IPFW vs. Cleveland State

Should I go to Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne or Cleveland State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if IPFW 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.
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Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne vs. Cleveland State University comparison
Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne Cleveland State University College 3 College 4
Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne Cleveland State University
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Overview

 IPFW Cleveland State
Location Fort Wayne, IN Cleveland, OH
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 8,874 14,117
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #864 #780
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ipfw.edu csuohio.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IPFW Cleveland State
Tuition (In State) $8,049 $12,503
Tuition (Out of State) $21,015 $17,863
Room & Board $10,332 $14,760
Avg Net Price $12,619 $16,307
Avg Grant Aid $6,589 $10,148
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 88%

Admission

 IPFW Cleveland State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,466 10,274
Admitted 5,539 9,810
Acceptance Rate 85.7% 95.5%
Enrolled % 24.9% 16.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 18/25
SAT Range 960/1190 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 Aug 1, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 IPFW Cleveland State
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 IPFW Cleveland State
Graduation Rate 26% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,600 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $253 $222

Diversity

 IPFW Cleveland State
% Men 4% 15%
% Women 5% 18%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 82% 64%
% Black 5% 17%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 IPFW Cleveland State
% In-State 83% 85%
% Out-of-State 13% 7%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Cleveland State University is larger than than IPFW based on total student enrollment (14,117 students vs. 8,874 students)

IPFW vs. Cleveland State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IPFW or Cleveland State?

  • Cleveland State University is 55.3% more expensive to attend than IPFW for in-state tuition ($12,503.00 vs. $8,049.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.6% higher at IPFW than Cleveland State University ($21,015.00 vs. $17,863.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne than Cleveland State ($12,619 vs. $16,307)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne are 42.9% lower than costs at Cleveland State University ($10,332 vs. $14,760)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne than Cleveland State University (99% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cleveland State University students is 54% larger than aid received Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne ($10,148 vs. $6,589)

IPFW vs. Cleveland State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cleveland State University (1028) is 33 points higher than at IPFW (995)
  • Incoming IPFW students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Cleveland State (22)
  • Accepted freshman IPFW students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at Cleveland State (3.31)
  • Cleveland State has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than IPFW (85.7%)

IPFW vs. Cleveland State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IPFW 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 IPFW.

  • The graduation rate at Cleveland State is higher than Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne (30% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Cleveland State University earn on average $5,600 more per year than IPFW graduates after ten years. ($44,200 vs. $38,600)
  • Cleveland State University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than IPFW graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,500)
  • Cleveland State graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than IPFW graduates. ($222 vs. $253)
  • More IPFW graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleveland State students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 47%)

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