51%
Graduation Rate
27%
Transfer-out Rate
70%
Retention Rate
[updated for 2024-2025 graduation data]
At Cleveland State University, the graduation rate is 51 % within 150% normal time, the retention rate is 70 %, and the transfer-out rate is 27 %, as of August 31, 2025.
Its graduation rate is around the average rate when comparing similar colleges' rate of 56.21% (public Research University with high research activity).
Graduation Rates in Reasonable Completion Time
For the academic year 2024-2025, 984 students out of 1,946 candidates have completed their courses within 150% normal time (i.e. in 6 years for 4-year BS degree) at Cleveland State University.
By gender, 430 male and 554 female students graduated the school last year completing their jobs in the period.
| Candidates | Completers | Graduation Rates |
| Total | 1,946 | 984 | 50.57% |
| Men | 895 | 430 | 48.04% |
| Women | 1,051 | 554 | 52.71% |
Graduation Rate By Race/Ethnicity
The following table shows graduation rate by race and at Cleveland State University.
- American Indian or Alaska Native: 20.00%
- Asian: 58.82%
- Black (Non-Hispanic): 30.77%
- Hispanic: 39.26%
- White: 57.26%
- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 50.00%
- Two or More Race: 42.48%
- Unknown: 55.00%
Graduation Rate by Gender
| Total | Male | Female |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 20.00%(1/5) |
50.00%(1/2) |
- |
|---|
| Asian | 58.82%(40/68) |
57.58%(19/33) |
60.00%(21/35) |
|---|
| Black (Non-Hispanic) | 30.77%(72/234) |
33.33%(30/90) |
29.17%(42/144) |
|---|
| Hispanic | 39.26%(64/163) |
39.71%(27/68) |
38.95%(37/95) |
|---|
| White | 57.26%(710/1,240) |
53.52%(304/568) |
60.42%(406/672) |
|---|
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 50.00%(1/2) |
100.00%(1/1) |
- |
|---|
| Two or More Race | 42.48%(48/113) |
43.24%(16/37) |
42.11%(32/76) |
|---|
| Unknown | 55.00%(11/20) |
60.00%(6/10) |
50.00%(5/10) |
|---|
Transfer-out and Retention Rates
At Cleveland State, the transfer-out rate is 27.24%. Its transfer-out rate is much higher than the average rate when comparing similar colleges' rate of 18.69%.
Cleveland State's retention rate is 70% for full-time students and 38 % for part-time students last year. Its retention rate is around the average rate when comparing similar colleges' rate of 77.30%.
Non-Resident Alien Graduation Rate
A non-resident alien student is not a US citizen/green card holder and studies with a student visa, such as an F visa, in the United States. At Cleveland State University, 37 of 101 non-resident alien students completed their studies and the graduation rate was 36.63%.