Houghton College vs. ONU

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

Houghton College ONU
Location Houghton, NY Ada, OH
Setting Remote Rural Distant Town
Enrollment 1,014 3,042
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #447 #231
Religious Affiliation Wesleyan United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website houghton.edu onu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Houghton College ONU
Tuition (In State) $16,690 $36,500
Tuition (Out of State) $16,690 $36,500
Room & Board $10,810 $13,200
Avg Net Price $22,358 $26,396
Avg Grant Aid $7,149 $26,120
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

Houghton College ONU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,068 4,537
Admitted 990 3,328
Acceptance Rate 92.7% 73.4%
Enrolled % 23.7% 17.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.78
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 25/29
SAT Range 1180/1390 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

Houghton College ONU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

Houghton College ONU
Graduation Rate 68% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,300 $71,200
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $263 $279

Diversity

Houghton College ONU
% Men 1% 6%
% Women 3% 9%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 84%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 2% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 11% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

Houghton College ONU
% In-State 57% 83%
% Out-of-State 43% 16%

Campus

Houghton College 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

  • Ohio Northern University is larger than than Houghton College based on total student enrollment (3,042 students vs. 1,014 students)

Houghton College vs. ONU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Houghton College or ONU?

  • Ohio Northern University is 118.7% more expensive to attend than Houghton College for in-state tuition ($36,500.00 vs. $16,690.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 118.7% higher at ONU than Houghton College ($36,500.00 vs. $16,690.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Houghton College than ONU ($22,358 vs. $26,396)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Houghton College are 22.1% lower than costs at Ohio Northern University ($10,810 vs. $13,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Houghton College than Ohio Northern University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio Northern University students is 265.4% larger than aid received Houghton College ($26,120 vs. $7,149)

Houghton College vs. ONU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ohio Northern University (1158) is 48 points higher than at Houghton College (1110)
  • Incoming ONU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Houghton College (25)
  • Accepted freshman ONU students have a 0.53 point higher average high school GPA (3.78) than students at Houghton College (3.25)
  • Houghton College has a higher acceptance rate (92.7%) than ONU (73.4%)

Houghton College vs. ONU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Houghton College 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 Houghton College.

  • The graduation rate at Houghton College is higher than Ohio Northern University (68% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Ohio Northern University earn on average $26,900 more per year than Houghton College graduates after ten years. ($71,200 vs. $44,300)
  • Houghton College students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than ONU graduates. ($25,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Houghton College graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than ONU graduates. ($263 vs. $279)
  • More ONU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Houghton College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 77%)

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