VCM vs. Cleveland State

Should I go to VanderCook College of Music or Cleveland State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if VCM 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
VanderCook College of Music vs. Cleveland State University comparison
VanderCook College of Music Cleveland State University College 3 College 4
Cleveland State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

VCM Cleveland State
Location Chicago, IL Cleveland, OH
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 263 14,385
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #769
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vandercook.edu csuohio.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

VCM Cleveland State
Tuition (In State) $27,670 $12,144
Tuition (Out of State) $27,670 $17,359
Room & Board $7,500 $14,197
Avg Net Price $12,436 $15,719
Avg Grant Aid $27,884 $9,436
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 91%

Admission

VCM Cleveland State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22 11,570
Admitted 22 9,872
Acceptance Rate 100% 85.3%
Enrolled % 50% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.31
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20 18/25
SAT Range 890/1160 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 Apr 1, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

VCM Cleveland State
Student to Faculty Ratio 4:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (100%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

VCM Cleveland State
Graduation Rate 45% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $222

Diversity

VCM Cleveland State
% Men 43% 46%
% Women 57% 54%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 62% 64%
% Black 8% 17%
% Hispanic 21% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

VCM Cleveland State
% In-State 58% 85%
% Out-of-State 42% 7%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Cleveland State University is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (14,385 students vs. 263 students)

VCM vs. Cleveland State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, VCM or Cleveland State?

  • VanderCook College of Music is 127.8% more expensive to attend than Cleveland State for in-state tuition ($27,670.00 vs. $12,144.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 59.4% higher at VCM than Cleveland State University ($27,670.00 vs. $17,359.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at VanderCook College of Music than Cleveland State ($12,436 vs. $15,719)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 89.3% lower than costs at Cleveland State University ($7,500 vs. $14,197)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music than Cleveland State University (100% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 195.5% larger than aid received Cleveland State University ($27,884 vs. $9,436)

VCM vs. Cleveland State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 79 points higher than at Cleveland State (1028)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Cleveland State (22)
  • Accepted freshman Cleveland State students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than Cleveland State (85.3%)

VCM vs. Cleveland State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, VCM 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 VCM.

  • The graduation rate at VCM is higher than Cleveland State University (45% vs. 30%)
  • Cleveland State University students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than VCM graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Cleveland State graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than VCM graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
  • More VCM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleveland State 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/