More selective than 13% of Ohio colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $27,159. College Scorecard.
Higher than 52% of Ohio colleges we cover and 43% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 52% of Ohio colleges we cover and 47% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Cleveland State University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 10,274 applicants, Cleveland State University admitted 9,810 and 1,593 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Cleveland State University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Ohio 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
State aid: Ohio residents with household income up to $96,000 and a Student Aid Index of 3,750 or less may receive an Ohio College Opportunity Grant: up to $4,000 a year at public university main campuses (less at regional campuses) in 2026-27. Not included in the prices above. Ohio Department of Higher Education, OCOG 2026-27 award memo (FA27-001)
What Cleveland State University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Cleveland State 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 Ohio. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $11,958 | $52,615 | 3.2 years |
| $30–48k | $13,561 | $59,668 | 3.6 years |
| $48–75k | $14,727 | $64,799 | 3.9 years |
| $75–110k | $15,690 | $69,036 | 4.1 years |
| $110k+ | $20,378 | $89,663 | 5.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (33% 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 ($52,131) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OH (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $16,693 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.
Cleveland State University majors, earnings & careers
Cleveland State University offers 71 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 12
- Business & Finance · 11
- Health & Medicine · 10
- Humanities & Languages · 9
- Engineering · 7
- Science & Math · 7
- Arts & Design · 6
- Education · 4
- Technology & Computing · 3
- Communications & Media · 2
Highest-earning majors at Cleveland State University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $100,385 | $23,365 |
| Electrical / Electronic Engineering Technologies / Technicians | $88,732 | — |
| Computer Engineering | $88,595 | $25,547 |
| Electrical Engineering | $87,713 | $27,000 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $86,337 | $31,125 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $85,184 | $25,000 |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | $83,938 | $24,357 |
| Nursing | $82,201 | $27,500 |
Quick list of all 71 majors
- Accounting$73,476
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$83,938
- Anthropology$38,972
- Biology$53,898
- Biology / Biotechnology Technologies / Technicians—
- Business—
- Business Administration$58,930
- Business Economics—
- Chemical Engineering$81,185
- Chemistry$63,541
- Civil Engineering$73,575
- Communications$48,688
- Community Organization and Advocacy—
- Computer and Information Sciences$86,337
- Computer Engineering$88,595
- Computer Science$100,385
- Criminology$52,713
- Dance—
- Economics$62,852
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$43,424
- Education (Subject Teaching)$48,254
- Educational Administration and Supervision$41,308
- Electrical / Electronic Engineering Technologies / Technicians$88,732
- Electrical Engineering$87,713
- English$41,767
- Environmental Science / Conservation$53,245
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography$37,745
- Finance$73,669
- Geology / Earth Science—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$46,635
- Health Administration—
- Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other—
- History$42,859
- Human Resources$65,203
- Information Science / Studies$72,661
- International Business$68,241
- International Relations$45,045
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Linguistics—
- Management Science / Analytics$67,614
- Marketing$61,829
- Mathematics$58,346
- Mechanical Engineering$85,184
- Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies / Technicians—
- Medical Laboratory Science$55,038
- Middle / Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics—
- Music$29,842
- Nursing$82,201
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$49,647
- Pre-Med / Pre-Health$67,214
- Psychology$46,090
- Public Administration—
- Public Relations and Advertising$55,174
- Real Estate—
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences—
- Religious Studies—
- Social Sciences—
- Social Sciences, Other—
- Social Work$48,571
- Sociology$57,211
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$48,439
- Special Education—
- Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders$51,540
- Studio Art$36,603
- Theatre$36,174
- Urban Studies / Affairs$53,582
— 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 →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Public Relations and Advertising → Public relations specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Cleveland
Overall prices in the Cleveland, OH area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,274. Housing costs 21% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 33 inches of rain a year, 64 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (very high); river flooding (relatively high); heat wave (relatively high); winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Cuyahoga County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Cuyahoga County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Cleveland State University with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Ohio 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland State University | 91% | $14,764 | 51% | $52,131 | This school |
| University of Toledo | 92% | $17,249 | 57% | $50,632 | |
| Youngstown State University | 84% | $12,767 | 50% | $41,544 | |
| Wright State University | 96% | $15,415 | 42% | $49,500 | |
| University of Akron Main Campus | 60% | $13,946 | 52% | $46,600 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Cleveland State University would cost you $2,485 less per year than University of Toledo, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Cleveland State University, mostly from more University of Toledo students living at home, which lowers its average (+$905).
- Cleveland State University gives aided families $3,132 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Ohio resident | Cleveland State University | University of Toledo | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $12,988 | $12,744 | +$244 |
| Books & supplies | $900 | $1,240 | −$340 |
| Housing & meals | $14,760 | $14,652 | +$108 |
| Personal & travel | $3,770 | $4,040 | −$270 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$5,259 | −$6,164 | +$905 |
| Sticker price | $27,159 | $26,512 | +$647 |
| Average grants | −$12,395 | −$9,263 | −$3,132 |
| You pay | $14,764 | $17,249 | −$2,485 |
“+” means Cleveland State 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 Cleveland State University
What is the Cleveland State University acceptance rate?
Cleveland State University accepts 91% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 9,810 of 10,274 applicants were admitted.
How much does Cleveland State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $27,159 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $14,764 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $11,958 and families earning $110k+ pay $20,378.
How much do Cleveland State University graduates earn?
Former Cleveland State University students earn a median $52,131 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Cleveland State University graduation rate?
51% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 70% return for their second year.
How long does a Cleveland State University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Cleveland State University costs about $64,799 after grants ($14,727 a year for 4.4 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $52,131 ten years after starting, $16,693 more than high school graduates in Ohio ($35,438), so the cost is repaid in 3.9 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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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: “Cleveland State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/cleveland-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).