Elon vs. ONU

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

Elon ONU
Location Elon, NC Ada, OH
Setting Small Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 7,123 3,015
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #116 #211
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website elon.edu onu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Elon ONU
Tuition (In State) $41,734 $35,480
Tuition (Out of State) $41,734 $35,480
Room & Board $13,886 $12,900
Avg Net Price $41,527 $27,398
Avg Grant Aid $13,880 $24,235
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 97%

Admission

Elon ONU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,551 6,625
Admitted 13,069 3,602
Acceptance Rate 74.5% 54.4%
Enrolled % 12.9% 18.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.78
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/30 25/30
SAT Range 1170/1360 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 Jan 10, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Elon ONU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

Elon ONU
Graduation Rate 82% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,200 $71,200
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $240 $279

Diversity

Elon ONU
% Men 40% 52%
% Women 60% 48%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 84%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

Elon ONU
% In-State 18% 83%
% Out-of-State 80% 16%

Campus

Elon 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

  • Elon University is larger than than ONU based on total student enrollment (7,123 students vs. 3,015 students)

Elon vs. ONU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Elon or ONU?

  • Elon University is 17.6% more expensive to attend than ONU for in-state tuition ($41,734.00 vs. $35,480.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.6% higher at Elon than Ohio Northern University ($41,734.00 vs. $35,480.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ohio Northern University than Elon ($27,398 vs. $41,527)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ohio Northern University are 7.6% lower than costs at Elon University ($12,900 vs. $13,886)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio Northern University than Elon University (97% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio Northern University students is 74.6% larger than aid received Elon University ($24,235 vs. $13,880)

Elon vs. ONU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Elon University (1211) is 53 points higher than at ONU (1158)
  • Incoming Elon students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at ONU (26)
  • Accepted freshman ONU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.78) than students at Elon (3.65)
  • Elon has a higher acceptance rate (74.5%) than ONU (54.4%)

Elon vs. ONU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Elon 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 Elon.

  • The graduation rate at Elon is higher than Ohio Northern University (82% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Ohio Northern University earn on average $15,000 more per year than Elon graduates after ten years. ($71,200 vs. $56,200)
  • Elon University students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than ONU graduates. ($23,250 vs. $27,000)
  • Elon graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than ONU graduates. ($240 vs. $279)
  • More Elon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ONU students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 82%)

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