Public Graduate Good 70/100

Central Connecticut State University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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New Britain, Connecticut

About Central Connecticut State University

Thinking about Central Connecticut State University, a college in Connecticut where more students graduate in Business than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Central Connecticut State University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in New Britain, Connecticut. It enrolls 7,822 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
73.3%
Graduation
58.8%
Net Price
$16,857
Median Earnings (10yr)
$58,562
Enrollment
7,822
Student : Faculty
14:1

Accreditor New England Commission on Higher Education
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Good
70/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 42
Value 74
Affordability 65
Selectivity 44

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Central Connecticut State University admits 73.3% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.

Acceptance Rate
73.3%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
960 – 1190
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test Policy Not Considered Standardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Central Connecticut State University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Becoming less selective ↑ 9.9 pts since 2019
65.6%201964.8%202074.8%202176.7%202275.5%2023

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $16,857 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$16,857
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
38%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
49%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$13,050
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$16,550
Room & Board (on-campus)
$13,086
Room & Board (off-campus)
$13,086
Books & Supplies
$1,600
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,256
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$2,256
Total Cost of Attendance
$24,870

Application fee: $50 (one-time, due at submission)


Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $13,589
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $13,636
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $15,091
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $18,336
  • Over $110,000
    $21,562

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$3,641
10% percentile
$6,500
25% percentile
$22,300
Median percentile
$27,000
75% percentile
$34,800
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $18,500 ↓ $3,800
No Pell $14,000 ↓ $8,300
Dependent students $16,000 ↓ $6,300
Independent students $18,748 ↓ $3,552
Female students $17,000 ↓ $5,300
Male students $16,445 ↓ $5,855
Pell recipients: 18.4% (4,097 students)No Pell: 13.9% (3,101 students)Dependent students: 15.9% (3,543 students)Independent students: 18.6% (4,152 students)Female students: 16.9% (3,765 students)Male students: 16.3% (3,642 students)Overall Median$22,300
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $10,804, less than completers ($22,300), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

59% of students who start here finish within six years, and 78% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
59%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
78%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $58,562 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$58,562
Earning > $25K
80%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$48,000$51,000$54,000$57,000$60,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$45,000

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$58,600

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$48,600

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$51,200

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$53,600

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $13,600, about 23% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 11.9 pts across 6 years
69.2%1yr72.7%3yr80.1%5yr81.1%7yr
What this signals: Strong. 81% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 7,822 students, a large student community. Worth knowing: 39% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled
7,822
Part-Time
16%
First-Generation
39%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 52.1% 4,073
Hispanic 21.1% 1,653
Black 14.7% 1,153
Asian 5.0% 390
Other 3.0% 236
International 1.9% 145
White: 52.1% (4,073 students)Hispanic: 21.1% (1,653 students)Black: 14.7% (1,153 students)Asian: 5.0% (390 students)Other: 3.0% (236 students)International: 1.9% (145 students)Total7,822

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Central Connecticut State University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Large Suburb New Britain, Connecticut
Housing
Partly residential 2,364 beds available
Adult Learners
17% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Education graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Central Connecticut State University offers an extensive catalog of programs: 96 distinct programs across 23 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

12 Programs
8 Programs
4 Programs
4 Programs
7 Programs
4 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 14 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$17,209
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$93M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$95,320
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

409 instructional faculty across 4 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Full Professors 170 42% $114,081
Associate Professors 131 32% $91,342
Assistant Professors 104 25% $71,077
Instructors 4 1% $58,513

Pros & Cons of Central Connecticut State University

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Central Connecticut State University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Below-average net price
  • Reasonable class sizes
  • Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
  • Modest first-year retention

Frequently Asked Questions about Central Connecticut State University

The questions families ask most about Central Connecticut State University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Central Connecticut State University hard to get into?
Admissions at Central Connecticut State University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 73.3%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Central Connecticut State University?
73.3% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Central Connecticut State University?
Aim for 1190 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 960 and 1190 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Central Connecticut State University cost?
Budget around $16,857 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Central Connecticut State University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $58,562 a year against a net price of $16,857, about 3.5 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Central Connecticut State University known for?
Mostly Psychology, Criminology, Business Administration. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Central Connecticut State University graduates earn?
About $58,562 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Central Connecticut State University accredited?
Yes. Central Connecticut State University is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Central Connecticut State University?
7,822 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Central Connecticut State University?
59% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Central Connecticut State University a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Central Connecticut State University located?
Central Connecticut State University is located in New Britain, Connecticut.
What programs does Central Connecticut State University offer?
96 different programs, most commonly Psychology, Criminology, Business Administration. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Central Connecticut State University?
14 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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