More selective than 21% of Ohio colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $32,171. College Scorecard.
Higher than 90% of Ohio colleges we cover and 85% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 65% of Ohio colleges we cover and 55% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
University of Cincinnati acceptance rate & admissions
Of 33,165 applicants, University of Cincinnati admitted 29,077 and 6,922 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1160–1370 on the SAT or 24–29 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
University of Cincinnati tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Ohio residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: Ohio residents with household income up to $96,000 and a Student Aid Index of 3,750 or less may receive an Ohio College Opportunity Grant: up to $4,000 a year at public university main campuses (less at regional campuses) in 2026-27. Not included in the prices above. Ohio Department of Higher Education, OCOG 2026-27 award memo (FA27-001)
What University of Cincinnati costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of University of Cincinnati took 4.5 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Ohio. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $17,974 | $80,883 | 4.2 years |
| $30–48k | $18,092 | $81,414 | 4.2 years |
| $48–75k | $22,492 | $101,214 | 5.2 years |
| $75–110k | $27,596 | $124,182 | 6.4 years |
| $110k+ | $29,616 | $133,272 | 6.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (39% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($54,810) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OH (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $19,372 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
University of Cincinnati majors, earnings & careers
University of Cincinnati offers 97 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Engineering · 15
- Humanities & Languages · 15
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 14
- Health & Medicine · 12
- Science & Math · 12
- Business & Finance · 10
- Arts & Design · 7
- Technology & Computing · 5
- Communications & Media · 4
- Education · 3
Highest-earning majors at University of Cincinnati
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $102,273 | $21,875 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $100,975 | $23,203 |
| Electrical Engineering | $98,364 | $27,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | $97,220 | $21,333 |
| Information Science / Studies | $93,694 | $23,000 |
| Construction Engineering | $92,984 | $25,480 |
| Architectural Engineering | $92,687 | $25,880 |
| Biomedical Engineering | $90,897 | $23,250 |
Quick list of all 97 majors
- Accounting$75,921
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering$88,511
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$89,915
- American Sign Language—
- Anthropology—
- Applied Mathematics—
- Archeology—
- Architectural Engineering$92,687
- Architecture$65,449
- Area Studies—
- Astronomy and Astrophysics—
- Biochemistry—
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other—
- Biology$57,443
- Biomedical Engineering$90,897
- Broadcasting / Digital Media$43,570
- Business Administration$75,398
- Chemical Engineering$97,220
- Chemistry$72,302
- City / Urban, Community, and Regional Planning$60,699
- Civil Engineering$89,653
- Classics—
- Communications$56,818
- Computer and Information Sciences$100,975
- Computer Engineering$102,273
- Computer Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- Computer Programming—
- Construction Engineering$92,984
- Criminal Justice$54,231
- Dance—
- Dietetics$59,703
- East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean)—
- Economics$75,443
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$47,019
- Education (Subject Teaching)$46,483
- Electrical Engineering$98,364
- Engineering-Related Fields—
- English$40,360
- Environmental Engineering$86,926
- Environmental Science / Conservation$55,075
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography—
- Finance$83,501
- Fire Protection—
- Geography—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- German—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$71,605
- Health Administration$77,549
- Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other$66,550
- History$59,290
- Human Development and Family Studies—
- Human Resources$61,590
- Industrial Engineering—
- Information Science / Studies$93,694
- Information Technology—
- Insurance$81,489
- International Business$74,145
- International Relations$57,228
- Journalism$48,331
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$54,599
- Legal Support Services$67,713
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Literature—
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Marketing$72,881
- Mathematics$76,667
- Mechanical Engineering$86,331
- Medical Laboratory Science$79,742
- Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions$52,735
- Middle / Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$60,441
- Music—
- Neuroscience$58,004
- Nursing$85,551
- Nutrition Science—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Plant Sciences—
- Political Science$58,863
- Pre-Med / Pre-Health—
- Psychology$48,406
- Psychology (Research)—
- Public Health$51,990
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Real Estate—
- Social Work$49,465
- Sociology$50,165
- Software and Media Applications—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Special Education$48,124
- Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders$60,001
- Studio Art$37,025
- Theatre$54,000
- Urban Studies / Affairs—
- Visual and Performing Arts, Other—
- Writing—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Marketing → Marketing specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.0% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Cincinnati
Overall prices in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,442. Housing costs 12% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 43 inches of rain a year, 16 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (very high); river flooding (relatively high); heat wave (relatively high); winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Hamilton County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Hamilton County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare University of Cincinnati with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Ohio by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Cincinnati | 85% | $25,648 | 75% | $54,810 | This school |
| Ohio University | 85% | $21,637 | 65% | $52,581 | |
| Kent State University at Kent | 86% | $20,787 | 64% | $45,388 | |
| Miami University-Oxford | 75% | $28,384 | 80% | $55,076 | |
| Bowling Green State University | 81% | $24,022 | 64% | $47,896 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
University of Cincinnati would cost you $4,011 more per year than Ohio University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at University of Cincinnati, mostly from a higher estimate for personal & travel costs (+$2,508).
- Ohio University gives aided families $2,426 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Ohio resident | University of Cincinnati | Ohio University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $13,976 | $14,158 | −$182 |
| Books & supplies | $1,300 | $840 | +$460 |
| Housing & meals | $13,048 | $13,594 | −$546 |
| Personal & travel | $5,424 | $2,916 | +$2,508 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$1,577 | −$922 | −$655 |
| Sticker price | $32,171 | $30,586 | +$1,585 |
| Average grants | −$6,523 | −$8,949 | +$2,426 |
| You pay | $25,648 | $21,637 | +$4,011 |
“+” means University of Cincinnati costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about University of Cincinnati
What is the University of Cincinnati acceptance rate?
University of Cincinnati accepts 85% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 29,077 of 33,165 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1160–1370 on the SAT or 24–29 on the ACT.
How much does University of Cincinnati cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $32,171 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $25,648 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $17,974 and families earning $110k+ pay $29,616.
How much do University of Cincinnati graduates earn?
Former University of Cincinnati students earn a median $54,810 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the University of Cincinnati graduation rate?
75% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 85% return for their second year.
How long does a University of Cincinnati degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at University of Cincinnati costs about $101,214 after grants ($22,492 a year for 4.5 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $54,810 ten years after starting, $19,372 more than high school graduates in Ohio ($35,438), so the cost is repaid in 5.2 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of Cincinnati: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-cincinnati-main-campus (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).