Bowling Green acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus · Public · Bowling Green, OH · 14,014 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Bowling Green admitted 80.6% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 72.5% in 2013. Ohio residents pay $14,892 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $22,880.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 72.5% | 15,689 | 11,370 |
| 2014 | 53.4% | 14,509 | 7,743 |
| 2015 | 72.7% | 14,632 | 10,635 |
| 2016 | 76.1% | 15,291 | 11,629 |
| 2017 | 73.2% | 15,629 | 11,441 |
| 2018 | 72.3% | 17,034 | 12,311 |
| 2019 | 71.8% | 17,179 | 12,338 |
| 2020 | 75.3% | 17,341 | 13,057 |
| 2021 | 78.7% | 18,295 | 14,404 |
| 2022 | 78.7% | 17,447 | 13,723 |
| 2023 | 80.6% | 18,629 | 15,016 |
Applications went from 15,689 in fall 2013 to 18,629 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $17,881 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $16,662 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $18,793 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $22,860 |
| Over $110,000 | $25,624 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $14,892 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $22,880 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $31,674 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $21,453 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 18% submitted the SAT, 68% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Miami University OH | 82.1% | $18,520 in-state |
| Ohio University OH | 84.8% | $14,582 in-state |
| Kent State OH | 86.6% | $13,628 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Bowling Green State University received 18,629 applications for fall 2023, and the admit rate was 80.6%.1 The 2013 rate was 72.5%, so the rate is up 8.1 percentage points.1 Declines occurred in 4 of the 10 yearly changes, including a sharp low of 53.4% in 2014.1 In 2023 the rate was 1.9 percentage points higher than in 2022.1 Since 2013, applications are up 19%, and the number of admits is up 32%, now at 15,016 compared with 11,370.1
The test policy is optional. ACT scores came from 68% of entrants, with a middle 50% of 20 to 26, and SAT scores from 18%.1
Ohio residents are billed $14,892 in tuition and fees for 2025-26, and out-of-state students $22,880.2 Resident tuition is above the $11,856 median of the 20 public bachelor's colleges in Ohio.2 Average net price in 2024-25 was $17,881 for families earning $0 to $30,000, $18,793 for $48,001 to $75,000, and $25,624 for incomes over $110,000.2
Graduation within 6 years was 66% for the 2019 entering group, compared with a 56% median across 72 Ohio bachelor's colleges.2 Former students earned a median of $52,269 at the 10 year mark after entry. Graduates with federal loans owed a median of $23,250.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 18,629 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 15,016 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 3,114 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 14,014 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 510 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 620 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 510 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 610 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 20 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 26 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 18% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 68% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $14,892 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $22,880 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $31,674 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $21,453 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $17,881 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $16,662 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $18,793 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $22,860 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $25,624 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 66% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 82% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 28% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $52,269 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $23,250 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, Ohio (N = 20) | $11,856 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Ohio (N = 72) | 56% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Bowling Green, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page