Davidson vs. Ohio State

Deciding between Davidson 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.

Davidson College
Ohio State University Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Davidson Davidson, NC
  • Ohio State Columbus, OH
  • Setting
  • Davidson Large Suburban
  • Ohio State Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Davidson 1,869
  • Ohio State 61,443
  • Type
  • Davidson Private 4 Year
  • Ohio State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Davidson #32
  • Ohio State #135
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Davidson Presbyterian Church (USA)
  • Ohio State -
  • Status
  • Davidson Non-profit
  • Ohio State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Davidson
  • Ohio State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Davidson $64,410
  • Ohio State $13,244
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Davidson $64,410
  • Ohio State $40,022
  • Room & Board
  • Davidson $17,100
  • Ohio State $14,738
  • Average Net Price
  • Davidson $27,720
  • Ohio State $19,783
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Davidson $51,755
  • Ohio State $13,151
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Davidson 65%
  • Ohio State 70%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Davidson 8,114
  • Ohio State 72,829
  • Admitted
  • Davidson 1,085
  • Ohio State 44,116
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Davidson 13.4%
  • Ohio State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Davidson 47.9%
  • Ohio State 21.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Davidson 1470
  • Ohio State 1400
  • Typical ACT score
  • Davidson 32
  • Ohio State 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • Davidson 3.81
  • Ohio State 3.76
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Davidson A-
  • Ohio State A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Davidson Exceptional
  • Ohio State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Davidson Very High
  • Ohio State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Davidson 31/34
  • Ohio State 28/32
  • SAT Range
  • Davidson 1400/1530
  • Ohio State 1310/1480
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Davidson Test optional
  • Ohio State Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Davidson Jan 7, 2027
  • Ohio State Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Davidson 8:1
  • Ohio State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Davidson
    • Social Sciences (28%)
    • Biology (11%)
    • Psychology (11%)
    • Foreign Languages (11%)
    • English and Literature (11%)
  • Ohio State
    • Business (18%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Engineering (9%)
    • Health Professions (8%)
    • Work and Family Studies (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Davidson 92%
  • Ohio State 80%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Davidson $63,500
  • Ohio State $50,600
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Davidson 89%
  • Ohio State 63%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Davidson $17,000
  • Ohio State $21,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Davidson $175
  • Ohio State $222

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Davidson 47%
  • Ohio State 48%
  • % Women
  • Davidson 53%
  • Ohio State 52%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Davidson Medium
  • Ohio State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Davidson No
  • Ohio State No
  • % White
  • Davidson 68%
  • Ohio State 71%
  • % Asian
  • Davidson 5%
  • Ohio State 6%
  • % Black
  • Davidson 7%
  • Ohio State 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Davidson 8%
  • Ohio State 4%
  • % Native American
  • Davidson 1%
  • Ohio State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Davidson 0%
  • Ohio State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Davidson 4%
  • Ohio State 3%
  • % International
  • Davidson 6%
  • Ohio State 7%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Davidson 1%
  • Ohio State 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Davidson 19%
  • Ohio State 64%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Davidson 68%
  • Ohio State 28%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Davidson College in Davidson, NC 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 Davidson based on total student enrollment (61,443 students vs. 1,869 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Davidson College is located in Davidson, NC (Large Suburban setting); Ohio State University Main Campus is in Columbus, OH (Large City setting).
  • Davidson College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Ohio State University Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Davidson College 8:1; Ohio State University Main Campus 16:1.

Davidson vs. Ohio State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Davidson 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 Ohio State University Main Campus than Davidson ($19,783 vs. $27,720).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ohio State University Main Campus are 13.8% lower than at Davidson College ($14,738 vs. $17,100).
  • Davidson College is 386.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Ohio State (about $51,166 more per year; $64,410.00 vs. $13,244.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 60.9% higher at Davidson than at Ohio State University Main Campus (about $24,388 more per year; $64,410.00 vs. $40,022.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Ohio State University Main Campus than at Davidson College (70% vs. 65%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Davidson College students is 293.5% larger than aid received by Ohio State University Main Campus students ($51,755 vs. $13,151).

Davidson vs. Ohio State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Davidson 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 Davidson.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Davidson College (1470) is 70 points higher than at Ohio State (1400).
  • Incoming Davidson students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 vs. 30 at Ohio State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Davidson College 1400/1530; Ohio State University Main Campus 1310/1480.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Davidson College 31/34; Ohio State University Main Campus 28/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Davidson - Test optional; Ohio State - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Davidson Jan 7, 2027; Ohio State Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Davidson students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Ohio State (3.76).
  • Ohio State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Davidson (13.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 47.9% at Davidson vs. 21.8% at Ohio State.

Davidson vs. Ohio State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Davidson 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).

  • Davidson College's six-year graduation rate (92%) is higher than Ohio State University Main Campus's (80%).
  • Graduates from Davidson College earn a median of about $12,900 more per year than Ohio State graduates about ten years after starting college ($63,500 vs. $50,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Davidson College graduates have a $4,500 lower median loan debt than Ohio State graduates ($17,000 vs. $21,500).
  • Among borrowers, Davidson graduates have an estimated $47 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Ohio State graduates ($175 vs. $222).
  • More Davidson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ohio State students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 63%)

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.