Ohio State University-Main Campus: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Columbus, Ohio · Public · Moderately selective · CDS 2024-2025
Ohio State University-Main Campus is a public university in Columbus, Ohio that admits about 51% of applicants, making it a moderately selective school. The average family pays about $18,292 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Finance and Financial Management Services, Research and Experimental Psychology and Communication and Media Studies, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 88% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 6.3 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Ohio State University-Main Campus is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, Ohio State University-Main Campus admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 51%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1407 and an ACT composite around 29. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $18,292 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Ohio State University-Main Campus is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What parents should know about Ohio State University-Main Campus right now
Ohio State University's Columbus campus enrolls more than 60,000 students, with 65,405 across all locations, making it one of the largest universities in the country. For recent cycles, Ohio State admitted 38,532 of 88,508 applicants, a 43.5 percent admit rate, with middle-50 percent scores of SAT 1360 to 1500 and ACT 29 to 34, freshman retention of 93.9 percent, and an 88 percent six-year graduation rate. The most distinctive recent academic news, and one parents are likely to ask about, is the June 2025 announcement that Ohio State will require all undergraduates to develop foundational AI fluency in their coursework, regardless of major; the university plans to hire 100 tenure-track faculty with AI expertise by 2030 and runs the Ohio Supercomputer Center, one of the most powerful academic computing systems for AI development. Ohio State ranks 12th nationally in research and development spending at $1.58 billion in 2026 data. The 1,665-acre main campus sits 2.5 miles north of downtown Columbus with 41 residence halls and a $8.62 billion 2025 endowment. Parents should note recent leadership change with President Walter E. Carter Jr. resigning in March 2026, and statewide DEI program restrictions under the 2025 Advance Ohio Higher Education Act, both of which have shaped current campus operations and student programs.
What GPA does my child need for Ohio State University-Main Campus?
Ohio State University-Main Campus admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does Ohio State University-Main Campus weight in admissions?
Ohio State University-Main Campus reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Class rank
- • Academic GPA
- • Standardized test scores
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • First generation status
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Character/personal qualities
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Interview
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores Ohio State University-Main Campus typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 680–760, with an EBRW midpoint near 660. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 29–32. A score at or above this school's 75th percentile materially improves your child's odds, particularly when paired with a rigorous course load.
| 25th percentile | 1280 |
| 50th percentile | 1360 |
| 75th percentile | 1430 |
| % submitting SAT | 24% |
| 25th percentile | 26 |
| 50th percentile | 29 |
| 75th percentile | 32 |
| % submitting ACT | 40% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
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.
| Top 10% of class | 64% |
| Top 25% of class | 95% |
| Top 50% of class | 99% |
| % submitting class rank | 27% |
How much does Ohio State University-Main Campus actually cost?
Published tuition is $12,859 for in-state students and $38,365 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $14,272 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $18,292 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 19% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $12,545 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $44,430 |
| Room and board | $15,252 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $18,292 |
| Application fee | $60 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Ohio State University-Main Campus
| Regular deadline | January 15 |
| Notification date | March 31 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | November 1 |
Will my child graduate from Ohio State University-Main Campus?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Most popular majors at Ohio State University-Main Campus
The most popular undergraduate programs at Ohio State University-Main Campus, 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 University-Main Campus 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. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 813 | $93,666 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 593 | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 489 | $63,099 |
| Biology, General | 429 | $67,156 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | 416 | $70,008 |
| Marketing | 405 | $80,070 |
| Computer Engineering | 404 | $106,752 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 369 | $89,592 |
Is Ohio State University-Main Campus safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Ohio State University-Main Campus 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. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
What is campus life like at Ohio State University-Main Campus?
About 34% of undergraduates at Ohio State University-Main Campus live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 8% of men join a fraternity and 12% 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
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Ohio State University-Main Campus
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Ohio State University-Main Campus recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about Ohio State University-Main Campus
What GPA do I need for Ohio State University-Main Campus?
Ohio State University-Main Campus admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum.
What SAT or ACT score does Ohio State University-Main Campus typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 680–760, with an EBRW midpoint near 660. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 29–32.
How much does Ohio State University-Main Campus actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Ohio State University-Main Campus after grants and scholarships is $18,292 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is Ohio State University-Main Campus realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, Ohio State University-Main Campus is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at Ohio State University-Main Campus?
Ohio State University-Main Campus accepts about 51% of applicants out of roughly 72,829 who apply each year. That makes it a moderately selective school.
Is Ohio State University-Main Campus test-optional?
Yes. Ohio State University-Main Campus is test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at Ohio State University-Main Campus?
About 88% of students at Ohio State University-Main Campus graduate within six years. 94% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does Ohio State University-Main Campus look for in applicants?
Ohio State University-Main Campus rates course rigor, class rank, GPA and test scores as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is Ohio State University-Main Campus a public or private school, and where is it located?
Ohio State University-Main Campus is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio.
What are the most popular majors at Ohio State University-Main Campus?
The largest undergraduate majors at Ohio State University-Main Campus by annual graduates are Finance and Financial Management Services, Research and Experimental Psychology and Communication and Media Studies. The school awards about 3,918 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Ohio State University-Main Campus safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Ohio State University-Main Campus reported 289 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 6.3 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at Ohio State University-Main Campus?
At Ohio State University-Main Campus, 34% of undergraduates live on campus, 8% of men are in fraternities, 12% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Ohio State University-Main Campus, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.