UC vs. Cleveland State

Should I go to University of Cincinnati Main Campus or Cleveland State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UC 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 Miami IU Kentucky Ohio State Xavier UIC Purdue UB Ohio University ASU
University of Cincinnati Main Campus vs. Cleveland State University comparison
University of Cincinnati Main Campus Cleveland State University College 3 College 4
University of Cincinnati Main Campus Cleveland State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 UC Cleveland State
Location Cincinnati, OH Cleveland, OH
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 41,155 14,385
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #413 #769
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uc.edu csuohio.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UC Cleveland State
Tuition (In State) $11,498 $12,144
Tuition (Out of State) $26,862 $17,359
Room & Board $12,852 $14,197
Avg Net Price $20,149 $15,719
Avg Grant Aid $8,733 $9,436
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 91%

Admission

 UC Cleveland State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 29,025 11,570
Admitted 25,024 9,872
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 85.3%
Enrolled % 25.5% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/29 18/25
SAT Range 1160/1360 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 Mar 1, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 UC Cleveland State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 UC Cleveland State
Graduation Rate 59% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,600 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $237 $222

Diversity

 UC Cleveland State
% Men 46% 46%
% Women 54% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 75% 64%
% Black 7% 17%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

 UC Cleveland State
% In-State 78% 85%
% Out-of-State 17% 7%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Cincinnati Main Campus is larger than than Cleveland State based on total student enrollment (41,155 students vs. 14,385 students)

UC vs. Cleveland State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC or Cleveland State?

  • Cleveland State University is 5.6% more expensive to attend than UC for in-state tuition ($12,144.00 vs. $11,498.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 54.7% higher at UC than Cleveland State University ($26,862.00 vs. $17,359.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cleveland State University than UC ($15,719 vs. $20,149)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Cincinnati Main Campus are 10.5% lower than costs at Cleveland State University ($12,852 vs. $14,197)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cleveland State University than University of Cincinnati Main Campus (91% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cleveland State University students is 8% larger than aid received University of Cincinnati Main Campus ($9,436 vs. $8,733)

UC vs. Cleveland State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Cincinnati Main Campus (1165) is 137 points higher than at Cleveland State (1028)
  • Incoming UC students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Cleveland State (22)
  • Accepted freshman UC students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Cleveland State (3.31)
  • UC has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than Cleveland State (85.3%)

UC vs. Cleveland State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC 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 UC.

  • The graduation rate at UC is higher than Cleveland State University (59% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from University of Cincinnati Main Campus earn on average $1,400 more per year than Cleveland State graduates after ten years. ($45,600 vs. $44,200)
  • Cleveland State University students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UC graduates. ($21,500 vs. $23,000)
  • Cleveland State graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than UC graduates. ($222 vs. $237)
  • More UC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleveland State students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 47%)

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