BGSU vs. OWU

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

 BGSU OWU
Location Bowling Green, OH Delaware, OH
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 16,920 1,410
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #728 #356
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bgsu.edu owu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BGSU OWU
Tuition (In State) $11,272 $49,262
Tuition (Out of State) $19,845 $49,262
Room & Board $12,584 $13,745
Avg Net Price $20,485 $27,311
Avg Grant Aid $8,898 $36,757
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 100%

Admission

 BGSU OWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,447 5,324
Admitted 13,723 2,778
Acceptance Rate 78.7% 52.2%
Enrolled % 21.4% 16.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.54
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/25 23/30
SAT Range 990/1200 1123/1358
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 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 BGSU OWU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)

Outcomes

 BGSU OWU
Graduation Rate 58% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,600 $49,600
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

 BGSU OWU
% Men 42% 44%
% Women 58% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 78% 70%
% Black 10% 8%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 BGSU OWU
% In-State 88% 66%
% Out-of-State 11% 27%

Campus

 BGSU OWU
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 OWU based on total student enrollment (16,920 students vs. 1,410 students)

BGSU vs. OWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BGSU or OWU?

  • Ohio Wesleyan University is 337% more expensive to attend than BGSU for in-state tuition ($49,262.00 vs. $11,272.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 148.2% higher at OWU than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($49,262.00 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 OWU ($20,485 vs. $27,311)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bowling Green State University Main Campus are 9.2% lower than costs at Ohio Wesleyan University ($12,584 vs. $13,745)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio Wesleyan University than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (100% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio Wesleyan University students is 313.1% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($36,757 vs. $8,898)

BGSU vs. OWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman BGSU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at OWU (3.54)
  • BGSU has a higher acceptance rate (78.7%) than OWU (52.2%)

BGSU vs. OWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at OWU is higher than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (61% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Ohio Wesleyan University earn on average $6,000 more per year than BGSU graduates after ten years. ($49,600 vs. $43,600)
  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than OWU graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • BGSU graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than OWU graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More OWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BGSU students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 53%)

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