Rochester College vs. Cleveland State

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

 Rochester College Cleveland State
Location Rochester Hills, MI Cleveland, OH
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,167 14,385
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #880 #769
Religious Affiliation Churches of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rc.edu csuohio.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Rochester College Cleveland State
Tuition (In State) $26,736 $12,144
Tuition (Out of State) $26,736 $17,359
Room & Board $9,440 $14,197
Avg Net Price $18,665 $15,719
Avg Grant Aid $15,899 $9,436
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 91%

Admission

 Rochester College Cleveland State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 929 11,570
Admitted 663 9,872
Acceptance Rate 71.4% 85.3%
Enrolled % 35.1% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.13 3.31
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/23 18/25
SAT Range 840/1060 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

 Rochester College Cleveland State
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Psychology (25%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Education (14%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 Rochester College Cleveland State
Graduation Rate 42% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,403 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $252 $222

Diversity

 Rochester College Cleveland State
% Men 40% 46%
% Women 60% 54%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 60% 64%
% Black 16% 17%
% Hispanic 1% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 5% 5%
% Unknown Race 14% 2%

Students

 Rochester College Cleveland State
% In-State 86% 85%
% Out-of-State 10% 7%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Cleveland State University is larger than than Rochester College based on total student enrollment (14,385 students vs. 1,167 students)

Rochester College vs. Cleveland State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rochester College or Cleveland State?

  • Rochester College is 120.2% more expensive to attend than Cleveland State for in-state tuition ($26,736.00 vs. $12,144.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 54% higher at Rochester College than Cleveland State University ($26,736.00 vs. $17,359.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cleveland State University than Rochester College ($15,719 vs. $18,665)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rochester College are 50.4% lower than costs at Cleveland State University ($9,440 vs. $14,197)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rochester College than Cleveland State University (100% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rochester College students is 68.5% larger than aid received Cleveland State University ($15,899 vs. $9,436)

Rochester College vs. Cleveland State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cleveland State University (1028) is 79 points higher than at Rochester College (949)
  • Incoming Cleveland State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Rochester College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Cleveland State students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at Rochester College (3.13)
  • Cleveland State has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than Rochester College (71.4%)

Rochester College vs. Cleveland State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rochester College 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 Rochester College.

  • The graduation rate at Rochester College is higher than Cleveland State University (42% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from Cleveland State University earn on average $6,100 more per year than Rochester College graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $38,100)
  • Cleveland State University students graduate with a $2,903 lower median federal student loan debt than Rochester College graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,403)
  • Cleveland State graduates are paying $30 less per month on federal student loans than Rochester College graduates. ($222 vs. $252)
  • More Cleveland State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rochester College students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 45%)

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