Cleary University
Howell, MI · Private · Midsize suburb · Cleary College
Private institution in Howell, MI · 774 undergraduates · 50% acceptance rate · $54,186 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 16%Acceptance rate
- Top 18%Median earnings, 6 years after entry
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $21,0191,174th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $24,8421,217th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $24,8421,060th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $39,1101,191st cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $19,500570th lowest of 1,865 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $54,186838th highest of 1,954 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $55,077343rd highest of 1,950 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 39.4%1,523rd highest of 2,014 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 63.6%1,488th highest of 1,837 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 49.8%262nd most selective of 1,596 reporting
- Average SAT
- —
- Median ACT
- 19865th highest of 952 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 7741,512th largest of 2,144 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 21.0:11,930th smallest of 2,141 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 27.4%1,336th highest of 2,122 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 37 mi (DTW)
On 1 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 18 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business/Commerce, GeneralBusiness | bachelors | $52,107 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness | bachelors | $50,439 | $66,653 |
| Human Resources Management and ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $44,971 | — |
| Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness | bachelors | — | — |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, OtherBusiness | bachelors | — | — |
| Business/Corporate CommunicationsBusiness | bachelors | — | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementComputer Science | bachelors | — | — |
| Criminal Justice and CorrectionsHomeland Security & Law Enforcement | bachelors | — | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business OperationsBusiness | bachelors | — | — |
| Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusiness | bachelors | — | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative ServicesHealth Professions | bachelors | — | — |
| Hospitality Administration/ManagementBusiness | bachelors | — | — |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1883source
- School colors: #A51E36 and #0E274Asource
- Athletic nickname: "Cougars"source
- Mascot: Clancy The Cougarsource
- Formerly known as "Cleary School of Penmanship" (1883–1891)source
- Formerly known as "Cleary Business College" (1891–1933)source
- Athletic conference: NAIAsource
- Notable alum: Winsor McCaysource
Athletics — 12 sports
NAIA Division I · NAIA
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $2,359,651 (M $1,688,729 · W $670,922)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Bowling
- Cross Country
- Golf
- Ice Hockey
- Other Sports
- Soccer
- Softball
- Track and Field (Indoor)
- Track and Field (Outdoor)
- Wrestling
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Similar-size colleges
Nearest undergraduate enrollment to Cleary University’s 774 (College Scorecard UGDS, compiled 2026-10-24). Size only — not a judgment of similarity or quality.
In MI
- Rochester UniversityRochester Hills, MI · 827 undergrads
- Alpena Community CollegeAlpena, MI · 715 undergrads
- Grace Christian UniversityWyoming, MI · 707 undergrads
- The University of OlivetOlivet, MI · 918 undergrads
- Spring Arbor UniversitySpring Arbor, MI · 990 undergrads
- Walsh CollegeTroy, MI · 535 undergrads
Elsewhere
- Maharishi International UniversityFairfield, IA · 774 undergrads
- Thiel CollegeGreenville, PA · 773 undergrads
- Laguna College of Art and DesignLaguna Beach, CA · 776 undergrads
- Malone UniversityCanton, OH · 777 undergrads
- Southern Wesleyan UniversityCentral, SC · 771 undergrads
- Colby-Sawyer CollegeNew London, NH · 778 undergrads
Key links
- Official websitecleary.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 169327)
- Compare colleges in MIRe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in MichiganEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Compare with Rochester UniversitySide by side on every Scorecard measure — closest in-state school by enrollment
- Showdown: Cleary University vs Rochester UniversityHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 12 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.