Columbus State vs. Ohio State

Deciding between Columbus State Community College and Ohio State University Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Columbus State Community College
Ohio State University Main Campus

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Columbus State Columbus, OH
  • Ohio State Columbus, OH
  • Setting
  • Columbus State Large City
  • Ohio State Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Columbus State 28,081
  • Ohio State 61,443
  • Type
  • Columbus State Public 2 Year
  • Ohio State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Columbus State
  • Ohio State #135
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Columbus State -
  • Ohio State -
  • Status
  • Columbus State Non-profit
  • Ohio State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Columbus State
  • Ohio State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Columbus State $5,488
  • Ohio State $13,244
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Columbus State $11,224
  • Ohio State $40,022
  • Room & Board
  • Columbus State $8,640
  • Ohio State $14,738
  • Average Net Price
  • Columbus State $8,108
  • Ohio State $19,783
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Columbus State $5,271
  • Ohio State $13,151
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Columbus State 67%
  • Ohio State 70%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Columbus State -
  • Ohio State 72,829
  • Admitted
  • Columbus State -
  • Ohio State 44,116
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Columbus State Open
  • Ohio State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Columbus State Open
  • Ohio State 21.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Columbus State
  • Ohio State 1400
  • Typical ACT score
  • Columbus State
  • Ohio State 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • Columbus State -
  • Ohio State 3.76
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Columbus State -
  • Ohio State A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Columbus State Unavailable
  • Ohio State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Columbus State
  • Ohio State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Columbus State
  • Ohio State 28/32
  • SAT Range
  • Columbus State
  • Ohio State 1310/1480
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Columbus State Open admission
  • Ohio State Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Columbus State Aug 21, 2027
  • Ohio State Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Columbus State 18:1
  • Ohio State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Columbus State
    • Health Professions (25%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
    • Business (15%)
    • Engineering Technology (13%)
    • Work and Family Studies (6%)
  • Ohio State
    • Business (18%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Engineering (9%)
    • Health Professions (8%)
    • Work and Family Studies (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Columbus State -
  • Ohio State 80%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Columbus State $34,600
  • Ohio State $50,600
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Columbus State 31%
  • Ohio State 63%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Columbus State N/A
  • Ohio State $21,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Columbus State N/A
  • Ohio State $222

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Columbus State 45%
  • Ohio State 48%
  • % Women
  • Columbus State 55%
  • Ohio State 52%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Columbus State Medium
  • Ohio State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Columbus State No
  • Ohio State No
  • % White
  • Columbus State 62%
  • Ohio State 71%
  • % Asian
  • Columbus State 3%
  • Ohio State 6%
  • % Black
  • Columbus State 21%
  • Ohio State 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Columbus State 5%
  • Ohio State 4%
  • % Native American
  • Columbus State 0%
  • Ohio State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Columbus State 0%
  • Ohio State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Columbus State 4%
  • Ohio State 3%
  • % International
  • Columbus State 1%
  • Ohio State 7%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Columbus State 4%
  • Ohio State 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Columbus State 96%
  • Ohio State 64%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Columbus State 1%
  • Ohio State 28%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Columbus State No
  • Ohio State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Columbus State No
  • Ohio State No
  • Meal Plan
  • Columbus State No
  • Ohio State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Columbus State Yes
  • Ohio State No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Columbus State Yes
  • Ohio State Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Columbus State Community College in Columbus, OH with Ohio State University Main Campus in Columbus, OH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Ohio State University Main Campus is larger than Columbus State based on total student enrollment (61,443 students vs. 28,081 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Columbus State Community College is located in Columbus, OH (Large City setting); Ohio State University Main Campus is in Columbus, OH (Large City setting).
  • Columbus State Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Ohio State University Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Columbus State Community College 18:1; Ohio State University Main Campus 16:1.

Columbus State vs. Ohio State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbus State or Ohio State? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbus State Community College than Ohio State ($8,108 vs. $19,783).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbus State Community College are 41.4% lower than at Ohio State University Main Campus ($8,640 vs. $14,738).
  • Ohio State University Main Campus is 141.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Columbus State (about $7,756 more per year; $13,244.00 vs. $5,488.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 256.6% higher at Ohio State than at Columbus State Community College (about $28,798 more per year; $40,022.00 vs. $11,224.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Ohio State University Main Campus than at Columbus State Community College (70% vs. 67%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio State University Main Campus students is 149.5% larger than aid received by Columbus State Community College students ($13,151 vs. $5,271).

Columbus State vs. Ohio State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Columbus State or Ohio State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Ohio State and Columbus State.

  • Columbus State Community College reports an open admissions policy.
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsOhio State University Main Campus 1310/1480.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsOhio State University Main Campus 28/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Columbus State - Open admission; Ohio State - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Columbus State Aug 21, 2027; Ohio State Feb 1, 2027.

Columbus State vs. Ohio State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Columbus State and Ohio State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Graduates from Ohio State University Main Campus earn a median of about $16,000 more per year than Columbus State graduates about ten years after starting college ($50,600 vs. $34,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More Ohio State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbus State students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 31%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.