NSU vs. Cleveland State

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

 NSU Cleveland State
Location Natchitoches, LA Cleveland, OH
Setting Remote Town Large City
Enrollment 9,389 14,385
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #975 #769
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsula.edu csuohio.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 NSU Cleveland State
Tuition (In State) $5,180 $12,144
Tuition (Out of State) $15,968 $17,359
Room & Board $10,269 $14,197
Avg Net Price $14,238 $15,719
Avg Grant Aid $9,499 $9,436
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 91%

Admission

 NSU Cleveland State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,903 11,570
Admitted 2,843 9,872
Acceptance Rate 97.9% 85.3%
Enrolled % 35.9% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23 18/25
SAT Range 955/1135 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, 2025

Academics

 NSU Cleveland State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (39%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 NSU Cleveland State
Graduation Rate 37% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,531 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $222 $222

Diversity

 NSU Cleveland State
% Men 29% 46%
% Women 71% 54%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 54% 64%
% Black 31% 17%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 NSU Cleveland State
% In-State 98% 85%
% Out-of-State 2% 7%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Cleveland State University is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (14,385 students vs. 9,389 students)

NSU vs. Cleveland State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NSU or Cleveland State?

  • Cleveland State University is 134.4% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($12,144.00 vs. $5,180.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.7% higher at Cleveland State than Northwestern State University of Louisiana ($17,359.00 vs. $15,968.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern State University of Louisiana than Cleveland State ($14,238 vs. $15,719)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern State University of Louisiana are 38.3% lower than costs at Cleveland State University ($10,269 vs. $14,197)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cleveland State University than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (91% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern State University of Louisiana students is 0.7% larger than aid received Cleveland State University ($9,499 vs. $9,436)

NSU vs. Cleveland State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cleveland State University (1028) is 20 points higher than at NSU (1008)
  • Incoming NSU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Cleveland State (22)
  • Accepted freshman Cleveland State students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at NSU (3.3)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than Cleveland State (85.3%)

NSU vs. Cleveland State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU 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 NSU.

  • The graduation rate at NSU is higher than Cleveland State University (37% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from Cleveland State University earn on average $6,100 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $38,100)
  • Cleveland State University students graduate with a $31 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $21,531)
  • Cleveland State University and NSU graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($222 vs. $222)
  • More Cleveland State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 46%)

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