BGSU vs. Franciscan

Should I go to Bowling Green State University Main Campus or Franciscan University of Steubenville? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BGSU or Franciscan 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. Franciscan University of Steubenville comparison
Bowling Green State University Main Campus Franciscan University of Steubenville College 3 College 4
Bowling Green State University Main Campus Franciscan University of Steubenville
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Overview

BGSU Franciscan
Location Bowling Green, OH Steubenville, OH
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 16,920 3,656
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #728 #488
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bgsu.edu franciscan.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BGSU Franciscan
Tuition (In State) $11,272 $30,620
Tuition (Out of State) $19,845 $30,620
Room & Board $12,584 $9,390
Avg Net Price $20,485 $25,310
Avg Grant Aid $8,898 $16,779
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 99%

Admission

BGSU Franciscan
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,447 2,456
Admitted 13,723 1,637
Acceptance Rate 78.7% 66.7%
Enrolled % 21.4% 40.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.78
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/25 22/28
SAT Range 990/1200 1100/1320
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, 2025

Academics

BGSU Franciscan
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (30%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

BGSU Franciscan
Graduation Rate 58% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,600 $39,800
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $227

Diversity

BGSU Franciscan
% Men 42% 43%
% Women 58% 57%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 83%
% Black 10% 1%
% Hispanic 4% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

BGSU Franciscan
% In-State 88% 17%
% Out-of-State 11% 82%

Campus

BGSU Franciscan
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 Franciscan based on total student enrollment (16,920 students vs. 3,656 students)

BGSU vs. Franciscan Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BGSU or Franciscan?

  • Franciscan University of Steubenville is 171.6% more expensive to attend than BGSU for in-state tuition ($30,620.00 vs. $11,272.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 54.3% higher at Franciscan than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($30,620.00 vs. $19,845.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bowling Green State University Main Campus than Franciscan ($20,485 vs. $25,310)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Franciscan University of Steubenville are 34% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($9,390 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Franciscan University of Steubenville than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (99% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Franciscan University of Steubenville students is 88.6% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($16,779 vs. $8,898)

BGSU vs. Franciscan Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Franciscan University of Steubenville (1165) is 153 points higher than at BGSU (1012)
  • Incoming Franciscan students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at BGSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Franciscan students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.78) than students at BGSU (3.6)
  • BGSU has a higher acceptance rate (78.7%) than Franciscan (66.7%)

BGSU vs. Franciscan Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BGSU or Franciscan? 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 Franciscan and BGSU.

  • The graduation rate at Franciscan is higher than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (70% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Bowling Green State University Main Campus earn on average $3,800 more per year than Franciscan graduates after ten years. ($43,600 vs. $39,800)
  • Franciscan University of Steubenville students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BGSU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $26,000)
  • Franciscan graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than BGSU graduates. ($227 vs. $268)
  • More Franciscan graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BGSU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 53%)

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