Spalding vs. Cleveland State

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

 Spalding Cleveland State
Location Louisville, KY Cleveland, OH
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 1,532 14,385
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #718 #769
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website spalding.edu csuohio.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Spalding Cleveland State
Tuition (In State) $26,900 $12,144
Tuition (Out of State) $26,900 $17,359
Room & Board $8,300 $14,197
Avg Net Price $26,539 $15,719
Avg Grant Aid $16,307 $9,436
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 91%

Admission

 Spalding Cleveland State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 720 11,570
Admitted 703 9,872
Acceptance Rate 97.6% 85.3%
Enrolled % 18.8% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.31
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/22 18/25
SAT Range 858/1105 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

 Spalding Cleveland State
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (41%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 Spalding Cleveland State
Graduation Rate 42% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,300 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $222

Diversity

 Spalding Cleveland State
% Men 29% 46%
% Women 71% 54%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 67% 64%
% Black 20% 17%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

 Spalding Cleveland State
% In-State 51% 85%
% Out-of-State 40% 7%

Campus

 Spalding 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 Spalding based on total student enrollment (14,385 students vs. 1,532 students)

Spalding vs. Cleveland State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Spalding or Cleveland State?

  • Spalding University is 121.5% more expensive to attend than Cleveland State for in-state tuition ($26,900.00 vs. $12,144.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 55% higher at Spalding than Cleveland State University ($26,900.00 vs. $17,359.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cleveland State University than Spalding ($15,719 vs. $26,539)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Spalding University are 71% lower than costs at Cleveland State University ($8,300 vs. $14,197)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Spalding University than Cleveland State University (99% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Spalding University students is 72.8% larger than aid received Cleveland State University ($16,307 vs. $9,436)

Spalding vs. Cleveland State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cleveland State University (1028) is 58 points higher than at Spalding (970)
  • Incoming Cleveland State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Spalding (21)
  • Accepted freshman Spalding students have a 0.56 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at Cleveland State (3.31)
  • Spalding has a higher acceptance rate (97.6%) than Cleveland State (85.3%)

Spalding vs. Cleveland State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Spalding 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 Spalding.

  • The graduation rate at Spalding is higher than Cleveland State University (42% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from Spalding University earn on average $1,100 more per year than Cleveland State graduates after ten years. ($45,300 vs. $44,200)
  • Cleveland State University students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Spalding graduates. ($21,500 vs. $25,000)
  • Cleveland State graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Spalding graduates. ($222 vs. $258)
  • More Cleveland State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Spalding students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 44%)

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