ONU vs. Wright State

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

 ONU Wright State
Location Ada, OH Dayton, OH
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,015 9,678
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #211 #873
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website onu.edu wright.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ONU Wright State
Tuition (In State) $35,480 $10,814
Tuition (Out of State) $35,480 $20,232
Room & Board $12,900 $10,686
Avg Net Price $27,398 $15,650
Avg Grant Aid $24,235 $8,867
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 92%

Admission

 ONU Wright State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,625 7,162
Admitted 3,602 6,820
Acceptance Rate 54.4% 95.2%Open
Enrolled % 18.5% 18.8%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.78 3.41
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30 17/24
SAT Range 1160/1340 913/1168
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 Aug 23, 2025

Academics

 ONU Wright State
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

 ONU Wright State
Graduation Rate 65% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $71,200 $43,400
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

 ONU Wright State
% Men 52% 45%
% Women 48% 55%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 84% 72%
% Black 3% 12%
% Hispanic 1% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

 ONU Wright State
% In-State 83% 95%
% Out-of-State 16% 5%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Wright State University Main Campus is larger than than ONU based on total student enrollment (9,678 students vs. 3,015 students)

ONU vs. Wright State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ONU or Wright State?

  • Ohio Northern University is 228.1% more expensive to attend than Wright State for in-state tuition ($35,480.00 vs. $10,814.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 75.4% higher at ONU than Wright State University Main Campus ($35,480.00 vs. $20,232.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wright State University Main Campus than ONU ($15,650 vs. $27,398)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wright State University Main Campus are 20.7% lower than costs at Ohio Northern University ($10,686 vs. $12,900)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio Northern University than Wright State University Main Campus (97% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio Northern University students is 173.3% larger than aid received Wright State University Main Campus ($24,235 vs. $8,867)

ONU vs. Wright State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ohio Northern University (1158) is 124 points higher than at Wright State (1034)
  • Incoming ONU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Wright State (22)
  • Accepted freshman ONU students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.78) than students at Wright State (3.41)
  • Wright State has a higher acceptance rate (95.2%) than ONU (54.4%)

ONU vs. Wright State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ONU or Wright 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 Wright State and ONU.

  • The graduation rate at ONU is higher than Wright State University Main Campus (65% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Ohio Northern University earn on average $27,800 more per year than Wright State graduates after ten years. ($71,200 vs. $43,400)
  • Wright State University Main Campus students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than ONU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Wright State graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than ONU graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More ONU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wright State students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 51%)

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