Ohio University-Main Campus
Athens, OH
85%
Acceptance Rate
$14,158
Avg Cost (In-State)
$24,838
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
66%
Graduation Rate
19,633
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
February 1
Early Deadline
November 15 (Early Action)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
0
Letters of Rec
0
Application Fee
$50
Interview
Not required
Essays: No essay required, but optional personal statement accepted
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$51,438
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$60,409
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
88%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $75,809 | $87,308 | 3119 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $57,006 | $71,478 | 602 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | $34,983 | $43,893 | 327 |
| Marketing. | $55,022 | $78,506 | 312 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $36,666 | $54,695 | 312 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication. | $29,086 | $48,390 | 305 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. | $34,707 | $53,206 | 277 |
| Journalism. | $38,246 | $59,276 | 254 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Ohio College Opportunity Grant
~$16k valueOhio need-based grant: $4,392/year at OH publics for low-income residents.
Who it helps: Low-income Ohio residents attending OH public or eligible private 4-year colleges.
How to use: File FAFSA. School awards automatically based on EFC.
Source ↗Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Oberlin Dean's Scholarship + Merit
$15,000-$30,000/year
universityOberlin incoming freshmen with academic merit; multiple named awards.
Deadline: January 15
Learn more ↗Ohio State Bar Foundation Scholarship
$1,000-$5,000
stateOH law students with academic merit + service.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗Ohio College Opportunity Grant
Up to $3,500/year
stateOhio residents with an EFC of $2,190 or less attending eligible Ohio or Pennsylvania institutions.
Deadline: October 1 (apply via FAFSA, funds limited)
Learn more ↗Ohio State Morrill Scholarship Program
Tuition + fees + room/board (Distinction tier)
universityOSU incoming freshmen committed to diversity, inclusion, and social justice. Three tiers.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Case Western Bolton Scholars Program
Full tuition + faculty mentor + research stipend
universityTop CWRU incoming freshmen via competitive process.
Deadline: Mid-December
Learn more ↗Ohio Nurses Association Scholarship
$1,000-$2,500
stateOH nursing students at accredited programs.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗UC President's Leadership Award
Up to full tuition
universityTop UC incoming freshmen via competitive process; combines academics + leadership.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Cleveland Foundation Scholarships
$500-$15,000
localCleveland-area students; one app routes to 100+ named scholarship funds.
Deadline: January 31
Learn more ↗Greater Cincinnati Foundation Scholarships
$500-$10,000
localGreater Cincinnati area students; multiple named funds.
Deadline: February 15
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 85% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
84.99%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
21.2%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
33.9%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
10.2%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
83.9%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
65.5%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
Cincinnati, OH
85.3% acceptance
Both admit around 85% of applicants, with 30k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
San Jose State University
San Jose, CA
84.6% acceptance
Both admit around 85% of applicants, with 28k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI
84.6% acceptance
Both admit around 85% of applicants, with 13k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Youngstown State University
Youngstown, OH
84.5% acceptance
Similar selectivity (85% vs 85%) but out-of-state cost runs $11k — meaningfully less than $25k.
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL
86.9% acceptance
Similar selectivity (87% vs 85%) but out-of-state cost runs $13k — meaningfully less than $25k.
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MI
89.8% acceptance
Similar selectivity (90% vs 85%) but out-of-state cost runs $15k — meaningfully less than $25k.
Reaches above this college
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
45.2% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (45% vs 85%) — a stretch target if Ohio University-Main Campus is already on your list.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL
42.4% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (42% vs 85%) — a stretch target if Ohio University-Main Campus is already on your list.
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
17.7% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (18% vs 85%) — a stretch target if Ohio University-Main Campus is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
North Dakota State University-Main Campus
Fargo, ND
95% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (95% vs 85%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD
98.3% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (98% vs 85%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
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