# Ohio State University

Public college in Columbus, OH. IPEDS ID 204796.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/ohio-state-university-main-campus · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/ohio-state-university-main-campus.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 61% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $17,339 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 88%; beats 100% of OH colleges and 95% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $60,409; beats 82% of OH colleges and 71% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $14,500

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $4,885 |
| 30-48k | $5,751 |
| 48-75k | $9,807 |
| 75-110k | $20,461 |
| 110k+ | $27,359 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, in-state. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.21 years on average (71% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $60,409 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OH (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $4,885 | $20,566 | under 1 year |
| 30-48k | $5,751 | $24,212 | 1.0 years |
| 48-75k | $9,807 | $41,287 | 1.7 years |
| 75-110k | $20,461 | $86,141 | 3.4 years |
| 110k+ | $27,359 | $115,181 | 4.6 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $30,305 in-state; about $57,083 out-of-state
- Tuition and fees: $13,244 in-state, $40,022 out-of-state
- Housing and meals: $14,272; books: $1,030

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: 640–720; SAT math: 670–760; ACT: 28–32 (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 70,028 applicants, 35,588 admitted, 8,062 enrolled; test scores considered but not required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 61%, ACT 28–32 (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 51%, ACT 29–32 (IPEDS Admissions)

### Common Data Set 2025-26 (Fall 2025)
- Very important: rigor, class rank, gpa, test scores; important: essay, recommendations, extracurriculars, talent, first generation, volunteer, work experience; considered: character, geography, state residency
- Early decision: no; early action: yes; waitlist: yes (2049 admitted of 2278 who accepted a spot)
- Aid (full-time first-years): average 73% of need met; 644 of 3185 with need fully met; merit aid to students without need: 2508 students, average $7,336
- Source: https://irp.osu.edu/sites/default/files/documents/2026/03/CDS-2025-2026-OSU-Columbus-Campus.pdf

