University of Cincinnati-Main Campus: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Athens, Ohio · Public · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus is a public university in Athens, Ohio that admits about 85% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $20,413 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods and Data Analytics, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 65% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 2.6 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus is a public institution located in Athens, Ohio. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of Cincinnati-Main Campus admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 85%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1212 and an ACT composite around 25. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $20,413 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of Cincinnati-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 GPA does my child need for University of Cincinnati-Main Campus?
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. 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 University of Cincinnati-Main Campus weight in admissions?
University of Cincinnati-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
- • Academic GPA
- • Class rank
- • Standardized test scores
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Interview
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores University of Cincinnati-Main Campus typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 540–640, with an EBRW midpoint near 595. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 22–28. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 1100 |
| 50th percentile | 1200 |
| 75th percentile | 1280 |
| % submitting SAT | 12% |
| 25th percentile | 22 |
| 50th percentile | 25 |
| 75th percentile | 28 |
| % submitting ACT | 33% |
- • 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 | 23% |
| Top 25% of class | 50% |
| Top 50% of class | 84% |
| % submitting class rank | % |
How much does University of Cincinnati-Main Campus actually cost?
Published tuition is $13,746 for in-state students and $24,114 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $13,594 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $20,413 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 20% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | — |
| Room and board | — |
| Average net price (after aid) | $20,413 |
| Application fee | $50 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
| Regular deadline | 2/1 |
| Notification date | Rolling beginning 15-Sep |
| Reply deadline | 1-May |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | 11/15 |
Will my child graduate from University of Cincinnati-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 University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
The most popular undergraduate programs at University of Cincinnati-Main Campus, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods and Data Analytics. Across all programs, University of Cincinnati-Main Campus confers roughly 3,049 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing program report a median income of about $83,524 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 1,657 | $83,524 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 283 | $43,853 |
| Data Analytics | 222 | — |
| Psychology, General | 211 | $48,047 |
| Marketing | 204 | $72,872 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | 167 | $54,995 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 164 | $53,307 |
| Journalism | 141 | $58,976 |
Is University of Cincinnati-Main Campus safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), University of Cincinnati-Main Campus disclosed 51 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 2.6 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 0 violent offenses and 29 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.
Other colleges in Ohio parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of Cincinnati-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 University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
What GPA do I need for University of Cincinnati-Main Campus?
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does University of Cincinnati-Main Campus typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 540–640, with an EBRW midpoint near 595. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 22–28.
How much does University of Cincinnati-Main Campus actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Cincinnati-Main Campus after grants and scholarships is $20,413 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 University of Cincinnati-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, University of Cincinnati-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 University of Cincinnati-Main Campus?
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus accepts about 85% of applicants out of roughly 27,105 who apply each year. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is University of Cincinnati-Main Campus test-optional?
Yes. University of Cincinnati-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 University of Cincinnati-Main Campus?
About 65% of students at University of Cincinnati-Main Campus graduate within six years. 84% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does University of Cincinnati-Main Campus look for in applicants?
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus rates course rigor and GPA as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is University of Cincinnati-Main Campus a public or private school, and where is it located?
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus is a public institution located in Athens, Ohio.
What are the most popular majors at University of Cincinnati-Main Campus?
The largest undergraduate majors at University of Cincinnati-Main Campus by annual graduates are Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods and Data Analytics. The school awards about 3,049 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is University of Cincinnati-Main Campus safe? What is its campus crime rate?
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus reported 51 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 2.6 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by University of Cincinnati-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.