Rutgers vs. Ohio State

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

 Rutgers Ohio State
Location New Brunswick, NJ Columbus, OH
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 50,637 60,540
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #112 #134
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rutgers.edu osu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Rutgers Ohio State
Tuition (In State) $12,900 $11,525
Tuition (Out of State) $30,600 $35,762
Room & Board $13,909 $14,006
Avg Net Price $17,535 $19,582
Avg Grant Aid $12,785 $10,993
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 74%

Admission

 Rutgers Ohio State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 41,654 65,189
Admitted 27,612 34,370
Acceptance Rate 66.3% 52.7%
Enrolled % 28.2% 23.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.76
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/33 29/32
SAT Range 1270/1480 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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Rutgers Ohio State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

 Rutgers Ohio State
Graduation Rate 77% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,200 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,215 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $229 $222

Diversity

 Rutgers Ohio State
% Men 46% 48%
% Women 54% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 42% 71%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 13% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 7% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 Rutgers Ohio State
% In-State 85% 66%
% Out-of-State 8% 23%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ohio State University is larger than than Rutgers based on total student enrollment (60,540 students vs. 50,637 students)

Rutgers vs. Ohio State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rutgers or Ohio State?

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is 11.9% more expensive to attend than Ohio State for in-state tuition ($12,900.00 vs. $11,525.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.9% higher at Ohio State than Rutgers University New Brunswick ($35,762.00 vs. $30,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rutgers University New Brunswick than Ohio State ($17,535 vs. $19,582)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 0.7% lower than costs at Ohio State University ($13,909 vs. $14,006)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio State University than Rutgers University New Brunswick (74% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rutgers University New Brunswick students is 16.3% larger than aid received Ohio State University ($12,785 vs. $10,993)

Rutgers vs. Ohio State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ohio State University (1295) is 70 points higher than at Rutgers (1225)
  • Accepted freshman Ohio State students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.76) than students at Rutgers (3.3)
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (66.3%) than Ohio State (52.7%)

Rutgers vs. Ohio State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rutgers 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 Rutgers.

  • The graduation rate at Ohio State is higher than Rutgers University New Brunswick (80% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Rutgers University New Brunswick earn on average $15,600 more per year than Ohio State graduates after ten years. ($66,200 vs. $50,600)
  • Ohio State University students graduate with a $715 lower median federal student loan debt than Rutgers graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,215)
  • Ohio State graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Rutgers graduates. ($222 vs. $229)
  • More Rutgers graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ohio State students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 63%)

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