UNK vs. Cleveland State

Should I go to University of Nebraska at Kearney or Cleveland State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNK 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 BGSU UC Ohio State WSU Gannon University Lewis University University of Akron Youngstown State Case Western Wright State
University of Nebraska at Kearney vs. Cleveland State University comparison
University of Nebraska at Kearney Cleveland State University College 3 College 4
University of Nebraska at Kearney Cleveland State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 UNK Cleveland State
Location Kearney, NE Cleveland, OH
Setting Remote Town Large City
Enrollment 6,017 14,117
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #574 #780
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unk.edu csuohio.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNK Cleveland State
Tuition (In State) $6,450 $12,503
Tuition (Out of State) $12,418 $17,863
Room & Board $11,936 $14,760
Avg Net Price $16,249 $16,307
Avg Grant Aid $8,779 $10,148
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 88%

Admission

 UNK Cleveland State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,253 10,274
Admitted 6,222 9,810
Acceptance Rate 85.8% 95.5%
Enrolled % 14.6% 16.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.24 3.31
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 18/25
SAT Range 970/1150 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, 2026 Aug 15, 2026

Academics

 UNK Cleveland State
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 UNK Cleveland State
Graduation Rate 61% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,400 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,250 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $219 $222

Diversity

 UNK Cleveland State
% Men 8% 15%
% Women 22% 18%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 79% 64%
% Black 2% 17%
% Hispanic 11% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 5% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 UNK Cleveland State
% In-State 86% 85%
% Out-of-State 9% 7%

Campus

 UNK 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 UNK based on total student enrollment (14,117 students vs. 6,017 students)

UNK vs. Cleveland State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNK or Cleveland State?

  • Cleveland State University is 93.8% more expensive to attend than UNK for in-state tuition ($12,503.00 vs. $6,450.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43.8% higher at Cleveland State than University of Nebraska at Kearney ($17,863.00 vs. $12,418.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Nebraska at Kearney than Cleveland State ($16,249 vs. $16,307)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Nebraska at Kearney are 23.7% lower than costs at Cleveland State University ($11,936 vs. $14,760)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cleveland State University than University of Nebraska at Kearney (88% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cleveland State University students is 15.6% larger than aid received University of Nebraska at Kearney ($10,148 vs. $8,779)

UNK vs. Cleveland State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Nebraska at Kearney (1049) is 21 points higher than at Cleveland State (1028)
  • Incoming UNK students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Cleveland State (22)
  • Accepted freshman Cleveland State students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at UNK (3.24)
  • Cleveland State has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than UNK (85.8%)

UNK vs. Cleveland State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNK 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 UNK.

  • The graduation rate at UNK is higher than Cleveland State University (61% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from Cleveland State University earn on average $800 more per year than UNK graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $43,400)
  • University of Nebraska at Kearney students graduate with a $250 lower median federal student loan debt than Cleveland State graduates. ($21,250 vs. $21,500)
  • UNK graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than Cleveland State graduates. ($219 vs. $222)
  • More UNK graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleveland State students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 47%)

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