Colleges › Ohio › Bowling Green State University-Main Campus
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus says yes to 81% of applicants. Focus less on getting in and more on what's below — starting with the $47,896 median earnings.
Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus anchors the college town of Bowling Green, OH, where the public campus and town largely share a footprint.
Its highest-earning path is Computer Engineering, where graduates median $93,626 four years out. 23.1% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 12,812 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 81.6% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1020 and 1230 — below the OH middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Bowling Green State University-Main Campus's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Bowling Green State University-Main Campus received 18,629 applications and admitted 15,016 (80.6%), with 3,114 enrolling.
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus is test-optional: scores are considered when submitted but not required. The 1020–1230 range below describes admitted students who chose to submit — typically Bowling Green State University-Main Campus's stronger testers — so treat it as the higher end of what gets in.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 510 | 560 | 620 |
| SAT Math | 510 | 550 | 610 |
| ACT Composite | 20 | 22 | 26 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
How Bowling Green State University-Main Campus compares
| Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | Ohio median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 81% | 76.5% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $14,460 | $29,500 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $47,896 | $52,356 | $53,781 |
At $47,896, ten-year earnings trail the state median ($52,356). Look at Bowling Green State University-Main Campus's major-level rows below before reading too much into the campus-wide number.
Cost, size & completion
In-state students pay $14,460 in tuition; crossing a state border raises that to $22,448. For non-residents, Bowling Green State University-Main Campus's $22,448 is the number to weigh against private options before assuming public means cheaper.
At 12,812 undergrads, Bowling Green State University-Main Campus is a mid-sized campus by U.S. standards.
63.7% graduate within six years. Roughly 36% don't — ask a Bowling Green State University-Main Campus tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at Bowling Green State University-Main Campus
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $93,626 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | $89,514 |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $86,245 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | $84,838 |
| Information Science/Studies | $84,273 |
| Construction Engineering | $82,365 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $79,291 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $78,798 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $77,880 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $76,659 |
| Air Transportation | $75,845 |
| Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other | $75,677 |
| Economics | $74,844 |
| Mathematics | $74,705 |
| International Business | $74,183 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | $73,290 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $70,583 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $70,493 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | $69,239 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | $66,280 |
| Marketing | $65,926 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $61,483 |
| Chemistry | $60,065 |
| Environmental Design | $59,873 |
| Business/Commerce, General | $59,221 |
| Political Science and Government | $58,254 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | $57,196 |
| Public Health | $56,114 |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | $54,796 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $54,424 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $54,274 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | $53,809 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | $53,620 |
| Interior Architecture | $53,592 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $52,818 |
| Graphic Communications | $52,388 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $52,068 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $51,758 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $51,385 |
| Social Work | $51,267 |
| History | $50,693 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $50,120 |
| Gerontology | $50,070 |
| International/Globalization Studies | $49,925 |
| Journalism | $48,803 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $47,937 |
| Biology, General | $47,131 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | $46,944 |
| Psychology, General | $46,481 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $46,341 |
| Special Education and Teaching | $45,224 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $45,168 |
| Education, Other | $45,147 |
| Music | $44,037 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $43,468 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $42,463 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $41,578 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $39,707 |
| Sociology | $38,346 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $37,094 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $36,036 |
Median earnings for these 61 Bowling Green State University-Main Campus programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $47,896 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 18 additional Bowling Green State University-Main Campus programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Bowling Green State University-Main Campus?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1020–1230 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 81% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Bowling Green State University-Main Campus's acceptance rate?
80.6% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 15,016 admitted from 18,629 applicants.
How much does Bowling Green State University-Main Campus cost?
In-state tuition is $14,460; out-of-state students pay $22,448. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do Bowling Green State University-Main Campus graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $47,896 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Ohio
- Bluffton University — 67.2% admitted
- Capital University — 70.2% admitted
- Cedarville University — 65.3% admitted
- Baldwin Wallace University — 75.7% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.