Drake vs. ONU

Should I go to Drake University or Ohio Northern University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Drake 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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Drake University vs. Ohio Northern University comparison
Drake University Ohio Northern University College 3 College 4
Drake University Ohio Northern University
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Overview

Drake ONU
Location Des Moines, IA Ada, OH
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 4,504 3,042
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #135 #231
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website drake.edu onu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Drake ONU
Tuition (In State) $49,466 $36,500
Tuition (Out of State) $49,466 $36,500
Room & Board $11,858 $13,200
Avg Net Price $30,886 $26,396
Avg Grant Aid $31,783 $26,120
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

Drake ONU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,741 4,537
Admitted 4,964 3,328
Acceptance Rate 64.1% 73.4%
Enrolled % 12.9% 17.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.78
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 24/30 25/29
SAT Range 1190/1390 1173/1376
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 Aug 15, 2026

Academics

Drake ONU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

Drake ONU
Graduation Rate 75% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,500 $71,200
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

Drake ONU
% Men 14% 6%
% Women 26% 9%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 84%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 7% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Drake ONU
% In-State 41% 83%
% Out-of-State 56% 16%

Campus

Drake 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

  • Drake University is larger than than ONU based on total student enrollment (4,504 students vs. 3,042 students)

Drake vs. ONU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Drake or ONU?

  • Drake University is 35.5% more expensive to attend than ONU for in-state tuition ($49,466.00 vs. $36,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.5% higher at Drake than Ohio Northern University ($49,466.00 vs. $36,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ohio Northern University than Drake ($26,396 vs. $30,886)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Drake University are 11.3% lower than costs at Ohio Northern University ($11,858 vs. $13,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Drake University than Ohio Northern University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Drake University students is 21.7% larger than aid received Ohio Northern University ($31,783 vs. $26,120)

Drake vs. ONU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Drake University (1224) is 66 points higher than at ONU (1158)
  • Incoming Drake students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at ONU (26)
  • Accepted freshman ONU students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.78) than students at Drake (3.7)
  • ONU has a higher acceptance rate (73.4%) than Drake (64.1%)

Drake vs. ONU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Drake 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 Drake.

  • The graduation rate at Drake is higher than Ohio Northern University (75% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Ohio Northern University earn on average $2,700 more per year than Drake graduates after ten years. ($71,200 vs. $68,500)
  • Drake University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than ONU graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Drake graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than ONU graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More Drake graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ONU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 82%)

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