BGSU vs. Denison

Should I go to Bowling Green State University Main Campus or Denison University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BGSU or Denison is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Bowling Green State University Main Campus vs. Denison University comparison
Bowling Green State University Main Campus Denison University College 3 College 4
Bowling Green State University Main Campus Denison University
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Overview

BGSU Denison
Location Bowling Green, OH Granville, OH
Setting Distant Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 17,027 2,405
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #687 #98
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bgsu.edu denison.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BGSU Denison
Tuition (In State) $11,611 $64,000
Tuition (Out of State) $19,600 $64,000
Room & Board $11,784 $15,400
Avg Net Price $20,987 $42,177
Avg Grant Aid $8,795 $34,723
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 95%

Admission

BGSU Denison
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,629 14,580
Admitted 15,016 2,468
Acceptance Rate 80.6% 16.9%
Enrolled % 20.7% 25.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.76
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Very High
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 20/26 29/32
SAT Range 1020/1230 1300/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

BGSU Denison
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

BGSU Denison
Graduation Rate 58% 79%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,600 $56,100
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $268

Diversity

BGSU Denison
% Men 7% 0%
% Women 11% 0%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 78% 66%
% Black 10% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 8%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

BGSU Denison
% In-State 87% 21%
% Out-of-State 12% 65%

Campus

BGSU Denison
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is larger than than Denison based on total student enrollment (17,027 students vs. 2,405 students)

BGSU vs. Denison Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BGSU or Denison?

  • Denison University is 451.2% more expensive to attend than BGSU for in-state tuition ($64,000.00 vs. $11,611.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 226.5% higher at Denison than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($64,000.00 vs. $19,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bowling Green State University Main Campus than Denison ($20,987 vs. $42,177)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bowling Green State University Main Campus are 30.7% lower than costs at Denison University ($11,784 vs. $15,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Denison University than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (95% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Denison University students is 294.8% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($34,723 vs. $8,795)

BGSU vs. Denison Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BGSU or Denison? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Denison or BGSU .

  • Accepted freshman Denison students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.76) than students at BGSU (3.6)
  • BGSU has a higher acceptance rate (80.6%) than Denison (16.9%)

BGSU vs. Denison Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BGSU or Denison? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Denison and BGSU.

  • The graduation rate at Denison is higher than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (79% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Denison University earn on average $12,500 more per year than BGSU graduates after ten years. ($56,100 vs. $43,600)
  • Denison University and BGSU graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($26,000 vs. $26,000)
  • Denison University and BGSU graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($268 vs. $268)
  • More Denison graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BGSU students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 53%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/