Central Michigan acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Central Michigan University · Public · Mount Pleasant, MI · 10,055 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Central Michigan admitted 91.0% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 63.0% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $15,420 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 63.0% | 19,262 | 12,143 |
| 2014 | 69.3% | 18,320 | 12,691 |
| 2015 | 68.7% | 18,575 | 12,770 |
| 2016 | 71.6% | 19,160 | 13,711 |
| 2017 | 67.8% | 19,021 | 12,887 |
| 2018 | 68.8% | 17,858 | 12,293 |
| 2019 | 69.5% | 16,411 | 11,408 |
| 2020 | 68.7% | 19,396 | 13,320 |
| 2021 | 77.1% | 18,517 | 14,273 |
| 2022 | 78.9% | 19,888 | 15,701 |
| 2023 | 91.0% | 18,102 | 16,474 |
Applications went from 19,262 in fall 2013 to 18,102 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $12,792 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $12,229 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $13,598 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $16,645 |
| Over $110,000 | $22,913 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $15,420 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $31,335 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $17,201 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 60% submitted the SAT, 6% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| GVSU MI | 94.7% | $15,872 in-state |
| Western Michigan MI | 84.7% | $15,954 in-state |
| Michigan State MI | 83.9% | $17,256 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
At Central Michigan, 16,474 of the 18,102 fall 2023 applicants were admitted, which is a 91.0% rate.1 The 2013 rate was 63.0%, so the latest figure sits 28.0 percentage points higher.1 In only 3 of the 10 year-to-year steps did the rate fall.1 Here applications and admissions moved apart: applications slipped 6%, from 19,262 to 18,102, while admitted students grew 36%.1
The policy is test-optional, and SAT scores came from 60% of enrolled students and ACT scores from 6%.1 Among students who sent scores, the typical range was 490 to 620 in SAT reading and writing and 470 to 590 in math, while ACT composites ran from 21 to 27.1
Tuition and fees are $15,420 for 2025-26, with the same price for residents and nonresidents, which is below the $15,872 median of the 15 public bachelor's colleges in Michigan.2 The 2024-25 average net price was $12,792 for families earning $0 to $30,000, higher than the $8,828 state median for public colleges in that band.2 For families earning over $110,000 the figure climbed to $22,913.2
A graduation rate of 59% within 6 years for 2019 entrants matches the 59% median across 42 Michigan colleges, and retention was 75% for the fall 2023 class.2 Former students had median earnings of $59,879 in 2022-23, against a typical federal loan debt of $25,000 for graduates.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 18,102 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 16,474 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 2,044 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 10,055 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 490 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 620 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 470 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 590 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 21 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 27 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 60% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 6% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $15,420 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $31,335 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $17,201 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $12,792 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $12,229 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $13,598 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $16,645 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $22,913 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 59% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 75% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 36% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $59,879 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $25,000 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, Michigan (N = 15) | $15,872 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median net price, income $0 to $30,000, public colleges, Michigan (N = 14) | $8,828 | College Scorecard, median NPT41_PUB, public bachelor's institutions, 2024-252 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Michigan (N = 42) | 59% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Central Michigan, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page