Ohio State University-Main Campus
Ohio State University-Main Campus — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
Ohio State University-Main Campus at a Glance
The Ohio State University is a public research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1870, it is the flagship institution of the University System of Ohio. It is designated a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant university by the government of Ohio.
1870
156 years old
$8.6B
$8.62 billion (2025)
60,046
45,728 undergrad · 14,318 grad
7,310
1,665 acres
Identity
How to Apply to Ohio State University-Main Campus
Official admissions pageNovember 1 (early action)
2 required
Recommendation letters
Fee waiver
Is Ohio State University-Main Campus Worth It?
Ohio State University-Main Campus delivers solid financial returns for its graduates. At $17,339/year, it's priced 15% below average, while graduates go on to earn $60,409 — 12% above the national average.
The investment pays for itself in just 1.1 years — among the fastest payback periods of any college we track.
With a 88% graduation rate, the vast majority of students finish their degree and reach these earning outcomes.
Bottom line: Ohio State University-Main Campus delivers strong financial returns that justify the investment for most students.
How Ohio State University-Main Campus compares to peer public colleges of similar tier nationally
Ranked #2 of 9 on value score. Peers are matched by size, median earnings, SAT, and admission rate — not just geography.
| Rank | College | Value | Net price / yr | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Utah Valley University | 94 | $6,376 | $55,486 |
| #2 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 76 | $17,339 | $60,409 |
| #3 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 67 | $22,383 | $71,631 |
| #4 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 64 | $24,406 | $74,479 |
| #5 | University of Connecticut | 62 | $25,097 | $73,997 |
| #6 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | 46 | $30,434 | $66,125 |
Peer group: public colleges within ±60% of Ohio State University-Main Campus's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%).
Best Programs at Ohio State University-Main Campus
The highest-earning program at Ohio State University-Main Campus is Engineering, Other at $71,800/year (4 years after graduation). The lowest is Dance at $19,800/year.
Your major matters more than the school name — a Engineering, Other graduate from Ohio State University-Main Campus earns $71,800, while a Dance graduate earns $19,800. That's more than a 2× difference from the same institution. Choose your program carefully — it's the single biggest lever you control.
Debt also varies by program: Engineering, Other graduates carry $27,000 in median debt vs. $24,423 for Dance.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $17,339/yr net price × 4 years
Earnings Premium
vs. national average of $53,787/yr
Payback Period
Time to recoup the total cost through higher earnings
10-Year Net Gain
Median earnings over 10 years minus total cost of attendance
Programs & Earnings by Major
Graduate earnings data by field of study (4 years after graduation):
| Major | Earnings (4yr) | Earnings (1yr) | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering, Other | $71,800 | $71,800 | $27,000 |
| Industrial Engineering | $70,700 | $70,700 | $24,250 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $70,600 | $70,600 | $23,600 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering | $69,700 | $69,700 | $22,715 |
| Computer Engineering | $69,000 | $69,000 | $20,500 |
| Materials Engineering | $67,800 | $67,800 | $27,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | $66,700 | $66,700 | $23,000 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $63,700 | $63,700 | $20,000 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering | $62,700 | $62,700 | $27,000 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $60,300 | $60,300 | $16,500 |
| Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences, Other | $59,600 | $59,600 | $25,500 |
| Civil Engineering | $58,800 | $58,800 | $26,457 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | $57,900 | $57,900 | $27,000 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $57,600 | $57,600 | $21,000 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | $57,400 | $57,400 | $20,435 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $56,600 | $56,600 | $22,517 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $56,200 | $56,200 | $23,483 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $55,300 | $55,300 | $20,053 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | $55,200 | $55,200 | $22,500 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $55,000 | $55,000 | $21,225 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $54,100 | $54,100 | $20,500 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $52,900 | $52,900 | $24,990 |
| Physics | $51,800 | $51,800 | $26,026 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | $51,800 | $51,800 | $21,750 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | $50,400 | $50,400 | $25,000 |
