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Public 4-Year Moderately Selective Columbus, OH NCAA Division I-FBS

Ohio State University

Columbus, OH

60.6%
Acceptance Rate
$32,082/yr
Est. Cost of Attendancesum of published cost components
$17,339/yr
Avg Price After Aid
87.7%
6-yr Grad Rate
45,638
Undergrads

About Ohio State University

Ohio State University is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio, situated in a large city setting. The university serves a substantial undergraduate population of 45,638 students with a student-to-faculty ratio of 16:1.

Type
Public 4-Year
Undergrads
45,638
Avg Faculty Salary
$131,274
Athletics
NCAA Division I-FBS
Endowment
$7.9B
Pell Students
20.2%
First-Gen
26.2%
What Ohio State University Is Known For
Majors far more concentrated here than at colleges nationally
Allied Health and Medical Assisting... 484 graduates · 4.2% of degrees here vs 0.04% nationally 106×
Elementary and Middle School... 108 graduates · 0.9% of degrees here vs 0.01% nationally 97×
Experimental Psychology 683 graduates · 5.9% of degrees here vs 0.18% nationally 33×
Computer Engineering 416 graduates · 3.6% of degrees here vs 0.47% nationally
Finance 893 graduates · 7.7% of degrees here vs 2.13% nationally
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023, against the national share at the same degree level
Admissions
60.6%
Acceptance rate · Moderately Selective
70,028
Applicants
Can I Get In? →
Cost & Aid
$17,339 avg net
Average net price after aid
$4,885
Under $30K income
$7.9B
Endowment
Can I Afford It? →
Outcomes
$51,438 median
Median earnings 6 years after entering
87.7%
6-yr Grad Rate
$19,976
Median Debt
Is It Worth It? →

Ohio State University Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate
60.6%
70,028 applicants
Student:Faculty Ratio
16:1
Undergrad instruction

Ohio State University has a 60.6% acceptance rate, meaning applicants have a moderate chance of admission. This acceptance level indicates the institution admits a majority of its applicants.

How Selective Is That, Really?
Each dot is one of 100 applicants · Source: school's Common Data Set, else College Scorecard
1 in 2 applicants is admitted · 70,028 applied
10-Year Acceptance Rate Trend
10-year trend · Source: College Scorecard
10 years

SAT & ACT Score Ranges

Where Admitted Students Score
Middle 50% of enrolled students, on the full SAT scale · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS)
Fall 2023
1310–1480
40080012001600
Who Applies, and Who Gets In
First-year applicants, admits and enrollees by gender
Applied Admitted Rate Enrolled
Men 34,160 16,943 49.6% 3,809
Women 35,868 18,645 52% 4,253
SOURCEIPEDS Admissions — Fall 2023 admissions cycle
How These Admissions Numbers Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Ohio State University admits 60.6% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 83%.

Acceptance rate
This school
60.6%
Similar colleges (532)
83%
OH (81)
78.3%
Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH (20)
83%
National (1,934)
78.1%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Ohio State University Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance

Avg Net Price
$17,339
Average for all students receiving federal aid, 2023-24
Median Federal Debt
$19,976
Federal Loan Rate
28.8%
Students borrowing federal loans

Ohio State University's cost of attendance is $32,082, while the average net price students pay is $17,339, meaning the average student pays considerably less than the sticker price.

Cost of Attendance Breakdown
Estimated annual costs · on-campus, 2023-24 · Source: College Scorecard
$32,082
In-state Tuition & Fees
$13,244
41%
Room & Board
$14,738
46%
Books & Supplies
$1,030
3%
Other Expenses
$3,070
10%

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income
Average net price after all grants and scholarships · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS net price)
Under $30,000
$4,885
$30,001 – $48,000
$5,751
$48,001 – $75,000
$9,807
$75,001 – $110,000
$20,461
Over $110,000
$27,359
Full Cost of Attendance
Source: College Scorecard
2023-24

Student Loan Debt

How Many Students Borrow
Undergraduates taking on any loan
Take out a loan
86%
Federal loans
29%

Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $212.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How This Price Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

After aid, Ohio State University costs $17,339 a year — about 19% more than a typical similar college.

