Ohio State University-Main Campus (Ohio State) is a public research university in Columbus, Ohio, enrolling about 45,638 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 60.57% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $60,409 among students who received federal aid.

Key Facts

  • 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $13,244
  • 2024 Average Net Price: $17,339 After Financial Aid
  • 2024 Acceptance Rate: 60.57% Moderate Selectivity
  • 2024 Enrolled Students: 45,638 94.1% Full-Time
  • 2024 Graduation Rate: 87.72%
  • Carnegie Classification: Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
  • First-Generation Students: 26.2%
  • Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 3.0% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
  • Net price trend: Average net price increase of 1.9% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
  • Full-Time Faculty: 62.7%
  • Average SAT Score: 1387
  • Undergraduate Enrollment: 49,934
  • Applicants (IPEDS): 70,028
  • Room & Board: $14,738 annual estimate

Ohio State University-Main Campus: what the data shows

Common questions about Ohio State University-Main Campus, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.

Where is Ohio State University-Main Campus?

Ohio State University-Main Campus is located in Columbus, OH (ZIP 43201).

NCES locale classification: City.

Is Ohio State University-Main Campus public or private?

Ohio State University-Main Campus is a Public institution.

How much does Ohio State University-Main Campus cost?

Published tuition: $13,244 in-state, $40,022 out-of-state.

Average net price after aid: $17,339.

Family income bandAvg. net price
Family income $0–$30,000$4,885
$30,001–$48,000$5,751
$48,001–$75,000$9,807
$75,001–$110,000$20,461
$110,001+$27,359

Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $52,976.

How hard is it to get into Ohio State University-Main Campus?

Admission rate: 60.57%.

Among enrollees who submitted scores: average SAT 1387 and midpoint ACT 29.

Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.

How big is Ohio State University-Main Campus?

Total enrollment: 45,638 students.

Undergraduate enrollment: 49,934 students.

Graduate enrollment: 14,628 students.

About 94% enroll full-time in our extract.

What is the graduation rate at Ohio State University-Main Campus?

150%-time completion rate: 87.72%.

First-year retention: 94.2%.

What do graduates of Ohio State University-Main Campus earn?

Median earnings: $51,438 six years after entry; $60,409 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).

How much debt do students have?

Median federal loan debt among completers: $19,976.

20.16% of students receive Pell grants.

What is Ohio State University-Main Campus known for?

Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:

See ROI & Programs for more.

Is Ohio State University-Main Campus a good school?

We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show admission rate 60.57%; completion rate 87.72%; median earnings $60,409 at 10 years; net price $17,339. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.

Tuition & Cost

Tuition Costs

$13,244
2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at Ohio State University-Main Campus was $13,244.

Tuition comparison with similar institutions.

Average Net Price

$17,339
2024 Value

In 2024 Ohio State University-Main Campus had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $17,339.

Average net price comparison with similar institutions.

Total Cost of Attendance

$69,356 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost

$17,339 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)

$52,976 4-Year In-State Tuition

$160,088 4-Year Out-of-State Tuition

$14,738 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)

$1,030 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)

$29,012 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)

$116,048 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)

4-year total cost breakdown for Ohio State University-Main Campus.

Financial Aid by Income Level

20.16% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

28.77% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

Financial aid distribution by income level.

Student Loan Default Rate

0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)

The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Ohio State University-Main Campus was 0.00%.

Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.

Tuition tracker

Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Ohio State University-Main Campus in that year.

Reporting years in the table below: 20132023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).

Year In-state tuition & fees Out-of-state tuition & fees Average net price
2013$10,037$25,757$17,866
2014$10,037$26,537$18,068
2015$10,037$27,365$18,099
2016$10,037$28,229$17,231
2017$10,592$29,696$17,699
2018$10,726$30,742$17,704
2019$11,084$32,061$17,616
2020$11,518$33,502$16,845
2021$11,936$35,019$18,623
2022$12,485$36,722$17,953
2023$12,859$38,365$18,292

Sticker tuition and net price over time

Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.

College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).

Net price by family income

Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).

Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.

Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate

60.57% Acceptance Rate

70,028 Total Applicants

35,588 Students Admitted

8,062 First-Time Students Enrolled

22.65% Yield (enrolled ÷ admitted)

This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.

Acceptance rate compared to national average.

Test Scores

SAT Average: 1387

ACT Average: 29

Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.

Academic Requirements

Estimated GPA Range: 3.5 - 3.7

Estimated Median GPA: 3.60

Note: GPA requirements are estimated based on admission selectivity and test scores. Actual requirements may vary.

Estimated GPA and test score ranges.

Enrollment & Student Demographics

Ohio State University-Main Campus reported total enrollment of about 45,638 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 50% male and 50% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (59.8%), Asian (10.8%), and Black or African American (7.9%). About 20.16% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 26.2% of students are first-generation college students.

