Colleges › Ohio › Ohio State University-Main Campus
Ohio State University-Main Campus
Most applicants get into Ohio State University-Main Campus — 60.6% were admitted — so the real questions are cost, fit and outcomes, covered below.
Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →
Ohio State University-Main Campus sits in Columbus proper — a public campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. It carries a land-grant charter — the 1862 mandate that ties it to agricultural and practical education. The university runs its own medical system, which colors both its budget and its biggest programs.
Its highest-earning path is Computer Engineering, where graduates median $123,731 four years out. Faculty pay averages $172,632 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 45,638 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 94.2% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1330 and 1480 — above the OH middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Ohio State University-Main Campus's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
You can apply to Ohio State University-Main Campus without scores. Among admitted students who did submit, the middle half landed between 1330 and 1480; applicants below that range often simply apply without them.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 650 | 680 | 720 |
| SAT Math | 680 | 720 | 760 |
| ACT Composite | 29 | 31 | 32 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Ohio State University-Main Campus received 70,028 applications and admitted 35,588 (50.8%), with 8,062 enrolling.
How Ohio State University-Main Campus compares
| Ohio State University-Main Campus | Ohio median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 60.6% | 76.5% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $13,244 | $29,500 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $60,409 | $52,356 | $53,781 |
Ten years after enrolling, the median Ohio State University-Main Campus student earns $60,409 — 15% above the Ohio median of $52,356 for college-goers.
Cost, size & completion
As a public university, Ohio State University-Main Campus prices by residency: $13,244 in-state versus $40,022 out-of-state — a $26,778 gap that makes state lines part of the decision.
45,638 undergraduates make Ohio State University-Main Campus a large campus: broad course catalogs and big intro lectures come as a package.
87.7% of Ohio State University-Main Campus students finish a bachelor's within six years — 32.9 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $13,244 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at Ohio State University-Main Campus
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $123,731 |
| Applied Mathematics | $120,495 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $118,833 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $111,500 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | $110,192 |
| Industrial Engineering | $106,932 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $99,400 |
| Chemical Engineering | $98,851 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $97,986 |
| Engineering, Other | $97,144 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | $96,843 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $96,418 |
| Physics | $94,543 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | $92,999 |
| Real Estate | $91,213 |
| Engineering Physics | $90,938 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $90,850 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $90,065 |
| Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other | $88,205 |
| Materials Engineering | $86,084 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $85,586 |
| Civil Engineering | $85,202 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | $82,371 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $81,917 |
| Mathematics | $81,909 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $81,795 |
| International Business | $81,473 |
| Marketing | $81,119 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | $80,775 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $80,315 |
| Air Transportation | $79,114 |
| Economics | $75,485 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | $74,601 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | $73,594 |
| Chemistry | $71,559 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | $71,189 |
| Food Science and Technology | $70,537 |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | $70,429 |
| Public Health | $70,369 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $68,942 |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $68,688 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $68,480 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $68,151 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $67,381 |
| Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies | $67,018 |
| International/Globalization Studies | $66,995 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $66,603 |
| Apparel and Textiles | $66,256 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $66,222 |
| Architecture | $66,131 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $66,064 |
| Political Science and Government | $65,972 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | $65,920 |
| Public Policy Analysis | $65,894 |
| Landscape Architecture | $65,828 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | $65,407 |
| Business/Commerce, General | $65,374 |
| Biology, General | $64,324 |
| Genetics | $63,767 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $62,096 |
| Public Administration | $60,678 |
| Geography and Cartography | $60,363 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $59,072 |
| Criminology | $58,865 |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | $58,821 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $58,235 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $58,119 |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | $57,859 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | $57,797 |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | $57,573 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $57,541 |
| Plant Sciences | $56,812 |
| Philosophy | $55,823 |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | $54,860 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $54,529 |
| Psychology, General | $54,182 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $53,381 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | $53,039 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | $52,528 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $52,459 |
| Music | $51,310 |
| Journalism | $51,280 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $50,921 |
| Animal Sciences | $50,769 |
| Social Work | $50,596 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $50,565 |
| Sociology | $50,457 |
| Special Education and Teaching | $50,194 |
| Anthropology | $50,055 |
| History | $49,986 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $48,301 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $46,899 |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $46,527 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $45,969 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | $45,501 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | $44,941 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | $42,187 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $40,713 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $37,445 |
Median earnings for these 99 Ohio State University-Main Campus programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $60,409 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 30 additional Ohio State University-Main Campus programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Ohio State University-Main Campus?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1330–1480 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 60.6% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Ohio State University-Main Campus's acceptance rate?
50.8% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 35,588 admitted from 70,028 applicants.
How much does Ohio State University-Main Campus cost?
In-state tuition is $13,244; out-of-state students pay $40,022. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do Ohio State University-Main Campus graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $60,409 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Ohio
- Ohio University-Main Campus — 85% admitted
- Otterbein University — 84.5% admitted
- Ohio Northern University — 74.4% admitted
- Professional Skills Institute — 83.1% 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.