Cost of attendance
This school
$30,305
Similar colleges (565)
$25,083
OH (146)
$29,123
Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH (31)
$34,318
National (3,197)
$25,367
Students taking a loan
This school
85.6%
Similar colleges (583)
84.8%
OH (210)
88.6%
Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH (42)
89.5%
National (4,096)
86.4%
Median debt at graduation
This school
$19,976
Similar colleges (585)
$21,000
OH (224)
$14,302
Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH (44)
$15,542
National (4,347)
$13,097
Average net price
This school
$17,339
Similar colleges (565)
$14,600
OH (232)
$18,117
Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH (43)
$20,553
National (5,106)
$17,160

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Ohio State University Graduation Rate & Student Outcomes

6-yr Grad Rate
87.7%
Median Earnings 6yr
$51,438
6 years after entering

Ohio State University has a graduation rate of 87.7%. Six years after entry, median earnings are $51,438, rising to $60,409 ten years after entry.

Graduate Earnings After College

Median Graduate Earnings Over Time
6 and 10 years after entering · includes all students, not just graduates · Source: College Scorecard
Median Earnings by Gender · 6 Years After Entering
Students working 6 years after entering · Source: College Scorecard
$56,161
Men
$47,005
Women
Graduation Rate: Pell vs. Non-Pell
6-year graduation rate by grant status · Source: College Scorecard
80.2%
Pell recipients
85.9%
Non-Pell students

Top Majors & Programs

Top Majors by Graduates
Most recent year available · bachelor's degrees only · Source: IPEDS Completions 2023
MajorGraduates
Finance, General893
Experimental Psychology683
Marketing/Marketing Management, General537
Biology/Biological Sciences, General489
Allied Health and Medical Assisting...484
Speech Communication and Rhetoric433
Computer Engineering, General416
Accounting316
Mechanical Engineering297
Political Science and Government, General278
Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Completing within six years
Asian
92.4%
White
89%
Hispanic
82.4%
Black
81.9%
SOURCECollege Scorecard — groups with too few students to report are omitted
Earnings Further Out
The longer horizon

Median earnings eight years after entering Ohio State University are $56,186, and 72% of former students earn more than $25,000 six years after entry.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How These Outcomes Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Six years after entry, former Ohio State University students earn $51,438 — 12% more than at a typical similar college.

Median earnings, 10 years
This school
$60,409
Similar colleges (587)
$54,560
OH (234)
$41,487
Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH (43)
$45,987
National (4,696)
$40,782
Median earnings, 6 years
This school
$51,438
Similar colleges (589)
$46,058
OH (240)
$37,378
Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH (44)
$42,222
National (4,847)
$35,433
Graduation rate
This school
87.7%
Similar colleges (566)
51.7%
OH (115)
48.3%
Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH (28)
43.5%
National (2,168)
52.3%
Freshman retention
This school
94.2%
Similar colleges (567)
76%
OH (77)
73.7%
Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH (18)
75.5%
National (1,841)
75.7%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Ohio State University Campus, Athletics & Faculty

Ohio State University is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio, with an undergraduate enrollment of 45,638 students. The student body includes 50.5% women, 26.2% first-generation students, and 20.2% Pell grant recipients.

Student Demographics
Undergraduate enrollment · Source: College Scorecard / IPEDS
Race & Ethnicity
White
59.8%
Asian
10.8%
Hispanic
5.8%
Black
7.9%
Other Indicators
First-generation
26.2%
Pell grant recipients
20.2%
Women
50.5%
Ohio State University Athletics
Total Revenue
$63.1M
Total Expense
$63.1M
Athletes
1,119
579 men · 540 women
Head Coach Salaries
Men's vs Women's programs · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's sports
$1,144,731
Women's sports
$257,138

Average head coach salary by program gender.

Athletic Aid
Scholarship spending by gender · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's aid
$13,326,189
Women's aid
$11,935,256
Academic Resources
2,440
Full-time faculty
$131,274
Avg faculty salary
85,834
FT staff
$7.9B
Endowment
Faculty Salary by Gender
All instructional ranks combined · Source: IPEDS Human Resources
Men (avg)
$142,201
Women (avg)
$118,752
Overall avg
$131,274
Who Is on Campus
Beyond the undergraduate headcount
Undergraduates
45,638
Graduate students
14,628
Varsity Athletes
Play a varsity sport
2.3%

972 of 41,782 undergraduates, counting each athlete once regardless of how many sports they play.

SOURCEIPEDS enrollment; Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filings
Online & Distance Learning
How much of the teaching happens remotely
Undergrads fully online
3.4%
Undergrads taking any
70.4%
Grad students fully online
15.9%

1,568 of 45,728 undergraduates study entirely at a distance, against 2,272 of 14,318 graduate students.

