Ohio State: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

Ohio State is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio with a selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, Ohio State admits between a quarter and half of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 49%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1380 and an ACT composite around 29. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $17,339 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.

What GPA does my child need for Ohio State?

Admitted students at Ohio State typically present unweighted GPAs in the 3.6–3.9 range with several honors or AP courses.

What does Ohio State weight in admissions?

Ohio State reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean

SAT and ACT scores Ohio State typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 670–760, with an EBRW midpoint near 660. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 28–32. A score at or above this school's 75th percentile materially improves your child's odds, particularly when paired with a rigorous course load.

Where admitted students ranked in their high school class

Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.

How much does Ohio State actually cost?

Published tuition is $13,244 for in-state students and $40,022 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $14,738 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $17,339 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 20% of students receive Pell Grants.

Application deadlines and early decision data for Ohio State

Will my child graduate from Ohio State?

These predict outcomes at Ohio State better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates

Most popular majors at Ohio State

The most popular undergraduate programs at Ohio State, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Finance and Financial Management Services, Research and Experimental Psychology and Communication and Media Studies. Across all programs, Ohio State confers roughly 3,918 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Finance and Financial Management Services program report a median income of about $93,666 five years after entering college. What these figures mean

Is Ohio State safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Ohio State disclosed 289 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 6.3 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 32 violent offenses and 134 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts

What is campus life like at Ohio State?

About 33% of undergraduates at Ohio State live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 9% of men join a fraternity and 13% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.

Other colleges in Ohio parents ask about

• University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
  85% acceptance
• Case Western Reserve University
  37% acceptance
• University of Dayton
  65% acceptance
• Miami University-Oxford
  75% acceptance
• Kent State University at Kent
  86% acceptance
• Cleveland State University
  91% acceptance
• Kenyon College
  31% acceptance
• Oberlin College
  34% acceptance

Common questions parents ask about Ohio State