid $16,168 $9,436
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 91%

Admission

 North Carolina Central University Cleveland State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,423 11,570
Admitted 7,107 9,872
Acceptance Rate 84.4% 85.3%
Enrolled % 15.2% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.27 3.31
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/23 18/25
SAT Range 810/1130 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

 North Carolina Central University Cleveland State
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 North Carolina Central University Cleveland State
Graduation Rate 38% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,200 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 23% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $320 $222

Diversity

 North Carolina Central University Cleveland State
% Men 30% 46%
% Women 70% 54%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU Yes No
% White 6% 64%
% Black 81% 17%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 0% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 North Carolina Central University Cleveland State
% In-State 65% 85%
% Out-of-State 29% 7%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Cleveland State University is larger than than North Carolina Central University based on total student enrollment (14,385 students vs. 7,553 students)

North Carolina Central University vs. Cleveland State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, North Carolina Central University or Cleveland State?

  • Cleveland State University is 225.8% more expensive to attend than North Carolina Central University for in-state tuition ($12,144.00 vs. $3,728.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.5% higher at Cleveland State than North Carolina Central University ($17,359.00 vs. $16,764.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Carolina Central University than Cleveland State ($13,708 vs. $15,719)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina Central University are 19.7% lower than costs at Cleveland State University ($11,864 vs. $14,197)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina Central University than Cleveland State University (96% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by North Carolina Central University students is 71.3% larger than aid received Cleveland State University ($16,168 vs. $9,436)

North Carolina Central University vs. Cleveland State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cleveland State University (1028) is 149 points higher than at North Carolina Central University (879)
  • Incoming Cleveland State students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at North Carolina Central University (19)
  • Accepted freshman Cleveland State students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at North Carolina Central University (3.27)
  • Cleveland State has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than North Carolina Central University (84.4%)

North Carolina Central University vs. Cleveland State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, North Carolina Central University 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 North Carolina Central University.

  • The graduation rate at North Carolina Central University is higher than Cleveland State University (38% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from Cleveland State University earn on average $9,000 more per year than North Carolina Central University graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $35,200)
  • Cleveland State University students graduate with a $9,500 lower median federal student loan debt than North Carolina Central University graduates. ($21,500 vs. $31,000)
  • Cleveland State graduates are paying $98 less per month on federal student loans than North Carolina Central University graduates. ($222 vs. $320)
  • More Cleveland State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former North Carolina Central University 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/