National university
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MI · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $17,597 a year
Median debt at graduation: $27,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.59%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.75%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,091 · ACT 24
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.16 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$8,718
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $30,681 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 10,055 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 38% · Women 62% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 29% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 9% |
| Total students | 14,399 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $17,597 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $30,681 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 59% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 58% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 58% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 56% |
| First-year retention | 75% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $55,874 |
| Admission rate | 90% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $40 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $880 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 31% |
| Average SAT | 1091 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 490–610 |
| SAT math | 470–590 |
| ACT composite | 21–27 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good · Top 47% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Management information systems | |
| Electrical engineering | |
| Computer science | |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | |
| Mechanical engineering technology | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Drafting and design | |
| Statistics | |
| Accounting | |
| Finance | |
| Management science | |
| Marketing | |
| Business administration | |
| Human resources | |
| Neuroscience | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Health administration | |
| Economics | |
| Geography | |
| Speech-language pathology | |
| International relations | |
| Public relations | |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations | |
| Biology | |
| Geology and earth science | |
| Pre-law and legal studies | |
| Entrepreneurship | |
| Hospitality management | |
| Communication studies | |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | |
| Other social sciences | |
| Mathematics | |
| Design | |
| Psychology | |
| Counseling and mental health | |
| Social work | |
| Allied health | |
| Political science | |
| Special education | |
| Teacher education | |
| Rehabilitation and therapy | |
| Secondary education | |
| Romance languages | |
| Sociology | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Journalism | |
| Broadcasting | |
| Family and human development | |
| Theatre | |
| Music | |
| History | |
| Fine arts | |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | |
| Anthropology | |
| English |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Applied mathematics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Biochemistry, Biomedical/Medical Engineering, Business/Corporate Communications, Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Chemistry, Clinical and counseling psychology, Computer engineering, Criminal justice, Dance, Ecology and evolutionary biology, Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering, Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, Ethnic and gender studies, German, Industrial technology, Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies, International business, Liberal arts, Literature, Materials Sciences, Nursing, Other biological and biomedical sciences, Outdoor Education, Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, Philosophy, Physics, Public administration, Public health, Real Estate, Religious studies, Social sciences, Visual and performing arts, Writing and rhetoric.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Education | |
| Psychology | |
| Parks, recreation and fitness | |
| Biology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Town |
| Part-time undergraduates | 14% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 14% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $12,564 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Mid-American Conference |
| ROTC | Army |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 16 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 7%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 75%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $19,848IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 46% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | MBS International Airport (MBS)About 35 miles away · about 1 hour by car |
| Nearest major airport | Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)About 119 miles away |
| Town population | 21,236Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | DetroitAbout 119 miles away · about 2 hours 45 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 23°F in January · 72°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Central Michigan University, MI |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.01 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.03 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Central Michigan University’s Compass Score?
- Good (grade B). The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Central Michigan University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $17,597 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Central Michigan University?
- Central Michigan University admitted 90% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Central Michigan University’s graduates do?
- 59% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $55,874; the median federal debt at graduation is $27,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 169248
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (high research)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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