BGSU vs. JCU

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

 BGSU JCU
Location Bowling Green, OH University Heights, OH
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 16,920 2,922
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #728 #286
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bgsu.edu jcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BGSU JCU
Tuition (In State) $11,272 $45,490
Tuition (Out of State) $19,845 $45,490
Room & Board $12,584 $13,200
Avg Net Price $20,485 $30,496
Avg Grant Aid $8,898 $30,415
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 100%

Admission

 BGSU JCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,447 4,310
Admitted 13,723 3,550
Acceptance Rate 78.7% 82.4%
Enrolled % 21.4% 15.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.66
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 25/30
SAT Range 990/1200 1160/1320
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 JCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

 BGSU JCU
Graduation Rate 58% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,600 $57,600
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $26,939
Median Loan Payment $268 $278

Diversity

 BGSU JCU
% Men 42% 52%
% Women 58% 48%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 86%
% Black 10% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 BGSU JCU
% In-State 88% 66%
% Out-of-State 11% 34%

Campus

 BGSU JCU
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 JCU based on total student enrollment (16,920 students vs. 2,922 students)

BGSU vs. JCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BGSU or JCU?

  • John Carroll University is 303.6% more expensive to attend than BGSU for in-state tuition ($45,490.00 vs. $11,272.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 129.2% higher at JCU than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($45,490.00 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 JCU ($20,485 vs. $30,496)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bowling Green State University Main Campus are 4.9% lower than costs at John Carroll University ($12,584 vs. $13,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at John Carroll University than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (100% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by John Carroll University students is 241.8% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($30,415 vs. $8,898)

BGSU vs. JCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at John Carroll University (1127) is 115 points higher than at BGSU (1012)
  • Incoming JCU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at BGSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman JCU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at BGSU (3.6)
  • JCU has a higher acceptance rate (82.4%) than BGSU (78.7%)

BGSU vs. JCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at JCU is higher than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (71% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from John Carroll University earn on average $14,000 more per year than BGSU graduates after ten years. ($57,600 vs. $43,600)
  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus students graduate with a $939 lower median federal student loan debt than JCU graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,939)
  • BGSU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than JCU graduates. ($268 vs. $278)
  • More JCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BGSU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 53%)

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