SOURCEIPEDS Fall Enrollment, distance education status

Ohio State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and operates its own medical school and teaching hospital.

How This Campus Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Ohio State University spends $148,688 per student on research — about 17× a typical similar college.

Pell grant share
This school
20.2%
Similar colleges (590)
34%
OH (255)
36.9%
Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH (48)
36.5%
National (5,367)
40.1%
Research spending per student
This school
$148,688
Similar colleges (531)
$8,786
OH (107)
$6,219
Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH (22)
$6,878
National (2,823)
$5,605
Students per faculty member
This school
16:1
Similar colleges (595)
16:1
OH (260)
13:1
Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH (50)
14:1
National (5,427)
15:1

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Every Major at Ohio State University
156 fields of study, bachelor's degree level, grouped by subject area
11,620 graduates
Business and Marketing 2,396 grads · 16 majors
Finance, General 893
Marketing/Marketing Management, General 537
Accounting 316
Operations Management and Supervision 121
Management Information Systems, General 118
Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain... 81
Business/Managerial Economics 73
International Business/Trade/Commerce 51
Real Estate 48
Human Resources Management/Personnel... 47
Hotel/Motel Administration/Management 46
Actuarial Science 43
Business Administration and Management,... 12
Insurance 7
Organizational Leadership 2
Business/Commerce, General 1
Engineering 1,724 grads · 13 majors
Computer Engineering, General 416
Mechanical Engineering 297
Electrical and Electronics Engineering 244
Chemical Engineering 187
Civil Engineering, General 119
Industrial Engineering 114
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 98
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and... 95
Environmental/Environmental Health... 45
Agricultural Engineering 43
Materials Engineering 30
Engineering Physics/Applied Physics 18
Engineering, Other 18
Health Professions 1,236 grads · 13 majors
Allied Health and Medical Assisting... 484
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 243
Pharmaceutical Sciences 126
Audiology/Audiologist 106
Public Health, General 75
Medical Radiologic Technology/Science -... 43
Dental Hygiene/Hygienist 37
Environmental Health 31
Athletic Training/Trainer 26
Health Information/Medical Records... 26
Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical... 19
Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist 13
Health and Wellness, General 7
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 1,095 grads · 9 majors
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 489
Neuroscience 274
Biochemistry 114
Zoology/Animal Biology 85
Molecular Genetics 56
Microbiology, General 50
Biomedical Sciences, General 21
Entomology 3
Plant Pathology/Phytopathology 3
Social Sciences 883 grads · 10 majors
Political Science and Government, General 278
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 184
Criminology 162
International Relations and Affairs 106
Sociology, General 52
Anthropology, General 41
Social Sciences, General 33
Medical Anthropology 25
Geographic Information Science and... 1
Physical and Biological Anthropology 1
Psychology 683 grads · 1 major
Experimental Psychology 683
Communication and Journalism 500 grads · 3 majors
Speech Communication and Rhetoric 433
Journalism 52
Communication, Journalism, and Related... 15
Education 428 grads · 12 majors
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 115
Elementary and Middle School... 108
Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School... 53
English/Language Arts Teacher Education 31
Elementary Education and Teaching 29
Music Teacher Education 24
Special Education and Teaching, General 21
Agricultural Teacher Education 18
Art Teacher Education 15
Teaching English as a Second or Foreign... 8
Technical Teacher Education 4
Foreign Language Teacher Education 2
Family and Consumer Sciences 297 grads · 5 majors
Human Development and Family Studies, General 118
Apparel and Textiles, General 67
Family Resource Management Studies, General 62
Human Nutrition 47
Foodservice Systems Administration/Management 3
Agriculture 283 grads · 8 majors
Animal Sciences, General 133
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary... 48
Agricultural Economics 34
Plant Sciences, General 32
Food Science 21
Agricultural and Food Products Processing 8
Agricultural and Extension Education Services 5
Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture 2
Visual and Performing Arts 274 grads · 13 majors
Art/Art Studies, General 54
Dance, General 40
Film/Cinema/Media Studies 35
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 20
Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Other 20
Industrial and Product Design 19
Music, General 19
Interior Design 18
Design and Visual Communications, General 16
Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other 14
Art History, Criticism and Conservation 9
Music Performance, General 7
Jazz/Jazz Studies 3
Public Administration and Social Services 236 grads · 3 majors
Social Work 154
Public Administration 59
Public Policy Analysis, General 23
Mathematics and Statistics 221 grads · 4 majors
Mathematics, General 127
Statistics, General 48
Computational Mathematics 43
Applied Mathematics, Other 3
Natural Resources and Conservation 218 grads · 4 majors
Environmental Science 127
Environmental/Natural Resources... 44
Environmental/Natural Resources... 24
Natural Resources/Conservation, General 23
Parks, Recreation and Kinesiology 168 grads · 2 majors
Sport and Fitness Administration/Management 149
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical... 19
Foreign Languages and Linguistics 143 grads · 14 majors
Spanish Language and Literature 41
Linguistics 24
Japanese Language and Literature 17
Korean Language and Literature 11
French Language and Literature 10
Romance Languages, Literatures, and... 7
Chinese Language and Literature 6
Classics and Classical Languages,... 6
Arabic Language and Literature 5
Italian Language and Literature 5
German Language and Literature 4
Russian Language and Literature 4
Language Interpretation and Translation 2
Modern Greek Language and Literature 1
Physical Sciences 139 grads · 6 majors
Chemistry, General 44
Physics, General 35
Geology/Earth Science, General 24
Astronomy 20
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General 15
Planetary Astronomy and Science 1
Computer and Information Sciences 138 grads · 1 major
Computer and Information Sciences, General 138
English Language and Literature 130 grads · 1 major
English Language and Literature, General 130
History 100 grads · 1 major
History, General 100
Architecture 99 grads · 2 majors
Architectural and Building... 75
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning 24
Transportation 97 grads · 2 majors
Aviation/Airway Management and Operations 65
Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science... 32
Multidisciplinary Studies 74 grads · 5 majors
Sustainability Studies 35
Geography and Environmental Studies 30
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 7
Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity... 1
Medieval and Renaissance Studies 1
Philosophy and Religious Studies 24 grads · 4 majors
Philosophy 20
Religion/Religious Studies 2
Islamic Studies 1
Jewish/Judaic Studies 1
Area, Ethnic and Gender Studies 20 grads · 3 majors
Women's Studies 12
African-American/Black Studies 7
French Studies 1
Liberal Arts and General Studies 14 grads · 1 major
Humanities/Humanistic Studies 14
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023 — first majors only, so a student with a double major is counted once

