BGSU vs. Oberlin

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

 BGSU Oberlin
Location Bowling Green, OH Oberlin, OH
Setting Distant Town Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 17,027 2,976
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #687 #155
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bgsu.edu oberlin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BGSU Oberlin
Tuition (In State) $11,611 $63,700
Tuition (Out of State) $19,600 $63,700
Room & Board $11,784 $18,942
Avg Net Price $20,987 $50,484
Avg Grant Aid $8,795 $33,746
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 99%

Admission

 BGSU Oberlin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,629 11,039
Admitted 15,016 3,641
Acceptance Rate 80.6% 33%
Enrolled % 20.7% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 20/26 30/33
SAT Range 1020/1230 1370/1510
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 Oberlin
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%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (26%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)

Outcomes

 BGSU Oberlin
Graduation Rate 58% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,600 $43,900
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $26,579
Median Loan Payment $268 $274

Diversity

 BGSU Oberlin
% Men 7% 0%
% Women 11% 0%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 78% 68%
% Black 10% 5%
% Hispanic 4% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 2% 8%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 BGSU Oberlin
% In-State 87% 6%
% Out-of-State 12% 84%

Campus

 BGSU Oberlin
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 Oberlin based on total student enrollment (17,027 students vs. 2,976 students)

BGSU vs. Oberlin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BGSU or Oberlin?

  • Oberlin College is 448.6% more expensive to attend than BGSU for in-state tuition ($63,700.00 vs. $11,611.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 225% higher at Oberlin than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($63,700.00 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 Oberlin ($20,987 vs. $50,484)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bowling Green State University Main Campus are 60.7% lower than costs at Oberlin College ($11,784 vs. $18,942)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Oberlin College than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (99% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Oberlin College students is 283.7% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($33,746 vs. $8,795)

BGSU vs. Oberlin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Oberlin College (1357) is 345 points higher than at BGSU (1012)
  • Incoming Oberlin students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at BGSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Oberlin students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at BGSU (3.6)
  • BGSU has a higher acceptance rate (80.6%) than Oberlin (33%)

BGSU vs. Oberlin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Oberlin is higher than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (88% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Oberlin College earn on average $300 more per year than BGSU graduates after ten years. ($43,900 vs. $43,600)
  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus students graduate with a $579 lower median federal student loan debt than Oberlin graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,579)
  • BGSU graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Oberlin graduates. ($268 vs. $274)
  • More Oberlin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BGSU students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 53%)

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