Buffalo State College vs. Cleveland State

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

 Buffalo State College Cleveland State
Location Buffalo, NY Cleveland, OH
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 6,445 14,385
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #665 #769
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website buffalostate.edu csuohio.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Buffalo State College Cleveland State
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $12,144
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $17,359
Room & Board $14,386 $14,197
Avg Net Price $13,812 $15,719
Avg Grant Aid $10,756 $9,436
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 91%

Admission

 Buffalo State College Cleveland State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,292 11,570
Admitted 10,569 9,872
Acceptance Rate 86% 85.3%
Enrolled % 11.8% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 2.84 3.31
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25
SAT Range 940/1178 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

 Buffalo State College Cleveland State
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (26%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 Buffalo State College Cleveland State
Graduation Rate 47% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,700 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,409 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $221 $222

Diversity

 Buffalo State College Cleveland State
% Men 41% 46%
% Women 59% 54%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 51% 64%
% Black 28% 17%
% Hispanic 12% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 Buffalo State College Cleveland State
% In-State 96% 85%
% Out-of-State 3% 7%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Cleveland State University is larger than than Buffalo State College based on total student enrollment (14,385 students vs. 6,445 students)

Buffalo State College vs. Cleveland State Cost Comparison

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

  • Cleveland State University is 71.8% more expensive to attend than Buffalo State College for in-state tuition ($12,144.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.2% higher at Cleveland State than SUNY College at Buffalo ($17,359.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY College at Buffalo than Cleveland State ($13,812 vs. $15,719)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cleveland State University are 1.3% lower than costs at SUNY College at Buffalo ($14,197 vs. $14,386)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY College at Buffalo than Cleveland State University (92% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY College at Buffalo students is 14% larger than aid received Cleveland State University ($10,756 vs. $9,436)

Buffalo State College vs. Cleveland State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cleveland State University (1028) is 127 points higher than at Buffalo State College (901)
  • Incoming Cleveland State students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Buffalo State College (19)
  • Accepted freshman Cleveland State students have a 0.47 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at Buffalo State College (2.84)
  • Buffalo State College has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Cleveland State (85.3%)

Buffalo State College vs. Cleveland State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Buffalo State 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 Buffalo State College.

  • The graduation rate at Buffalo State College is higher than Cleveland State University (47% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from Cleveland State University earn on average $3,500 more per year than Buffalo State College graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $40,700)
  • SUNY College at Buffalo students graduate with a $91 lower median federal student loan debt than Cleveland State graduates. ($21,409 vs. $21,500)
  • Buffalo State College graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Cleveland State graduates. ($221 vs. $222)
  • More Buffalo State College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleveland State students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 47%)

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