VCM vs. Cleary College

Should I go to VanderCook College of Music or Cleary University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if VCM or Cleary College 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. 

VanderCook College of Music vs. Cleary University comparison
VanderCook College of Music Cleary University College 3 College 4
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 VCM Cleary College
Location Chicago, IL Ann Arbor, MI
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 263 891
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vandercook.edu cleary.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 VCM Cleary College
Tuition (In State) $27,670 $22,279
Tuition (Out of State) $27,670 $22,279
Room & Board $7,500 $14,200
Avg Net Price $12,436 $27,209
Avg Grant Aid $27,884 $8,447
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 86%

Admission

 VCM Cleary College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22 810
Admitted 22 547
Acceptance Rate 100% 67.5%Open
Enrolled % 50% 18.8%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.17
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/20 18/19
SAT Range 890/1160 950/1170
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 Apr 1, 2025 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

 VCM Cleary College
Student to Faculty Ratio 4:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (100%)
  • Business (79%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (5%)

Outcomes

 VCM Cleary College
Graduation Rate 45% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $54,900
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $30,227
Median Loan Payment $279 $312

Diversity

 VCM Cleary College
% Men 43% 59%
% Women 57% 41%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 79%
% Black 8% 5%
% Hispanic 21% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 9%

Students

 VCM Cleary College
% In-State 58% 82%
% Out-of-State 42% 12%

Campus

 VCM Cleary College
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Cleary University is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (891 students vs. 263 students)

VCM vs. Cleary College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, VCM or Cleary College?

  • VanderCook College of Music is 24.2% more expensive to attend than Cleary College for in-state tuition ($27,670.00 vs. $22,279.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.2% higher at VCM than Cleary University ($27,670.00 vs. $22,279.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at VanderCook College of Music than Cleary College ($12,436 vs. $27,209)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 89.3% lower than costs at Cleary University ($7,500 vs. $14,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music than Cleary University (100% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 230.1% larger than aid received Cleary University ($27,884 vs. $8,447)

VCM vs. Cleary College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 157 points higher than at Cleary College (950)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Cleary College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Cleary College students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.17) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than Cleary College (67.5%)

VCM vs. Cleary College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, VCM or Cleary College? 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 Cleary College and VCM.

  • The graduation rate at Cleary College is higher than VanderCook College of Music (59% vs. 45%)
  • VanderCook College of Music students graduate with a $3,227 lower median federal student loan debt than Cleary College graduates. ($27,000 vs. $30,227)
  • VCM graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than Cleary College graduates. ($279 vs. $312)
  • More VCM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleary College students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 47%)

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