Central Michigan University

With over 200 academic programs, over 40 are offered through CMU’s online school. While some degree programs are delivered fully online, others are delivered in a hybrid format, requiring some in-person classes or activities. Regarding distance learning, 12% of undergraduate and 44% of graduate students are solely enrolled in online courses, according to federal data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). 

Many consider CMU a good school as it has received a lot of recognition, ranking in many categories. According to its website, CMU has been recognized for its online education, adult learner degrees, being outcomes-focused, and much more. 

In addition, CMU is also accredited. CMU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Traditional and online schools can receive accreditation from nationally recognized accrediting agencies if they deliver high quality higher education to their students. Accreditation is designed to prove whether an institution holds legitimacy, as it shows if a school can provide graduates with a degree employers will respect. 

At OnlineU, we only include accredited online colleges and universities on our site. 

Pioneers of online education

CMU has been delivering online education for over 20 years. Prospective online students can expect to receive the same intensive and engaging courses as their more traditional, on-campus peers. 

High rankings 

CMU ranks for the following across our site: 

• Most Affordable Online Schools for Fashion Degrees
• Best Online Colleges in Michigan
• Best Master’s Programs in Engineering Management
• Best Online Human Services Degrees 

Veteran-friendly 

CMU values its military and veteran students and has ensured they receive quality online education and resources to succeed academically. CMU has been ranked as a Gold Level Veteran Friendly School by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency for seven years straight. 

At CMU, several online undergraduate degrees provide the highest earnings for graduates: 

(1) Computer science at $89,000

(2) Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering at $88,300

(3) Management information systems and services at $82,800

(4) Computer and information sciences at $82,500

Alternatively, it may be helpful to check out OnlineU’s proprietary Salary Score, which ranks colleges by how much their alums earn compared to graduates across the country with the same degree. On a scale from 0 to 100, CMU scores 55 for bachelor’s degrees, 44 for master's degrees, and 34 for doctorates. 

The acceptance rate at CMU is 77%. This rate indicates that about every three out of four students are accepted into the university. With this in mind, with a strong application, it’s not too difficult for students to be admitted into CMU. 

CMU considers admission test scores (SAT/ACT), but prospective students are not required to submit them when applying. 

There are no specific GPA requirements for CMU’s online degree programs. However, for their incoming first-year class, students had an average high school GPA of 3.5 and an average SAT score of 1095. This means that some students were admitted with higher and lower scores than the average. 

To be considered for admission at CMU, prospective students must apply online. Below is a checklist for applying to CMU as an online undergraduate student:

• Check CMU’s admissions criteria.
• Submit an online application through CMU or the Common App. 
• Pay a $40 application fee. (Some applicants are eligible for fee waivers.)
• Submit official or unofficial transcripts.
• It's optional to send test scores.

Here’s the admissions checklist for online graduate students:

• Complete CMU’s online application.
• Submit transcripts or proof of a bachelor's degree.
• Send in entrance exams—like the GRE, GMAT, and MAT.
• Submit additional materials that may be required for certain degree programs.
• Pay a $55 nonrefundable graduate application fee.