ONU vs. Arcadia

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

ONU Arcadia
Location Ada, OH Glenside, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,015 3,026
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #211 #502
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website onu.edu arcadia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ONU Arcadia
Tuition (In State) $35,480 $46,430
Tuition (Out of State) $35,480 $46,430
Room & Board $12,900 $13,720
Avg Net Price $27,398 $29,692
Avg Grant Aid $24,235 $30,934
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 99%

Admission

ONU Arcadia
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,625 6,321
Admitted 3,602 4,903
Acceptance Rate 54.4% 77.6%
Enrolled % 18.5% 10%
Avg High School GPA 3.78 3.42
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30 24/29
SAT Range 1160/1340 1088/1320
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, 2025

Academics

ONU Arcadia
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

ONU Arcadia
Graduation Rate 65% 62%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $71,200 $46,400
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

ONU Arcadia
% Men 52% 32%
% Women 48% 68%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 84% 68%
% Black 3% 9%
% Hispanic 1% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

ONU Arcadia
% In-State 83% 62%
% Out-of-State 16% 37%

Campus

ONU Arcadia
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Arcadia University is larger than than ONU based on total student enrollment (3,026 students vs. 3,015 students)

ONU vs. Arcadia Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ONU or Arcadia?

  • Arcadia University is 30.9% more expensive to attend than ONU for in-state tuition ($46,430.00 vs. $35,480.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.9% higher at Arcadia than Ohio Northern University ($46,430.00 vs. $35,480.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ohio Northern University than Arcadia ($27,398 vs. $29,692)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ohio Northern University are 6.4% lower than costs at Arcadia University ($12,900 vs. $13,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Arcadia University than Ohio Northern University (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Arcadia University students is 27.6% larger than aid received Ohio Northern University ($30,934 vs. $24,235)

ONU vs. Arcadia Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ohio Northern University (1158) is 54 points higher than at Arcadia (1104)
  • Incoming ONU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Arcadia (25)
  • Accepted freshman ONU students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.78) than students at Arcadia (3.42)
  • Arcadia has a higher acceptance rate (77.6%) than ONU (54.4%)

ONU vs. Arcadia Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ONU or Arcadia? 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 Arcadia and ONU.

  • The graduation rate at ONU is higher than Arcadia University (65% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Ohio Northern University earn on average $24,800 more per year than Arcadia graduates after ten years. ($71,200 vs. $46,400)
  • Arcadia University and ONU graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Arcadia University and ONU graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More ONU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Arcadia students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 69%)

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