Northwestern vs. Ohio State

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

 Northwestern Ohio State
Location Evanston, IL Columbus, OH
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 23,161 60,540
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #15 #134
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northwestern.edu osu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northwestern Ohio State
Tuition (In State) $62,391 $11,525
Tuition (Out of State) $62,391 $35,762
Room & Board $19,440 $14,006
Avg Net Price $22,095 $19,582
Avg Grant Aid $61,716 $10,993
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 74%

Admission

 Northwestern Ohio State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,261 65,189
Admitted 3,695 34,370
Acceptance Rate 7.2% 52.7%
Enrolled % 55.2% 23.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.76
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35 29/32
SAT Range 1490/1570 1310/1480
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 1, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Northwestern Ohio State
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

 Northwestern Ohio State
Graduation Rate 94% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,800 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,378 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $200 $222

Diversity

 Northwestern Ohio State
% Men 46% 48%
% Women 54% 52%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 50% 71%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 12% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 8% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 Northwestern Ohio State
% In-State 22% 66%
% Out-of-State 67% 23%

Campus

 Northwestern Ohio State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Ohio State University is larger than than Northwestern based on total student enrollment (60,540 students vs. 23,161 students)

Northwestern vs. Ohio State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or Ohio State?

  • Northwestern University is 441.4% more expensive to attend than Ohio State for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $11,525.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 74.5% higher at Northwestern than Ohio State University ($62,391.00 vs. $35,762.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ohio State University than Northwestern ($19,582 vs. $22,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ohio State University are 38.8% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($14,006 vs. $19,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio State University than Northwestern University (74% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 461.4% larger than aid received Ohio State University ($61,716 vs. $10,993)

Northwestern vs. Ohio State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 165 points higher than at Ohio State (1295)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Ohio State (29)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Ohio State (3.76)
  • Ohio State has a higher acceptance rate (52.7%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

Northwestern vs. Ohio State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northwestern or Ohio State? 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 Ohio State and Northwestern.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than Ohio State University (94% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $39,200 more per year than Ohio State graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $50,600)
  • Northwestern University students graduate with a $2,122 lower median federal student loan debt than Ohio State graduates. ($19,378 vs. $21,500)
  • Northwestern graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Ohio State graduates. ($200 vs. $222)
  • More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ohio State students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 63%)

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