| Food Science and Technology | $49,100 | $49,100 | $24,130 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $48,100 | $48,100 | $21,500 |
| International Business | $47,700 | $47,700 | $21,026 |
| Real Estate | $47,600 | $47,600 | $19,500 |
| Marketing | $47,000 | $47,000 | $20,500 |
| Landscape Architecture | $46,300 | $46,300 | $25,050 |
| Business/Commerce, General | $44,700 | $44,700 | $23,398 |
| Agricultural and Food Products Processing | $44,100 | $44,100 | $23,500 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $43,700 | $43,700 | $20,495 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | $43,700 | $43,700 | $21,358 |
| Chemistry | $42,500 | $42,500 | $19,750 |
| Air Transportation | $41,000 | $41,000 | $27,500 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $40,500 | $40,500 | $22,500 |
| Mathematics | $40,400 | $40,400 | $23,250 |
| Plant Sciences | $40,200 | $40,200 | $19,500 |
| Architecture | $39,500 | $39,500 | $27,000 |
| Economics | $39,400 | $39,400 | $20,287 |
| Apparel and Textiles | $39,100 | $39,100 | $22,000 |
| Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies | $38,300 | $38,300 | $22,187 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $38,000 | $38,000 | $20,649 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $37,900 | $37,900 | $20,500 |
| Geography and Cartography | $36,700 | $36,700 | $28,000 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | $36,400 | $36,400 | $23,010 |
| Special Education and Teaching | $35,800 | $35,800 | $23,150 |
| Public Administration | $35,800 | $35,800 | $21,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $35,100 | $35,100 | $21,805 |
| Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate) | $35,000 | $35,000 | $20,500 |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | $34,500 | $34,500 | $19,000 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $34,100 | $34,100 | $12,000 |
| Political Science and Government | $34,100 | $34,100 | $20,550 |
| Criminology | $34,000 | $34,000 | $21,500 |
| Sociology | $33,700 | $33,700 | $23,029 |
| Journalism | $33,400 | $33,400 | $20,500 |
| City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning | $33,300 | $33,300 | $20,500 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $33,200 | $33,200 | $14,000 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $33,100 | $33,100 | $23,134 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $33,100 | $33,100 | $22,640 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | $33,100 | $33,100 | $21,500 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $33,000 | $33,000 | $25,833 |
| Animal Sciences | $32,800 | $32,800 | $22,500 |
| Public Health | $32,700 | $32,700 | $20,277 |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $32,500 | $32,500 | $21,217 |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | $32,200 | $32,200 | $19,250 |
| Health and Physical Education/Fitness | $31,900 | $31,900 | $21,500 |
| Genetics | $31,700 | $31,700 | $26,927 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $31,100 | $31,100 | $24,250 |
| Social Work | $31,000 | $31,000 | $24,096 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $29,900 | $29,900 | $20,961 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $29,800 | $29,800 | $22,850 |
| Biology, General | $29,700 | $29,700 | $21,781 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $29,500 | $29,500 | $24,333 |
| Psychology, General | $29,100 | $29,100 | $22,985 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $29,000 | $29,000 | $16,933 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | $28,800 | $28,800 | $24,487 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | $28,800 | $28,800 | $21,625 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $28,600 | $28,600 | $21,500 |
| History | $27,700 | $27,700 | $21,540 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | $26,600 | $26,600 | $20,069 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $26,500 | $26,500 | $25,000 |
| Natural Resources Management and Policy | $25,900 | $25,900 | $24,500 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $25,700 | $25,700 | $21,500 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $24,400 | $24,400 | $25,250 |
| Anthropology | $24,000 | $24,000 | $25,740 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | $23,400 | $23,400 | $22,500 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $23,200 | $23,200 | $23,236 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $21,300 | $21,300 | $21,500 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | $19,800 | $19,800 | $23,500 |
| Dance | $19,800 | $19,800 | $24,423 |
Similar Colleges in OH
Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- public
- Location
- Columbus, OH
- Student Body
- 45,638 students
- Admission Rate
- 61%
- Graduation Rate
- 88%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $17,339
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $60,409
- Median Student Debt
- $19,976