
Central Michigan University
Median Salary (5 years)
Bachelor's
$60,231
Master's
$77,923
Doctoral
$80,807
Central Michigan University (CMU), founded in 1892, is a public university that offers 43 online degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels.
CMU lets online students complete rigorous coursework at their own pace. The university offers online student resources like academic advising, student disability services, an online learning resource center, tutoring, helpdesk, a writing center, and a veterans’ resource center.
Rankings
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#1
2025 Best Online Substance Abuse Counseling Degrees in Michigan
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#3
2025 Most Popular Online Psychology Degrees in Michigan
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#4
2025 Most Affordable Online Schools for Fashion Degrees
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#5
Most Popular Online Fashion Degrees 2025
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#6
2025 Most Popular Online Business Degrees in Michigan
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#6
Most Popular Online Doctorates in Healthcare Administration 2025
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#20
2025 Most Affordable Online Public Administration Degrees
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#4
2025 Best Online Political Science Degrees
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#7
2025 Best Online Master's Degrees in Substance Abuse Counseling
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#7
2025 Best Online Master's Degree in Counseling
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#8
Best Online MBA Programs in Michigan
Median Salary for Online Degrees at Central Michigan University
Bachelor's Degrees
Field of Study | Median Salary (1 year) | Median Salary (5 years) |
---|---|---|
Business Administration, Management and Operations | $53,605 | $74,894 |
Communication and Media Studies | $31,913 | $59,377 |
Community Organization and Advocacy | $49,103 | $58,717 |
Design and Applied Arts | $36,917 | $56,215 |
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $17,962 | $37,001 |
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | $42,908 | $53,580 |
Health and Physical Education/Fitness | $32,850 | $56,525 |
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $35,318 | $46,739 |
Human Resources Management and Services | $50,612 | $67,510 |
Political Science and Government | $36,006 | $59,821 |
Psychology, General | $31,166 | $52,674 |
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $29,205 | $45,968 |
Special Education and Teaching | $46,522 | $50,739 |
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations | $29,203 | $50,960 |
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $45,225 | $46,356 |
Master's Degrees
Field of Study | Median Salary (1 year) | Median Salary (5 years) |
---|---|---|
Business Administration, Management and Operations | $77,865 | $86,584 |
Curriculum and Instruction | $57,102 | $58,580 |
Educational Administration and Supervision | $62,488 | $71,900 |
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | $63,726 | $65,031 |
Health and Medical Administrative Services | $69,952 | $77,703 |
Health and Physical Education/Fitness | $40,970 | $65,370 |
Human Resources Management and Services | $67,642 | $75,671 |
Management Information Systems and Services | $98,460 | $107,405 |
Public Administration | $67,233 | $71,977 |
Student Counseling and Personnel Services | $50,186 | $61,318 |
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $60,340 | $67,581 |
Doctoral Degrees
Field of Study | Median Salary (1 year) | Median Salary (5 years) |
---|---|---|
Educational Administration and Supervision | $91,281 | $83,358 |
FAQs About Central Michigan University
Is Central Michigan Online?
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 ().
Is Central Michigan a Good School?
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, 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.
What Is Central Michigan Known For?
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 UUÖ±²¥s in Michigan
- Best Master’s Programs in Engineering Management
- Best Online Human Services Degrees
Veteran-friendly
CMU values its 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.
Which Degree at Central Michigan Provides the Highest Earnings for Graduates?
At CMU, several provide the :
(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.
Is Getting Into Central Michigan Difficult?
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.
What GPA Do You Need To Get Into Central Michigan?
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.
What Are the Admission Requirements for Central Michigan?
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 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 .
- 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.