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The Ohio State University

Columbus, Ohio · Public, a large city · 45,638 undergraduates

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Is it hard to get into Ohio State?

The middle half of admitted students scored in these ranges: a quarter scored lower, a quarter higher. Fall 2024 admissions, from the College Scorecard.

Acceptance rate
60.6%
70,028 applied
SAT, middle half
1310 to 1480
Reading plus math, out of 1600
ACT, middle half
28 to 32
Composite, out of 36
Test scores this year
Required
23% of admitted students enrolled
What they look at
  • High school GPARequired
  • Class rankRequired
  • Courses takenRequired
  • College-prep programRequired
  • RecommendationsConsidered
  • EssayRequired

How much does Ohio State cost?

Sticker prices and what students actually paid after grants, by family income. A year means tuition, fees, room, board, books and other costs.

Tuition and fees, Ohio residents
$13,641
Tuition and fees, out of state
$42,423
A full year, sticker price
$31,162
Living on campus
Average price after grants
$17,269
Students who got federal aid

What a year cost, by family income

Family incomeAverage paid after grants
Under $30,000$6,061
$30,001 to $48,000$5,538
$48,001 to $75,000$9,708
$75,001 to $110,000$18,203
Over $110,000$27,873
Room and board on campus
$15,178 a year; $14,578 off campus
Books and supplies
$1,020 a year
The school's own grants
63% of full-time first-years get one, averaging $9,815

Tuition over the years

Tuition and fees for a year, as reported to the federal government.

$0K$13K$25K$38K$50K201220142016201820202022Out of stateOhio residents

How much do Ohio State students borrow?

Federal student loans only, for students who borrowed.

Typical debt at graduation
$19,500
About $222 a month over ten years
Students who borrow
28.7%
Get a Pell Grant
23%
Federal grant for lower-income families
Over 25 when they start
5.6%

What do Ohio State graduates earn?

Typical yearly pay of everyone who started here with federal aid, whatever they studied and whether or not they finished.

Six years after starting
$56,889
Ten years after starting
$67,080
Middle half: $44,278 to $97,861
Best-paid program, five years out
$137,959
Computer Engineering
Lowest-paid program, five years out
$44,219
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

Do Ohio State students finish?

Of the students who started full time, first time.

Back for second year
94.2%
Graduate in six years
86.6%
The four-year figure is for a later, smaller group, so it is not shown
After eight years
83% graduated
11% transferred, 0% still enrolled

Who goes to Ohio State?

Women
50.5%
First in their family at college
26.2%
Part-time
5.9%
Students per teacher
16
Background
White 60%, Hispanic 6%, Black 8%, Asian 11%, Two or more 5%, International 8%
Housing
Campus housing, 15,097 beds

What do Ohio State graduates earn, by program?

Every bachelor's program the school awards, with what its graduates earn and owe. The government hides pay for small programs, so some rows have no figure.

Computer science

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Computer and Information Sciences, General285$77,750$120,365$19,076

Engineering

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering191$77,993$101,021$22,500
Agricultural Engineering99$62,159$86,048$21,000
Biomedical/Medical Engineering187$67,532$97,750$19,592
Chemical Engineering342$84,519$101,510$19,368
Civil Engineering270$70,683$90,404$20,090
Computer Engineering871$91,602$137,959$19,500
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering461$83,961$110,924$17,470
Engineering Physics37$77,299$99,903Hidden
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General0HiddenHiddenHidden
Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians0HiddenHiddenHidden
Engineering, Other48$83,095$99,615$19,071
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering82$70,366$90,455$22,300
Industrial Engineering263$82,850$111,600$19,250
Materials Engineering84$78,333$94,247$19,500
Mechanical Engineering515$84,487$99,933$18,950

Business and commerce

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Accounting and Related Services620$66,912$98,546$19,500
Business Administration, Management and Operations475$66,925$91,871$19,500
Business/Commerce, General5$51,410$63,699$22,145
Business/Managerial Economics210$64,867$96,341$20,500
Finance and Financial Management Services1,739$69,964$103,876$19,500
Hospitality Administration/Management83$46,550$64,878$24,000
Human Resources Management and Services109$58,040$86,921$20,500
Insurance18HiddenHiddenHidden
International Business92$67,777$74,493$20,500
Management Information Systems and Services205$81,435$110,800$17,716
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods97$73,207$120,102$21,300
Marketing1,024$57,868$88,392$19,500
Real Estate142$67,271$80,107$19,500

Nursing

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing478$78,970$83,640$14,000

Health sciences and kinesiology

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services920$45,321$75,977$19,829
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions169$66,539$64,045$18,500
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions44$63,482$74,647Hidden
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services191$26,732$61,626$19,625
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions80$63,023$62,114$20,500
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services10Hidden$60,451Hidden
Health and Medical Administrative Services52$62,461$86,721Hidden
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General9HiddenHiddenHidden
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration218$49,675$78,464$19,500
Public Health199$43,422$76,164$16,859
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness335$41,524$62,594$17,370