## Majors (129 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $83,342 | $123,731 | $20,247 |
| Applied Mathematics | $82,523 | $120,495 | $14,929 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $82,448 | $118,833 | $23,000 |
| Management Science / Analytics | $68,814 | $111,500 | $20,500 |
| Management Information Systems | $72,017 | $110,192 | $21,500 |
| Industrial Engineering | $80,876 | $106,932 | $21,875 |
| Electrical Engineering | $78,872 | $99,400 | $22,411 |
| Chemical Engineering | $77,455 | $98,851 | $20,500 |
| Finance | $65,181 | $97,986 | $20,500 |
| Engineering, Other | $78,734 | $97,144 | $22,000 |
| Business Economics | $61,979 | $96,843 | $19,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $79,359 | $96,418 | $20,500 |
| Physics | $53,504 | $94,543 | $23,357 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering | $72,062 | $92,999 | $25,853 |
| Real Estate | $72,769 | $91,213 | $19,000 |
| Engineering Physics | not reported | $90,938 | not reported |
| Accounting | $62,399 | $90,850 | $23,284 |
| Biomedical Engineering | $65,469 | $90,065 | $23,125 |
| Agricultural / Animal / Plant / Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other | $71,570 | $88,205 | $26,750 |
| Materials Engineering | $70,371 | $86,084 | $19,500 |
| Business Administration | $61,423 | $85,586 | $23,250 |
| Civil Engineering | $68,031 | $85,202 | $23,545 |
| Human Resources | $58,991 | $82,371 | $19,500 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $62,981 | $81,917 | $24,872 |
| Mathematics | $52,921 | $81,909 | $20,500 |
| Nursing | $71,175 | $81,795 | $25,163 |
| International Business | $57,678 | $81,473 | $27,000 |
| Marketing | $56,465 | $81,119 | $21,198 |
| Environmental Engineering | $67,938 | $80,775 | $24,850 |
| Health Administration | $54,301 | $80,315 | $25,000 |
| Air Transportation | $40,102 | $79,114 | $24,842 |
| Economics | $50,209 | $75,485 | $23,125 |
| Medical Laboratory Science | $64,267 | $74,601 | $22,500 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | $38,691 | $73,594 | $21,500 |
| Chemistry | $42,698 | $71,559 | $25,225 |
| Pre-Med / Pre-Health | $39,642 | $71,189 | $22,334 |
| Food Science and Technology | $59,889 | $70,537 | $20,534 |
| Legal Studies / Paralegal | $51,231 | $70,429 | $22,938 |
| Public Health | $36,226 | $70,369 | $18,500 |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | $60,834 | $68,942 | $24,179 |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | not reported | $68,688 | not reported |
| Neuroscience | $29,638 | $68,480 | $22,286 |
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | $45,176 | $68,151 | $25,100 |
| Biochemistry | $36,427 | $67,381 | $18,500 |
| Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies | $46,474 | $67,018 | $25,000 |
| International / Global Studies | $55,240 | $66,995 | $20,075 |
| Agricultural Business | $50,565 | $66,603 | $20,000 |
| Apparel and Textiles | $41,827 | $66,256 | $22,313 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $37,592 | $66,222 | $20,500 |
| Architecture | $35,370 | $66,131 | $27,000 |
| International Relations | $38,584 | $66,064 | $19,500 |
| Political Science | $35,977 | $65,972 | $21,500 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | $61,173 | $65,920 | $25,500 |
| Public Policy Analysis | $50,643 | $65,894 | $14,500 |
| Landscape Architecture | $50,394 | $65,828 | $23,250 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $37,369 | $65,407 | $20,500 |
| Business | $48,597 | $65,374 | $19,900 |
| Biology | $32,356 | $64,324 | $23,362 |
| Genetics | $31,800 | $63,767 | $21,216 |
| Communications | $41,232 | $62,096 | $23,500 |
| Public Administration | $41,650 | $60,678 | $21,887 |
| Geography | $44,789 | $60,363 | $23,250 |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $36,725 | $59,072 | $20,029 |
| Criminology | $39,396 | $58,865 | $21,922 |
| Dietetics | $52,247 | $58,821 | $22,750 |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | $27,815 | $58,235 | $22,746 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | $39,545 | $58,119 | $21,438 |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | $34,540 | $57,859 | $26,654 |
| Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders | $23,509 | $57,797 | $19,500 |
| City / Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | $41,501 | $57,573 | $25,250 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $36,592 | $57,541 | $23,000 |
| Plant Sciences | $42,712 | $56,812 | $16,105 |
| Philosophy | $39,971 | $55,823 | $26,247 |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | $41,040 | $54,860 | $22,250 |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | $43,393 | $54,529 | $21,250 |
| Psychology | $32,276 | $54,182 | $22,145 |
| Geology / Earth Science | $41,156 | $53,381 | $26,000 |
| Hospitality Management | $36,986 | $53,039 | $26,000 |
| Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy | $35,019 | $52,528 | $27,000 |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | $41,944 | $52,459 | $23,250 |
| Music | $26,084 | $51,310 | $27,000 |
| Journalism | $31,955 | $51,280 | $23,346 |
| Human Development and Family Studies | $34,610 | $50,921 | $23,250 |
| Animal Sciences | $33,642 | $50,769 | $23,301 |
| Social Work | $38,739 | $50,596 | $26,970 |
| Film and Photography | not reported | $50,565 | $22,500 |
| Sociology | $38,034 | $50,457 | $21,739 |
| Special Education | $45,213 | $50,194 | $26,899 |
| Anthropology | $28,172 | $50,055 | $22,834 |
| History | $26,663 | $49,986 | $21,500 |
| English | $29,605 | $48,301 | $23,500 |
| Studio Art | $29,186 | $46,899 | $26,849 |
| East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean) | $28,109 | $46,527 | $22,500 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $36,483 | $45,969 | $25,432 |
| Zoology / Animal Biology | $29,996 | $45,501 | $24,800 |
| Linguistics | $27,788 | $44,941 | $20,096 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | $36,487 | $42,187 | $23,000 |
| Ethnic / Gender Studies | $31,179 | $40,713 | $22,056 |
| Theatre | $23,920 | $37,445 | $25,250 |
| Agricultural Mechanization | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Agricultural Production Operations | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Agricultural and Food Products Processing | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Agricultural Public Services | $23,221 | not reported | not reported |
| Agriculture / Veterinary Preparatory Programs | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Area Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Education | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Engineering-Related Technologies / Technicians | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| German | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Modern Greek Language and Literature | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Middle / Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Classics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Botany / Plant Biology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Statistics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Medieval and Renaissance Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Nutrition Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Sustainability Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Religious Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | not reported | not reported | $20,500 |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Psychology (Research) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Social Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Dance | $21,167 | not reported | $26,000 |
| Arts and Entertainment Management | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Health Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Insurance | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Major to career
- Communications → Public relations specialist: median wage $73,280 (Columbus, OH), $64,840 (OH), $74,750 (U.S.)
- Finance → Financial analyst: median wage $97,920 (Columbus, OH), $94,280 (OH), $102,740 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).