BGSU vs. Marshall University

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

BGSU Marshall University
Location Bowling Green, OH Huntington, WV
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 16,920 10,691
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #728 #813
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bgsu.edu marshall.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BGSU Marshall University
Tuition (In State) $11,272 $7,190
Tuition (Out of State) $19,845 $18,244
Room & Board $12,584 $11,840
Avg Net Price $20,485 $8,756
Avg Grant Aid $8,898 $11,221
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 96%

Admission

BGSU Marshall University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,447 6,356
Admitted 13,723 6,158
Acceptance Rate 78.7% 96.9%
Enrolled % 21.4% 25.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 19/25
SAT Range 990/1200 930/1150
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 Aug 10, 2025

Academics

BGSU Marshall University
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%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

BGSU Marshall University
Graduation Rate 58% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,600 $40,200
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $23,134
Median Loan Payment $268 $239

Diversity

BGSU Marshall University
% Men 42% 40%
% Women 58% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 84%
% Black 10% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

BGSU Marshall University
% In-State 88% 79%
% Out-of-State 11% 20%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is larger than than Marshall University based on total student enrollment (16,920 students vs. 10,691 students)

BGSU vs. Marshall University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BGSU or Marshall University?

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is 56.8% more expensive to attend than Marshall University for in-state tuition ($11,272.00 vs. $7,190.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.8% higher at BGSU than Marshall University ($19,845.00 vs. $18,244.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Marshall University than BGSU ($8,756 vs. $20,485)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Marshall University are 6.3% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($11,840 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Marshall University than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (96% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Marshall University students is 26.1% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($11,221 vs. $8,898)

BGSU vs. Marshall University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Marshall University (1028) is 16 points higher than at BGSU (1012)
  • Incoming Marshall University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at BGSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Marshall University students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at BGSU (3.6)
  • Marshall University has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than BGSU (78.7%)

BGSU vs. Marshall University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BGSU or Marshall University? 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 Marshall University and BGSU.

  • The graduation rate at BGSU is higher than Marshall University (58% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Bowling Green State University Main Campus earn on average $3,400 more per year than Marshall University graduates after ten years. ($43,600 vs. $40,200)
  • Marshall University students graduate with a $2,866 lower median federal student loan debt than BGSU graduates. ($23,134 vs. $26,000)
  • Marshall University graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than BGSU graduates. ($239 vs. $268)
  • More BGSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Marshall University students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 43%)

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