Central State University

Wilberforce, Ohio · Public · 4-year · Rural

At a glance

Average net price: $13,096What students typically pay per year after grants and scholarships.
Acceptance rate: 99%
Graduation rate: 24%Share of students who finish within 150% of the normal time.
Undergraduates: 2,620
In-state tuition: $8,058Published price before aid.
Out-of-state tuition: $10,058
SAT midpoint: 860
Median earnings, 10 yrs: $33,267Median earnings of former students ten years after they first enrolled.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Data year: 2022-23 academic year. Updated September 2026. Figures are averages across all students and will differ from what any individual pays.

How it compares to similar colleges

Each rating covers one measure against public 4-year colleges nationally. Five stars means the top fifth on that measure. There is no overall score, because which of these matters is your call.

Affordability

$13,096

4/5

Better than 64% of public 4-year colleges (565 compared).

Completion

24%

1/5

Better than 5% of public 4-year colleges (566 compared).

Earnings

$33,267

1/5

Better than 2% of public 4-year colleges (590 compared).

Debt at graduation

$30,739

1/5

Better than 1% of public 4-year colleges (588 compared).

What these ratings are based on

Affordability: Based on average net price: what students receiving federal aid actually paid, after grants and scholarships. Your own cost depends on your family's finances.
Completion: Based on the share of first-time, full-time students who graduate within 150% of normal time. It excludes transfer and part-time students, which understates colleges serving many of them.
Earnings: Based on median earnings ten years after students first enrolled. It reflects the subjects a college teaches and the region it sits in as much as its teaching.
Debt at graduation: Based on median federal loan debt among students who completed. Private and parent loans are not included, so real totals are often higher.
Why there is no rating for selectivity: A lower acceptance rate is selectivity, not quality. Awarding stars for it would be us inventing a value judgement and hiding it behind a number.

What it actually costs

Published cost

$21,929

The sticker price: tuition, fees, housing, food and books for one academic year, before any aid.

Average net price

$13,096

What students receiving federal aid actually paid on average, after grants and scholarships. This is the more useful number, though your own figure depends on your family’s finances.

What would this cost me?

Use this college’s official net price calculator

Outcomes

Graduation, retention, debt and earnings for Central State University
Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time	24%
Retention rateFirst-year students who return	56%
Median debt at graduationFederal loans only, students who completed	$30,739
Median earnings, 10 years after entryFormer students, working and not enrolled	$33,267

What graduates of each major earn

Median earnings one year after finishing, for people who took that subject here. This is the figure a college-wide median hides: the spread between subjects at one college is usually far wider than the spread between colleges.

Bachelor’s programs at Central State University by graduate earnings
Major	Earnings, 1 yr	Degrees awarded
Criminal Justice and Corrections	$32,631	288
Business/Commerce, General	$29,472	358
Journalism	$28,306	12
Biology, General	$28,264	19
Psychology, General	$18,266	18
Education, General	Not reported	147
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General	Not reported	60
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods	Not reported	48
Social Work	Not reported	27
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness	Not reported	12
Special Education and Teaching	Not reported	11
Computer Science	Not reported	6
Fine and Studio Arts	Not reported	5
Music	Not reported	5
Political Science and Government	Not reported	5
Chemistry	Not reported	5
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering	Not reported	5
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians	Not reported	3
Agricultural Production Operations	Not reported	3
Manufacturing Engineering	Not reported	3
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	Not reported	2
English Language and Literature, General	Not reported	2
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies	Not reported	2
Accounting and Related Services	Not reported	2
Mathematics	Not reported	Not reported
History	Not reported	Not reported
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other	Not reported	Not reported
Civil Engineering	Not reported	Not reported
Sociology	Not reported	Not reported

All 29 bachelor’s programs this college reported.

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