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Cincinnati, OH · Columbus, OH
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | Ohio State University-Main Campus | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $25,648/yr | $17,339/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $17,974/yr | $4,885/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $21,250 | $19,976 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $18,092/yr | $5,751/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $22,492/yr | $9,807/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $27,596/yr | $20,461/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $29,616/yr | $27,359/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $225/mo | $212/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $13,564/yr | $14,738/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $17,526/yr | $13,814/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,300/yr | $1,030/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $6,924/yr | $3,070/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $32,171/yr | $30,305/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $13,976/yr | $13,244/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $29,310/yr | $40,022/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 19% | 20% |
| Students taking federal loans | 37% | 29% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 85% | 61% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1160–1370 | 1310–1480 |
| SAT average | 1282 | 1387 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 24–29 | 28–32 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 22–30 · Math 23–29 | English 27–34 · Math 26–32 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 33,165 | 70,028 |
| Students accepted | 29,077 | 35,588 |
| Students who enrolled | 6,922 | 8,062 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 24% | 23% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 11% | 14% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 36% | 35% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Required | 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 | Optional (considered if sent) | 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 | 75% | 88% |
| Freshmen who come back | 85% | 94% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $54,810/yr | $60,409/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $33,668–$79,998 | $39,834–$88,954 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 74% | 83% |
| White students graduating | 75% | 89% |
| Black students graduating | 63% | 82% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 67% | 82% |
| Asian students graduating | 84% | 92% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $48,310/yr | $51,438/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 73% | 79% |
| Graduate on time | 42% | 72% |
| Pell students who graduate | 66% | 80% |
| First-gen students who finish | 44% | 59% |
| Low-income students who finish | 34% | 53% |
| Students who transfer out | No data reported | 7.1% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $52,188/yr | $56,186/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 17% · Health Professions 15% · Engineering 11% | Business, Management & Marketing 20% · Engineering 15% · Health Professions 11% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 17% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 20% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Health Professions — 15% of degrees | Engineering — 15% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Engineering — 11% of degrees | Health Professions — 11% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 7% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 8% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Communication & Journalism — 6% of degrees | Social Sciences — 7% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $118,343/yr | Dentistry — $130,546/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 25% | 29% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 29,882 | 45,638 |
| Students per professor | 19 : 1 | 16 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 11,993 | 14,628 |
| Average professor pay | $11,468/mo | $14,386/mo |
| Full-time professors | 57% | 63% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
| Median family income | $57,822 | $64,714 |
| Setting | City (large) | City (large) |
| Location | Cincinnati, OH | Columbus, OH |
| Region | Great Lakes | Great Lakes |
| Founded | 1819 | 1870 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 5.2% | 7.6% |
| Men | 50% | 50% |
| Women | 50% | 51% |
| White students | 69% | 60% |
| Black students | 9.2% | 7.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 5.4% | 5.8% |
| Asian students | 5.4% | 11% |
| Two or more races | 4.8% | 4.9% |
| Other / not reported | 1.1% | 3.3% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 31% | 26% |
| Part-time students | 9.7% | 5.9% |
| Students age 25+ | 8.9% | 5.6% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $12,292/yr | $23,612/yr |
| Endowment | $2.0B | $7.9B |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 8,342 | 15,097 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $7,992/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan charge | $5,056/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | Land-grant institution |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | 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 | Yes | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | Yes | 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 | 14 | 35 |
| Student athletes | 447 | 956 |
| Athletic scholarships | $11.0M | $29.6M |
| Athletics budget | $119.3M | $295.3M |
| Athletics revenue | $119.3M | $295.3M |
| Recruiting spend | $2.0M | $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, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.