CU Denver vs. Cleveland State

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

 CU Denver Cleveland State
Location Denver, CO Cleveland, OH
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 23,409 14,117
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #391 #780
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucdenver.edu csuohio.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CU Denver Cleveland State
Tuition (In State) $9,096 $12,503
Tuition (Out of State) $27,288 $17,863
Room & Board $14,920 $14,760
Avg Net Price $15,303 $16,307
Avg Grant Aid $8,079 $10,148
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 88%

Admission

 CU Denver Cleveland State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,569 10,274
Admitted 11,336 9,810
Acceptance Rate 77.8% 95.5%
Enrolled % 14.4% 16.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.46 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 18/25
SAT Range 980/1220 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 1, 2026 Aug 15, 2026

Academics

 CU Denver Cleveland State
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 CU Denver Cleveland State
Graduation Rate 40% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,200 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,190 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $219 $222

Diversity

 CU Denver Cleveland State
% Men 14% 15%
% Women 26% 18%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 51% 64%
% Black 5% 17%
% Hispanic 19% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 8% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 CU Denver Cleveland State
% In-State 85% 85%
% Out-of-State 13% 7%

Campus

 CU Denver 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 Colorado Denver is larger than than Cleveland State based on total student enrollment (23,409 students vs. 14,117 students)

CU Denver vs. Cleveland State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Denver or Cleveland State?

  • Cleveland State University is 37.5% more expensive to attend than CU Denver for in-state tuition ($12,503.00 vs. $9,096.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52.8% higher at CU Denver than Cleveland State University ($27,288.00 vs. $17,863.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Colorado Denver than Cleveland State ($15,303 vs. $16,307)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cleveland State University are 1.1% lower than costs at University of Colorado Denver ($14,760 vs. $14,920)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cleveland State University than University of Colorado Denver (88% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cleveland State University students is 25.6% larger than aid received University of Colorado Denver ($10,148 vs. $8,079)

CU Denver vs. Cleveland State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Denver (1055) is 27 points higher than at Cleveland State (1028)
  • Incoming CU Denver students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Cleveland State (22)
  • Accepted freshman CU Denver students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at Cleveland State (3.31)
  • Cleveland State has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than CU Denver (77.8%)

CU Denver vs. Cleveland State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU Denver 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 CU Denver.

  • The graduation rate at CU Denver is higher than Cleveland State University (40% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Denver earn on average $24,000 more per year than Cleveland State graduates after ten years. ($68,200 vs. $44,200)
  • University of Colorado Denver students graduate with a $310 lower median federal student loan debt than Cleveland State graduates. ($21,190 vs. $21,500)
  • CU Denver graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than Cleveland State graduates. ($219 vs. $222)
  • More CU Denver graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleveland State students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 47%)

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