Ohio State acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Ohio State University-Main Campus · Public · Columbus, OH · 45,728 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Ohio State admitted 50.8% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 55.5% in 2013. Ohio residents pay $13,641 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $42,423.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 55.5% | 31,359 | 17,413 |
| 2014 | 53.0% | 36,788 | 19,484 |
| 2015 | 49.4% | 40,240 | 19,872 |
| 2016 | 54.1% | 44,845 | 24,265 |
| 2017 | 48.1% | 47,782 | 22,964 |
| 2018 | 52.0% | 48,077 | 24,988 |
| 2019 | 53.7% | 47,703 | 25,634 |
| 2020 | 68.5% | 49,087 | 33,619 |
| 2021 | 57.2% | 58,180 | 33,269 |
| 2022 | 52.7% | 65,189 | 34,370 |
| 2023 | 50.8% | 70,028 | 35,588 |
Applications went from 31,359 in fall 2013 to 70,028 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 | $6,061 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $5,538 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $9,708 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $18,203 |
| Over $110,000 | $27,873 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $13,641 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $42,423 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $31,162 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $17,269 |
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: 14% submitted the SAT, 35% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| University of Akron OH | 70.9% | $13,530 in-state |
| Bowling Green OH | 80.6% | $14,892 in-state |
| Miami University OH | 82.1% | $18,520 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Ohio State had 70,028 applicants for fall 2023 and enrolled a class from the 35,588 it admitted, giving an admit rate of 50.8%.1 Back in 2013 that rate was 55.5%, so the 2023 figure is 4.7 percentage points lower.1 The rate fell in 6 of the 10 yearly changes, and fall 2020 stands out at 68.5%.1 Applications rose 123%, from 31,359 to 70,028, while admits grew 104%.1
The college is test-optional. SAT scores were submitted by 14% of enrolled students and ACT scores by 35%.1 The middle 50% of SAT reading and writing scores spanned 650 to 720, math 680 to 760, and the ACT composite 29 to 32.1
Ohio residents pay $13,641 in tuition and fees for 2025-26, and non-residents pay $42,423.2 The in-state price is above the $11,856 median of the 20 public bachelor's colleges in Ohio.2 Average net price in 2024-25 was $6,061 for the lowest income band, $0 to $30,000, and $27,873 for families earning over $110,000.2
A graduation rate of 87% within 6 years for the 2019 entrants compares with a state median of 56% across 72 colleges.2 Former students earned a median of $67,080 in 2022-23, and the median federal loan debt for graduates was $19,500.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 70,028 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 35,588 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 8,062 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 45,728 | 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 | 650 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 720 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 680 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 760 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 29 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 32 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 14% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 35% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $13,641 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $42,423 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $31,162 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $17,269 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $6,061 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $5,538 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $9,708 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $18,203 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $27,873 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 87% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 94% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 23% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $67,080 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $19,500 | 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 Ohio State, 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