Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI
106 Warriner Hall, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859
989-774-4000

Central Michigan University (CMU) is a public research university in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Established in 1892, CMU is one of the largest universities in the state of Michigan and one of the nation’s 100 largest public universities. The university has more than 20,000 students on its Mount Pleasant campus and over 7,000 students enrolled online at more than 60 locations worldwide. CMU offers more than 200 programs of study, including bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, as well as post-graduate certificates. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies CMU as a research university with "high research activity." CMU has been ranked as the 28th best public university in the United States and the 74th best value for in-state students. The university's athletic teams compete in Division I of the NCAA and are known as the Chippewas. They are members of the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

Central Michigan University was founded in 1892 as the Central Michigan Normal School and Business Institute, the first normal school in the state of Michigan. The school was created to train teachers for the state’s public schools. The first classes were held in October 1892 with an enrollment of just over 100 students. The school was renamed Central Michigan College in 1899 and Central Michigan University in 1959. The school’s first four-year degree was awarded in 1925.

The university is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, a city of about 26,000 people located in the central part of the state, about midway between Detroit and Lansing. The campus is about 2.5 miles from downtown Mount Pleasant. The university owns and operates an airport, which is located just off campus.

CMU is a comprehensive university with more than 200 programs of study at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. The university offers bachelor’s degrees in more than 70 majors, master’s degrees in more than 30 fields, and doctoral degrees in 14 different disciplines.

The university has a strong commitment to research and offers many opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to get involved in research projects. CMU is classified as a research university with "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university’s research expenditures totaled $128 million in 2017.

CMU has a diverse student body with students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. The university has more than 20,000 students enrolled on its Mount Pleasant campus, including about 7,000 graduate and professional students. CMU also has a significant number of students enrolled online at more than 60 locations worldwide.

The university’s athletic teams compete in Division I of the NCAA and are known as the Chippewas. They are members of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). CMU has won numerous MAC championships in various sports.

CMU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The university’s business, education, engineering, and music programs are all accredited by specialized accrediting agencies.

Central Michigan University is a comprehensive research university that offers a wide range of academic programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. The university has a strong commitment to research and offers many opportunities for students to get involved in research projects. CMU has a diverse student body with students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. The university’s athletic teams compete in Division I of the NCAA and are members of the Mid-American Conference (MAC).



Quick Facts

Enrollment: 17311

Acceptance Rate: 68.67%

Type: Public, 4-year or above

Main Website: https://www.cmich.edu/

Financial Aid: https://www.cmich.edu/ess/OSFA

Annual Costs

Total Cost In-State On-Campus: $26202

Total Cost Out-State On-Campus: $36787

Return on Investment Rating

rating stars

The estimated cost for four years as an undergraduate at Central Michigan University is $102891.12. This includes the average cost of attendance for four years plus the interest on the average loan over a ten year repayment minus the average of grants and scholarships per student.

We then contrast this figure with average early-career and mid-career average incomes of graduates of four year programs at Central Michigan University. For graduates of Central Michigan University, we saw an average early-career income of $51900.00 and mid-career income of $87600.00. We then ranked the school's value based on how many years of mid-career income it takes to repay the educational costs.