Northeastern Illinois University vs. Cleveland State

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

Overview

 Northeastern Illinois University Cleveland State
Location Chicago, IL Cleveland, OH
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 5,504 14,117
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #736 #780
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website neiu.edu csuohio.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northeastern Illinois University Cleveland State
Tuition (In State) $10,343 $12,503
Tuition (Out of State) $20,686 $17,863
Room & Board $10,742 $14,760
Avg Net Price $14,669 $16,307
Avg Grant Aid $12,560 $10,148
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 88%

Admission

 Northeastern Illinois University Cleveland State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,481 10,274
Admitted 5,971 9,810
Acceptance Rate 70.4% 95.5%
Enrolled % 9.3% 16.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.31
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/21 18/25
SAT Range 810/1010 880/1130
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2026 Aug 15, 2026

Academics

 Northeastern Illinois University Cleveland State
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 Northeastern Illinois University Cleveland State
Graduation Rate 23% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $149 $222

Diversity

 Northeastern Illinois University Cleveland State
% Men 9% 15%
% Women 18% 18%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 33% 64%
% Black 10% 17%
% Hispanic 37% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 Northeastern Illinois University Cleveland State
% In-State 98% 85%
% Out-of-State 1% 7%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Cleveland State University is larger than than Northeastern Illinois University based on total student enrollment (14,117 students vs. 5,504 students)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. Cleveland State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northeastern Illinois University or Cleveland State?

  • Cleveland State University is 20.9% more expensive to attend than Northeastern Illinois University for in-state tuition ($12,503.00 vs. $10,343.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.8% higher at Northeastern Illinois University than Cleveland State University ($20,686.00 vs. $17,863.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northeastern Illinois University than Cleveland State ($14,669 vs. $16,307)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northeastern Illinois University are 37.4% lower than costs at Cleveland State University ($10,742 vs. $14,760)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cleveland State University than Northeastern Illinois University (88% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northeastern Illinois University students is 23.8% larger than aid received Cleveland State University ($12,560 vs. $10,148)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. Cleveland State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cleveland State University (1028) is 158 points higher than at Northeastern Illinois University (870)
  • Incoming Cleveland State students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (18)
  • Accepted freshman Cleveland State students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (3.1)
  • Cleveland State has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Northeastern Illinois University (70.4%)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. Cleveland State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northeastern Illinois 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 Northeastern Illinois University.

  • The graduation rate at Cleveland State is higher than Northeastern Illinois University (30% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Cleveland State University earn on average $4,200 more per year than Northeastern Illinois University graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $40,000)
  • Northeastern Illinois University students graduate with a $7,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Cleveland State graduates. ($14,500 vs. $21,500)
  • Northeastern Illinois University graduates are paying $73 less per month on federal student loans than Cleveland State graduates. ($149 vs. $222)
  • More Northeastern Illinois University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleveland State students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 47%)

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