BGSU vs. ONU

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

BGSU ONU
Location Bowling Green, OH Ada, OH
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 16,920 3,015
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #728 #211
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bgsu.edu onu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BGSU ONU
Tuition (In State) $11,272 $35,480
Tuition (Out of State) $19,845 $35,480
Room & Board $12,584 $12,900
Avg Net Price $20,485 $27,398
Avg Grant Aid $8,898 $24,235
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 97%

Admission

BGSU ONU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,447 6,625
Admitted 13,723 3,602
Acceptance Rate 78.7% 54.4%
Enrolled % 21.4% 18.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.78
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/25 25/30
SAT Range 990/1200 1160/1340
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 15, 2025

Academics

BGSU ONU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

BGSU ONU
Graduation Rate 58% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,600 $71,200
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

BGSU ONU
% Men 42% 52%
% Women 58% 48%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 84%
% Black 10% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

BGSU ONU
% In-State 88% 83%
% Out-of-State 11% 16%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is larger than than ONU based on total student enrollment (16,920 students vs. 3,015 students)

BGSU vs. ONU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BGSU or ONU?

  • Ohio Northern University is 214.8% more expensive to attend than BGSU for in-state tuition ($35,480.00 vs. $11,272.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 78.8% higher at ONU than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($35,480.00 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 ONU ($20,485 vs. $27,398)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bowling Green State University Main Campus are 2.5% lower than costs at Ohio Northern University ($12,584 vs. $12,900)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio Northern University than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (97% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio Northern University students is 172.4% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($24,235 vs. $8,898)

BGSU vs. ONU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ohio Northern University (1158) is 146 points higher than at BGSU (1012)
  • Incoming ONU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at BGSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman ONU 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 ONU (54.4%)

BGSU vs. ONU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ONU is higher than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (65% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Ohio Northern University earn on average $27,600 more per year than BGSU graduates after ten years. ($71,200 vs. $43,600)
  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than ONU graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • BGSU graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than ONU graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More ONU 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/