More selective than 20% of Michigan colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $30,681. College Scorecard.
Higher than 56% of Michigan colleges we cover and 60% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 62% of Michigan colleges we cover and 59% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Central Michigan University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 18,102 applicants, Central Michigan University admitted 16,474 and 2,044 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 960–1200 on the SAT or 21–27 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Central Michigan University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Michigan residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What Central Michigan University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Central Michigan University took 4.4 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Michigan. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $12,185 | $53,980 | 2.4 years |
| $30–48k | $12,139 | $53,776 | 2.4 years |
| $48–75k | $13,601 | $60,252 | 2.7 years |
| $75–110k | $16,269 | $72,072 | 3.2 years |
| $110k+ | $21,403 | $94,815 | 4.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (39% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($55,874) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $22,463 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Central Michigan University majors, earnings & careers
Central Michigan University offers 93 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 17
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 17
- Business & Finance · 14
- Humanities & Languages · 11
- Health & Medicine · 10
- Engineering · 9
- Arts & Design · 6
- Communications & Media · 4
- Education · 3
- Technology & Computing · 2
Highest-earning majors at Central Michigan University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Management Information Systems | $95,721 | $27,000 |
| Electrical Engineering | $91,542 | $30,000 |
| Computer Science | $89,216 | $27,000 |
| Construction Engineering Technology / Technician | $86,839 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies / Technicians | $86,472 | $30,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $85,196 | $27,000 |
| Drafting / Design Engineering Technologies / Technicians | $84,064 | $28,500 |
| Statistics | $81,853 | — |
Quick list of all 93 majors
- Accounting$80,551
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$52,311
- Anthropology$39,577
- Applied Mathematics—
- Astronomy and Astrophysics—
- Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology—
- Biochemistry—
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other—
- Biology$57,438
- Biomedical Engineering—
- Broadcasting / Digital Media$46,942
- Business / Corporate Communications—
- Business Administration$74,113
- Cell / Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences—
- Chemistry—
- Communications$55,353
- Community Organization and Advocacy$58,344
- Computer and Information Sciences$73,112
- Computer Engineering—
- Computer Science$89,216
- Construction Engineering Technology / Technician$86,839
- Criminal Justice—
- Dance—
- Dietetics$55,134
- Drafting / Design Engineering Technologies / Technicians$84,064
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology—
- Economics$65,174
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$49,677
- Education (Subject Teaching)$49,588
- Electrical Engineering$91,542
- English$39,262
- Entrepreneurship$56,553
- Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy—
- Environmental Engineering—
- Environmental Science / Conservation$48,290
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Finance$79,906
- Geography$62,999
- Geology / Earth Science$57,438
- German—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$54,254
- Health Administration$67,117
- History$40,918
- Hospitality Management$56,314
- Human Development and Family Studies$45,881
- Human Resources$73,340
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians—
- Intercultural / Multicultural and Diversity Studies—
- International Business—
- International Relations$61,331
- Journalism$47,775
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$57,771
- Legal Studies / Paralegal$57,108
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Literature—
- Management Information Systems$95,721
- Management Science / Analytics$77,768
- Marketing$75,661
- Materials Sciences—
- Mathematics$54,265
- Mechanical Engineering$85,196
- Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies / Technicians$86,472
- Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions$53,353
- Music$43,089
- Neuroscience$73,316
- Nursing—
- Outdoor Education—
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management—
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies$39,947
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$50,462
- Psychology$53,422
- Psychology (Clinical / Counseling)—
- Public Administration—
- Public Health—
- Public Relations and Advertising$59,522
- Real Estate—
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences$49,639
- Religious Studies—
- Social Sciences—
- Social Sciences, Other$54,888
- Social Work$53,279
- Sociology$48,389
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$48,409
- Special Education$50,095
- Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations$57,513
- Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders$62,082
- Statistics$81,853
- Studio Art$40,181
- Theatre$43,916
- Visual and Performing Arts—
- Writing—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Marketing → Marketing specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.0% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Mount Pleasant
2 bedrooms $1,059.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 35 inches of rain a year, 39 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Isabella County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Isabella County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Central Michigan University with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Michigan by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Michigan University | 90% | $17,597 | 59% | $55,874 | This school |
| Oakland University | 88% | $9,120 | 58% | $58,612 | |
| Western Michigan University | 85% | $15,273 | 58% | $53,562 | |
| Ferris State University | 91% | $8,624 | 47% | $54,735 | |
| Eastern Michigan University | 80% | $15,407 | 46% | $51,793 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Central Michigan University would cost you $8,477 more per year than Oakland University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Central Michigan University, mostly from more Oakland University students living at home, which lowers its average (+$3,742).
- Oakland University gives aided families $2,978 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Michigan resident | Central Michigan University | OU | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $14,760 | $15,262 | −$502 |
| Books & supplies | $1,240 | $700 | +$540 |
| Housing & meals | $12,178 | $11,309 | +$869 |
| Personal & travel | $3,450 | $2,600 | +$850 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$947 | −$4,689 | +$3,742 |
| Sticker price | $30,681 | $25,182 | +$5,499 |
| Average grants | −$13,084 | −$16,062 | +$2,978 |
| You pay | $17,597 | $9,120 | +$8,477 |
“+” means Central Michigan University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Central Michigan University
What is the Central Michigan University acceptance rate?
Central Michigan University accepts 90% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 16,474 of 18,102 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 960–1200 on the SAT or 21–27 on the ACT.
How much does Central Michigan University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $30,681 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $17,597 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $12,185 and families earning $110k+ pay $21,403.
How much do Central Michigan University graduates earn?
Former Central Michigan University students earn a median $55,874 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Central Michigan University graduation rate?
59% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 75% return for their second year.
How long does a Central Michigan University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Central Michigan University costs about $60,252 after grants ($13,601 a year for 4.4 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $55,874 ten years after starting, $22,463 more than high school graduates in Michigan ($33,411), so the cost is repaid in 2.7 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is Central Michigan University the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing Central Michigan University with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Central Michigan University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/central-michigan-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).