Ohio State University Location & Campus Safety

Ohio State University is in Columbus, OH, in what IPEDS classifies as a large city setting. The campus sits about 1.5 miles from the center of Columbus. There are 14 other colleges within 25 miles, and Columbus, OH is 1.5 miles away.

Ohio State University
Large city
Campus Setting
1.5 mi
To City Center
14
Colleges Within 25 mi
906,480
Columbus Population
Living in Columbus
Cost of living and getting around, for the whole city — not the campus
ACS 2023
$1,224
Median Rent / mo
$65,327
Median Household Income
28.2%
Rent as % of Income
How People Commute
Drive alone
70.1%
Walk
2.6%
Public transit
2.1%

Franklin County scores 11.0 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — above average walkable. The index is a county-wide average of block groups, so it describes the surrounding area rather than the campus itself.

Undergraduates make up about 6.7% of Columbus's residents.

SOURCEU.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates; EPA National Walkability Index

Campus Safety at Ohio State University

Every college that receives federal financial aid must publish its crime statistics each year under the Clery Act. These are the figures Ohio State University reported for 2024.

241
On-Campus Offenses
78
In Residence Halls
3.9
Per 1,000 Students
122
Domestic, Dating & Stalking

Read these numbers carefully. A Clery figure counts reports, not incidents. A university with active reporting channels, a large campus police force and a teaching hospital will record more offenses than one where the same events go unreported — so a higher count is not evidence of a more dangerous campus, and a low count is not evidence of a safe one. In 2024, 833 campuses with more than 1,000 students reported no offenses at all. Use these figures to ask a college questions, not to rank one against another.

Reported On-Campus Offenses by Year
Criminal offenses reported on campus, including residence halls · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Clery Act disclosures
2022
256
2023
599
2024
241
What Was Reported in 2024
On-campus criminal offenses by category
Sexual offenses
120
Motor vehicle theft
69
Burglary
35
Aggravated assault
13
Arson
3
Robbery
1

Separately, Ohio State University reported 75 arrests and 751 disciplinary referrals for weapons, drug and liquor law violations on campus. Referrals for alcohol violations are usually the largest category at residential colleges and reflect how a school handles student conduct internally.

SOURCEU.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety and Security — Clery Act disclosures, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Ohio State University admissions, costs, and outcomes.