Cleveland State Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Cleveland, Tennessee. It enrolls 1,975 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
62/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes23
Value74
Affordability51
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Cleveland State Community College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Cleveland State Community College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $6,384 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$6,384
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
27%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
6%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$4,762
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$17,746
Room & Board (off-campus)
$14,537
Books & Supplies
$1,807
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,688
Total Cost of Attendance
$14,834
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$5,538
$30,001 – $48,000
$5,872
$48,001 – $75,000
$7,356
$75,001 – $110,000
$9,083
Over $110,000
$11,664
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,75010%percentile
$2,82125%percentile
$7,954Medianpercentile
$11,53275%percentile
$20,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $5,547
↓ $2,407
No Pell $3,838
↓ $4,116
Dependent students $4,250
↓ $3,704
Independent students $8,499
↑ $545
Female students $5,512
↓ $2,442
Male students $4,600
↓ $3,354
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $4,876, less than completers ($7,954), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
27% of full-time students who enrolled at Cleveland State Community College graduate within six years, and 53% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
27%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
53%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Cleveland State Community College earn a median of $36,671 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$36,671
Earning > $25K
61%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$28,300
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$39,200
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$29,300
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$33,000
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$42,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $10,900, about 28% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
21.1 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 69% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Cleveland State Community College is home to 1,975 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 51% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
1,975
Part-Time
31%
First-Generation
51%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 75.2%1,486
Hispanic 11.1%219
Black 7.8%154
Other 2.6%51
Asian 1.0%19
International 0.3%6
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Cleveland State Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityCleveland, Tennessee
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
17%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Cleveland State Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
17 distinct programs across
7 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Cleveland State Community College is 19:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
19:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,661
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$5.3M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$62,134
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
67 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
8
12%
$71,195
Associate Professors
32
48%
$64,510
Assistant Professors
21
31%
$57,988
Instructors
6
9%
$51,896
Pros & Cons of Cleveland State Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Cleveland State Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Class sizes are on the higher side
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Best for:
Based on the data, Cleveland State Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cleveland State Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Cleveland State Community College.
Is Cleveland State Community College hard to get into?
Cleveland State Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Cleveland State Community College?
Cleveland State Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Cleveland State Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Cleveland State Community College is $6,384 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Cleveland State Community College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $36,671 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $6,384 per year. That's roughly 5.7x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Cleveland State Community College known for?
Cleveland State Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Cleveland State Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Cleveland State Community College are $36,671, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Cleveland State Community College accredited?
Yes. Cleveland State Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Cleveland State Community College?
Cleveland State Community College enrolls 1,975 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Cleveland State Community College?
Cleveland State Community College graduates 27% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Cleveland State Community College a public or private college?
Cleveland State Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Cleveland State Community College located?
Cleveland State Community College is located in Cleveland, Tennessee.
What programs does Cleveland State Community College offer?
Cleveland State Community College offers 17 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts, Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Cleveland State Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Cleveland State Community College is 19:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Tennessee
Other colleges in Tennessee share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
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