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Bowling Green, OH · Columbus, OH
| Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | Ohio State University-Main Campus | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $24,022/yr | $17,339/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $18,396/yr | $4,885/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $25,000 | $19,976 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $18,547/yr | $5,751/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $21,820/yr | $9,807/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $25,741/yr | $20,461/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $27,414/yr | $27,359/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $265/mo | $212/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $14,508/yr | $14,738/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $12,150/yr | $13,814/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $800/yr | $1,030/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $3,600/yr | $3,070/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $33,007/yr | $30,305/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $14,460/yr | $13,244/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $22,448/yr | $40,022/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 23% | 20% |
| Students taking federal loans | 48% | 29% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 81% | 61% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1000–1210 | 1310–1480 |
| SAT average | 1117 | 1387 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 19–26 | 28–32 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 17–24 · Math 17–25 | English 27–34 · Math 26–32 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 18,629 | 70,028 |
| Students accepted | 15,016 | 35,588 |
| Students who enrolled | 3,114 | 8,062 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 21% | 23% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 18% | 14% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 68% | 35% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Optional (considered if sent) | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | Optional (considered if sent) | Required |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 64% | 88% |
| Freshmen who come back | 82% | 94% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $47,896/yr | $60,409/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $31,725–$67,179 | $39,834–$88,954 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 65% | 83% |
| White students graduating | 67% | 89% |
| Black students graduating | 47% | 82% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 52% | 82% |
| Asian students graduating | 72% | 92% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $41,281/yr | $51,438/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 74% | 79% |
| Graduate on time | 48% | 72% |
| Pell students who graduate | 52% | 80% |
| First-gen students who finish | 51% | 59% |
| Low-income students who finish | 40% | 53% |
| Students who transfer out | 21% | 7.1% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $44,746/yr | $56,186/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Education 20% · Business, Management & Marketing 14% · Health Professions 10% | Business, Management & Marketing 20% · Engineering 15% · Health Professions 11% |
| Most popular program | Education — 20% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 20% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 14% of degrees | Engineering — 15% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Health Professions — 10% of degrees | Health Professions — 11% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Visual & Performing Arts — 7% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 8% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Parks, Recreation & Fitness — 5% of degrees | Social Sciences — 7% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Business Administration, Management and Operations — $95,153/yr | Dentistry — $130,546/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 16% | 29% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 12,812 | 45,638 |
| Students per professor | 17 : 1 | 16 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 2,811 | 14,628 |
| Average professor pay | $10,477/mo | $14,386/mo |
| Full-time professors | 71% | 63% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
| Median family income | $63,845 | $64,714 |
| Setting | Town (fringe) | City (large) |
| Location | Bowling Green, OH | Columbus, OH |
| Region | Great Lakes | Great Lakes |
| Founded | 1910 | 1870 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 1.8% | 7.6% |
| Men | 43% | 50% |
| Women | 57% | 51% |
| White students | 78% | 60% |
| Black students | 6.7% | 7.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 5.8% | 5.8% |
| Asian students | 1.2% | 11% |
| Two or more races | 3.6% | 4.9% |
| Other / not reported | 2.6% | 3.3% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 30% | 26% |
| Part-time students | 5% | 5.9% |
| Students age 25+ | 6% | 5.6% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $11,814/yr | $23,612/yr |
| Endowment | $236.6M | $7.9B |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 5,215 | 15,097 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $7,760/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan charge | $5,224/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | 19 meals/week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | Land-grant institution |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Air Force | Yes — Army, Navy, Air Force |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | Yes | Yes |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FBS | NCAA Division I-FBS |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 16 | 35 |
| Student athletes | 439 | 956 |
| Athletic scholarships | $8.3M | $29.6M |
| Athletics budget | $35.3M | $295.3M |
| Athletics revenue | $35.3M | $295.3M |
| Recruiting spend | $1.0M | $4.1M |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.