Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan · Public · 10,035 undergraduates · cmich.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
91%
of 22,287 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
970 to 1210
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$34,240Est.Estimate
$34,320 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at Central Michigan University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
91% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$34,320
a year in 2027-28, from a $34,320 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1100
Send your score
Your SAT is at or above the median of freshmen who sent scores (1100).
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Reviews applications as they arrive, so applying early helps.
Source: How to apply as an incoming freshman or transfer student · Checked October 17, 2026
Application deadlines
- Oct15Priority deadline · October 15, 2026Apply by this date for the best chance at admission and scholarships.
- Dec1Priority deadline · December 1, 2026Apply by this date for the best chance at admission and scholarships.
- Mar1Other deadline · March 1, 2027
Who gets in
91%
of applicants were admitted: 20,289 of 22,287 for fall 2025.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 52% of them sent SAT scores and 5.3% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 970 to 1210
Reading and Writing 500 to 620
Math 470 to 590
ACT composite 20 to 28
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 16003%
- 1200 to 139924%
- 1000 to 119943%
- 800 to 99928%
- 600 to 7992.4%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.48
- 4.018%
- 3.75 to 3.9920%
- 3.50 to 3.7415%
- 3.25 to 3.4915%
- 3.00 to 3.2417%
- 2.50 to 2.9912%
- Below 2.501.9%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$34,240
a year, in state
$34,320
a year, out of state (tuition $16,100)
- Tuition (in state)$16,020
- Fees$460
- Food and housing$13,250
- Books and supplies$1,360
- Transportation and other$3,150
Central Michigan University published $33,276 in state for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $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
Financial aid
71%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$14,627
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
26%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $6,303 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
35 of 35
Earn credit with a score of 3
30 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $1,600Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ART 119 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ART 119 |
| African American Studies | 3 | 3 | PSC 125 or HST 324 or HST 325 |
| African American Studies | 4 | 6 | HST 324/HST 325 |
| Art History | 3 | 3 | ART 283 |
| Biology | 3 | 3 | BIO 101 |
| Biology | 4 | 4 | BIO 112 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 4 | MTH 132 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 8 | MTH 132 and MTH 133 |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 3 | 4 | MTH 132 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 5 | CHM 120 & CHM 127 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 8 | CHM 131 & CHM 132 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | PSC 242 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 3 | CPS 180 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 3 | CPS 101 |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | ART 106 |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENG 101 |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENG 134 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 3 | ENS Credit |
| Environmental Science | 5 | 3 | ENS 101QR |
| European History | 3 | 3 | HST 101 or HST 102 |
| European History | 4 | 6 | HST 101 and HST 102 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | FRN 102 and FRN 201 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | FRN 102 and FRN 201 |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 11 | FRN 102, FRN 201, FRN 202 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | GER 102, 201 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | GER 201 and 202 |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 11 | GER 201, 202 and GER 311 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | GEO 121 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | JPN 101 and JPN 102 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | JPN 102 and JPN 201 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 5 | 12 | JPN 102, JPN 201 & JPN 202 |
| Latin | 3 | 8 | LAT 101, LAT 102 |
| Latin | 4 | 8 | LAT 102, LAT 201 |
| Latin | 5 | 8 | LAT 201, LAT 202 |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 3 | ECO 201 |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 3 | ECO 202 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 5 | PHY 130QR & PHY 170 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 5 | PHY 131 & PHY 171 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 4 | PHY 146 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 4 | PHY 145QR |
| Pre-Calculus | 4 | 4 | MTH 130 |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSY 100 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | SPN 102 and SPN 201 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | SPN 201 and 202 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 11 | SPN 201, 202 and SPN 341 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | STA 282QR |
| Statistics | 4 | 3 | STA 382QR |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | PSC 105 |
| United States History | 3 | 3 | HST 111 or 112 |
| United States History | 4 | 6 | HST 111 and HST 112 |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | HST 201 or 202 |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 6 | HST 201 and HST 202 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
59%
Come back for a second year
75%
Typical earnings
$59,879
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Central Michigan University$79,798
- All colleges$71,390
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 55 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Central Michigan University. The Central Michigan University logo is a trademark of the college.