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

94.1% Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Ohio State University-Main Campus in 2024 is 45,638 students.

Undergraduate enrollment is about 49,934 students. Graduate enrollment is about 14,628 students.

Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.

Retention Rate over Time

94.2%
2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.

Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is White at 59.8%.

Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).

College Scorecard student demographics.

Graduates & Outcomes

Time to Complete

72.31% 100% Completion Time

87.72% 150% Completion Time

In 2024, 72.31% of students graduating from Ohio State University-Main Campus completed their program within 100% "normal time".

Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.

Completions by Sex (Top Programs)

  • Finance, General: 77% male / 23% female
  • Experimental Psychology: 23% male / 77% female
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General: 39% male / 61% female

IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).

Completions by Race & Ethnicity

Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: White.

Summed across program completion records in our extract.

ROI & Programs

Financial value and program information for Ohio State University-Main Campus.

Return on Investment

$19,976 Median Student Debt

$60,409 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)

33.07% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio

771.00% Return on Investment

3.3 years Estimated Payback Period

Financial value analysis for Ohio State University-Main Campus.

Top Programs by Completions

10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 234 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).

1. Finance, General: 922 completions

2. Experimental Psychology: 762 completions

3. Marketing/Marketing Management, General: 546 completions

4. Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 525 completions

5. Computer Engineering, General: 511 completions

6. Social Work: 502 completions

7. Biology/Biological Sciences, General: 490 completions

8. Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services, Other: 484 completions

9. Speech Communication and Rhetoric: 467 completions

Most popular programs at Ohio State University-Main Campus.

Employment Outcomes

Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.

Earnings outcomes for Ohio State University-Main Campus graduates.

Operations

Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for Ohio State University-Main Campus from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).

Instructional Resources

  • Full-time faculty share: 62.7%
  • Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $14,386
  • Instructional expenditure per FTE: $23,612

Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.

Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.

About

Ohio State University-Main Campus is a public institution located in Columbus, OH, classified as Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were Finance, General, Experimental Psychology, Marketing/Marketing Management, General. Enrollment is approximately 45,638 students. Student body composition includes White (59.8%), Asian (10.8%), Black or African American (7.9%). The admission rate is 60.57%. Average SAT scores for admitted students are 1387. The 150%-time completion rate is 87.72%. Approximately 20.16% of students receive Pell Grants. About 26.2% of students are first-generation college students.

Institution Type

Public

Carnegie Classification: Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity

Location

Columbus, OH 43201

Region: Great Lakes

Insights and Analysis

Exceptional Graduation Rate: With a 87.72% graduation rate, Ohio State University-Main Campus demonstrates strong student retention and completion. This rate significantly exceeds the national average, indicating effective academic support and student services.

Diverse Program Offerings: With over 234 distinct degree programs, Ohio State University-Main Campus provides students with a wide range of academic options. This diversity allows students to explore various fields and find programs that align with their interests and career goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Ohio State located?

Ohio State University-Main Campus is located in Columbus, OH. The institution is also known as Ohio State.

What is Ohio State's acceptance rate?

The acceptance rate at Ohio State University-Main Campus (Ohio State) is 60.6% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 70,028 applicants and 35,588 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.

How much does Ohio State cost?

Reported tuition is $13,244 and average net price is $17,339 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $14,738 annually.

What is the student body demographics at Ohio State?

Ohio State University-Main Campus reports undergraduate enrollment of about 49,934 students, White (59.8%), Asian (10.8%) in federal College Scorecard data.

How many first-generation students attend Ohio State?

About 26.2% of students at Ohio State University-Main Campus are first-generation college students.

What test scores do students need for Ohio State University-Main Campus?

Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Ohio State University-Main Campus reports midpoint SAT about 1387 and midpoint ACT about 29.

What do graduates of Ohio State University-Main Campus earn?

Median earnings are $51,438 six years after entry and $60,409 ten years after entry.

What is the graduation rate at Ohio State University-Main Campus?

The 150%-time completion rate is 87.7% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.

How much debt do Ohio State University-Main Campus students have?

Median federal loan debt among completers is $19,976.

Is Ohio State University-Main Campus public or private?

Ohio State University-Main Campus is a public institution located in Columbus, OH.

Is Ohio State University-Main Campus an HBCU?

No. Ohio State University-Main Campus is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.

Is Ohio State University-Main Campus a tribal college?

No. Ohio State University-Main Campus is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • Columbus, Ohio city profile
  • Great Lakes regional profile
  • All state profiles
  • Regional profiles
  • National benchmarks
  • School directory
  • All schools in Ohio
  • Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

    Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

    Methodology

    Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.

    All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.