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Central Michigan University

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI · Town · 10,035 students
Website Common App Scorecard
Application deadlines: Check the admissions site
$17,597
Average net priceYour net price
In-state
<30
30–48
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
60%
Graduation rate
70% typical
$55,874
Earnings 10 years on
$63,395 typical
90%
Acceptance rate
73% typical · not scored
Accredited by Higher Learning Commission
About

Located in Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a comprehensive public institution celebrated for its strong academic foundations in teacher education, business administration, broadcast journalism, and the health professions. The university distinguishes itself through its College of Medicine, which specifically prepares physicians to serve rural and underserved communities, as well as unique experiential learning facilities like the CMU Biological Station on Beaver Island in Lake Michigan. Campus culture revolves around a welcoming, tight-knit Midwestern college-town atmosphere energized by hundreds of student organizations, Division I athletics, and the university's defining "Fire Up Chips" school spirit.

Wikipedia:Central Michigan University is a public research university in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States. It was established in 1892 as a private normal school and became a state institution in 1895. CMU is one of the eight research universities in Michigan and is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". It has more than 14,000 students on its Mount Pleasant campus. CMU offers 200 academic programs at the undergraduate, master's, specialist, and doctoral levels. The Central Michigan Chippewas compete in the NCAA Division I Mid-American Conference in six men's and ten women's sports.

Location
Mount Pleasant, MI, 48859 · Town campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
DTW · Detroit
119 mi away
Open in Google Maps
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
These figures are federal data and may be out of date.
In-stateOut-of-state
Tuition & fees$14,760$14,760
Housing & food (on campus)$12,564$12,564
Books & supplies$1,250$1,250
Cost of attendance$30,681$30,681 est.
Average net price$17,597Not published
Out-of-state prices
Tuition & fees$14,760
Housing & food (on campus)$12,564
Books & supplies$1,250
Cost of attendance$30,681 est.
Average net priceNot published
In-state: $17,597
est. = the in-state cost of attendance with out-of-state tuition swapped in; no out-of-state figure is published.
Net price by family income · in-state students
$0–30k
$12,185
$30–48k
$12,139
$48–75k
$13,601
$75–110k
$16,269
$110k+
$21,403
Grants from the school
93% of first-years get a grant from the school, averaging $8,278
Source: College Navigator (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS)
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
60%
Within 4 yrs
40%
Back for yr 2
75%
Transferred
0%
Pell students: 47.7% · others: 64.8% 
8 yrs after starting
63% graduated · 26% transferred · 1% still enrolled · 10% left or unknown
Earnings
6 yrs after entry$46,567
10 yrs after entry$55,874
Debt
Median at graduation$27,000
Monthly payment$286
Middle 50% owe$9.3k–$31k
90th percentile$40,188
Admissions
Getting in
Admit rate
90%
Test policy
Test optional
SAT average
1091
R 490–610 · M 470–590
ACT midpoint
23
Comp 21–27 · E 20–27 · M 19–27
SAT middle 50%: 960–1200
40080012001600
Admitted students
Admit rate: men 89.0% · women 90.3% 
Yield: 11.3% of admitted students enroll 

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Essay prompts

If Central Michigan University asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body
Gender
Men 38%Women 62%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
16 : 1
Pell grant
31%
First-gen
29%
Family income
$57,838
Independent
15%
Veterans
0%
Age at entry
21.0
Part-time
14%
Where first-years come from
In state (MI)
87.9%
Out of state
9.4%
International
2.7%

Most out-of-state first-years from: IL 62 · OH 40 · IN 21 · TX 14 · FL 9

Race & ethnicity
White
76%
Hispanic
6%
Black
8%
Asian
1%
Two or more
4%
Non-resident
3%
AI/AN
1%
Unknown
1%
Varsity sports
NCAA Division I-FBS
  • Baseball
    Men's
  • Basketball
    Men's · Women's
  • Cross Country
    Men's
  • Field Hockey
    Women's
  • Football
    Men's
  • Golf
    Men's · Women's
  • Gymnastics
    Women's
  • Lacrosse
    Women's
  • Soccer
    Women's
  • Softball
    Women's
  • Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
    Women's
  • Volleyball
    Women's
  • Wrestling
    Men's
Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings, all programs
After 6 yrs
$46,567
After 10 yrs
$55,874
Psychology, General215
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness189
Business Administration, Management and Operations188
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas181
Community Organization and Advocacy107
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services86
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences84
Marketing80
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication65
Finance and Financial Management Services64
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology61
Computer Science59
Design and Applied Arts56
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services55
Political Science and Government54
Social Work52
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$265M
Full-time faculty
75%
Faculty salary
$10,682/mo
Teaching spend
$8,718
per student
Federal loans
69%
Classification
Carnegie type
Doctoral University
Research activity
R2 — high research
$27M research spending · 79 research doctorates a year
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, selective admissions

Wondering if Central Michigan University is the right fit for you?

omhu builds a personalized college list — reach, match, and safety schools — tailored to your profile, grades, and goals. Get financial aid estimates, scholarship guidance, and deep dives on every school.

Personalized reach / match / safety list
Financial aid & net cost estimates
Deep dives on any school
Scholarship search