Life sciences

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Agricultural and Food Products Processing12Hidden$68,178Hidden
Agricultural Business and Management86$52,585$67,364$13,750
Agricultural Mechanization0HiddenHiddenHidden
Agricultural Production Operations3HiddenHiddenHidden
Agricultural Public Services12HiddenHiddenHidden
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other119$76,074$93,025$20,500
Animal Sciences263$40,145$58,684$20,183
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services0HiddenHiddenHidden
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology219$44,020$69,151$21,000
Biology, General997$37,729$70,848$19,500
Botany/Plant Biology9HiddenHiddenHidden
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy118$40,544$53,552$19,400
Food Science and Technology36$51,662$70,983Hidden
Genetics118$38,666$73,317$24,233
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology93$45,332$75,338$18,625
Natural Resources Conservation and Research293$43,883$63,772$18,750
Neurobiology and Neurosciences557$28,643$66,889$20,500
Plant Sciences59$43,908$58,582$20,250
Zoology/Animal Biology190$34,165$46,843$19,500

Math and physical sciences

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Applied Mathematics112$76,163Hidden$13,104
Astronomy and Astrophysics67$32,967Hidden$19,500
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology28$43,756HiddenHidden
Chemistry115$51,665$69,012$16,500
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences39$48,050$59,037$20,500
Mathematics291$58,620$80,217$17,435
Physics116$50,108$96,219$20,943
Statistics110$68,279Hidden$20,166

Social sciences

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Anthropology141$38,692$55,536$19,500
Apparel and Textiles144$49,266$70,006$19,500
Area Studies7HiddenHiddenHidden
Communication and Media Studies927$46,999$67,514$17,764
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other33$49,060$59,523$10,642
Criminology317$44,457$62,181$19,500
Economics473$56,437$78,128$19,000
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies59$41,026$50,989$25,292
Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies119$51,925$69,833$18,628
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services119$40,899$68,766$14,000
Geography and Cartography45$52,705$70,131$21,000
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services222$38,452$58,976$18,500
International Relations and National Security Studies256$45,653$68,793$14,000
Journalism93$42,817$63,831$13,000
Political Science and Government568$44,134$73,707$16,875
Psychology, General0$36,452$54,594Hidden
Public Administration154$47,633$67,024$16,304
Public Policy Analysis62$50,768HiddenHidden
Research and Experimental Psychology1,368$37,965Hidden$18,490
Social Sciences, General73HiddenHidden$18,709
Social Work317$40,806$50,174$19,254
Sociology145$42,458$57,097$17,513

Arts and humanities

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics13HiddenHiddenHidden
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics68$37,522$57,139$18,068
English Language and Literature, General274$34,634$48,514$17,613
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics18HiddenHiddenHidden
History233$34,761$51,712$17,637
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services66$32,556$50,760$20,000
Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics10HiddenHiddenHidden
Modern Greek Language and Literature5HiddenHiddenHidden
Philosophy55Hidden$64,587$20,000
Religion/Religious Studies11HiddenHiddenHidden
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics169$31,992$62,761$16,500
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics33Hidden$77,034Hidden

Education (teaching)

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Education, General0HiddenHiddenHidden
Educational Administration and Supervision193$37,536$44,785$19,500
Special Education and Teaching42$39,998$52,598Hidden
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods148$39,954$47,673$21,642
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas380$42,417$53,135$19,500
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language21HiddenHiddenHidden

Fine and performing arts

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management2HiddenHiddenHidden
Dance62$23,055$45,860$26,000
Design and Applied Arts101$52,497$70,326$21,420
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft41$30,596$44,219$27,000
Film/Video and Photographic Arts103$29,365$55,289$22,128
Fine and Studio Arts154$36,869$49,521$19,000
Music61Hidden$49,391$22,500

Architecture and design

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Architectural Sciences and Technology148HiddenHidden$20,750
Architecture0$51,218$67,006Hidden
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning61$51,746$62,653$17,500

General arts and science (major chosen later)

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Geography and Environmental Studies33HiddenHiddenHidden
Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies1HiddenHiddenHidden
International/Globalization Studies0$72,734HiddenHidden
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities24Hidden$64,726$16,990
Medieval and Renaissance Studies1HiddenHiddenHidden
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other20Hidden$47,801Hidden
Nutrition Sciences0HiddenHiddenHidden
Sustainability Studies65$55,767Hidden$21,000

Other programs

ProgramGraduatesPay, one year outPay, five years outDebt
Air Transportation184$57,080$78,721$19,599

Compare Ohio State with other universities

Side by side: acceptance rates, scores, costs and pay.

Where these numbers come from

College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Test policy: the school's page (opens in a new tab). Tuition history, housing and the school's own grants: the federal IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) survey.

How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.

Careerhelp is not affiliated with The Ohio State University. Figures describe past students; check the school's own pages before you apply.

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