---
title: Ohio State University-Main Campus — cost, debt & earnings (College Scorecard)
location: Columbus, OH
control: Public
source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2026-06-10 release)
sourceUrl: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/
---

# Ohio State University-Main Campus

Columbus, OH · Public · Bachelor-granting

> Federal College Scorecard institution **medians** — not a prediction of any one student's outcome, and not a figure for any single program. Earnings/debt cover federally-aided students.

## The bottom line

| Figure | Value | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Typical earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $60,409 | recorded |
| Earnings range (25th–75th pct) | $39,834 – $88,954 | recorded |
| Typical federal debt | $14,500 | recorded |
| Debt of students who withdrew | $7,000 | recorded |
| Completion rate | 88% | recorded |
| Average annual net cost | $30,305 | recorded |
| % earning above a $28k HS-grad wage | 79% | recorded |
| Debt ÷ a year's earnings | 0.24× | derived |
| Earnings premium vs $28k HS benchmark | $32,409 | derived |

**88% of students finish** — the loans are owed whether or not you graduate, so read every figure below next to this number.

Typical **federal** loan debt is $14,500 (≈ 24% of a year's typical earnings here). Note: this counts federal loans only — not private loans, Parent PLUS, or family savings — so true borrowing is usually higher; and because dropouts borrow less, low-completion schools can show a deceptively low debt figure.

## Earnings by major (the number that decides "worth it")

> **Different measure — read on its own terms.** These are median earnings **1 year after completing the program** (early career, graduates only) — NOT the 10-years-after-entry school-wide figure above. Do not compare a program figure to the school figure; compare majors to each other. The Dept. of Education omits programs with too few graduates.

By program, early-career pay ranges from $12,217 to $232,029 across 141 program(s).

| Major | Credential | Pay (1 yr out) | Median debt |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Dentistry. | Master's Degree | $232,029 | $162,749 |
| Dentistry. | First Professional Degree | $116,968 | $207,650 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | Doctoral Degree | $108,826 | $39,447 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration. | First Professional Degree | $99,951 | $141,078 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | Master's Degree | $91,639 | $48,030 |
| Optometry. | First Professional Degree | $89,790 | $175,334 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering. | Master's Degree | $89,770 | not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | Master's Degree | $87,456 | $49,134 |
| Chemistry. | Doctoral Degree | $85,445 | not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering. | Master's Degree | $85,188 | not reported |
| Physics. | Doctoral Degree | $79,371 | not reported |
| Computer Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $76,749 | $19,500 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology. | Doctoral Degree | $73,246 | not reported |
| Human Resources Management and Services. | Master's Degree | $73,115 | $38,500 |
| Education, General. | Doctoral Degree | $71,463 | $49,485 |
| Engineering, Other. | Bachelor's Degree | $71,065 | $21,750 |
| Industrial Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $70,911 | $21,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $70,440 | $19,932 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $70,372 | $21,875 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | Bachelor's Degree | $68,553 | $21,076 |
| Materials Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $67,817 | $19,500 |
| Applied Mathematics. | Bachelor's Degree | $67,207 | $15,500 |
| Law. | First Professional Degree | $66,945 | $91,529 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions. | Master's Degree | $66,896 | not reported |
| Chemical Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $66,852 | $20,780 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services. | Doctoral Degree | $65,645 | not reported |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. | Bachelor's Degree | $65,547 | $20,500 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. | Doctoral Degree | $65,033 | $61,500 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $63,947 | $25,360 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | Master's Degree | $63,827 | not reported |
| Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other. | Bachelor's Degree | $62,449 | $25,000 |
| Engineering Physics. | Bachelor's Degree | $62,238 | not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | Bachelor's Degree | $61,744 | $18,622 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. | Master's Degree | $61,387 | not reported |
| Civil Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $61,272 | $21,820 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions. | Master's Degree | $60,764 | $39,291 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services. | Master's Degree | $60,024 | $30,883 |
| Public Health. | Master's Degree | $59,914 | $40,628 |
| Management Information Systems and Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $59,551 | $20,500 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $58,700 | $18,295 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $58,216 | $19,500 |
| Accounting and Related Services. | Master's Degree | $57,770 | not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $57,105 | $22,250 |
| Business/Managerial Economics. | Bachelor's Degree | $56,544 | $19,500 |
| Medicine. | First Professional Degree | $56,417 | $193,467 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions. | Bachelor's Degree | $56,258 | $22,000 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | Bachelor's Degree | $56,210 | $21,500 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions. | Bachelor's Degree | $55,752 | $20,000 |
| Real Estate. | Bachelor's Degree | $55,093 | $17,323 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. | Bachelor's Degree | $52,767 | $21,250 |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning. | Master's Degree | $52,171 | $35,500 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other. | Master's Degree | $52,028 | not reported |
| Architecture. | Master's Degree | $51,599 | $31,806 |
| Agricultural Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $50,931 | $24,744 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services. | Master's Degree | $50,303 | $41,000 |
| Marketing. | Bachelor's Degree | $49,885 | $20,250 |
| Food Science and Technology. | Bachelor's Degree | $48,777 | $18,750 |
| Public Administration. | Master's Degree | $48,756 | $33,500 |
| Mathematics. | Bachelor's Degree | $48,220 | $19,481 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $47,254 | $24,995 |
| Agricultural Business and Management. | Bachelor's Degree | $46,899 | $19,500 |
| International Business. | Bachelor's Degree | $46,462 | $27,000 |
| Landscape Architecture. | Bachelor's Degree | $45,998 | $21,000 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $45,967 | $23,125 |
| Human Resources Management and Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $45,593 | $19,500 |
| History. | Doctoral Degree | $45,493 | not reported |
| Physics. | Bachelor's Degree | $45,021 | $21,500 |
| Social Work. | Master's Degree | $44,537 | $38,169 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. | Master's Degree | $43,453 | not reported |
| Economics. | Bachelor's Degree | $42,908 | $21,000 |
| Education, General. | Master's Degree | $42,610 | $23,000 |
| English Language and Literature, General. | Doctoral Degree | $42,528 | not reported |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. | Master's Degree | $42,512 | $31,086 |
| Agricultural and Food Products Processing. | Bachelor's Degree | $41,442 | not reported |
| Plant Sciences. | Bachelor's Degree | $41,299 | $18,281 |
| Chemistry. | Bachelor's Degree | $40,658 | $24,500 |
| Design and Applied Arts. | Bachelor's Degree | $40,279 | $21,694 |
| Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies. | Bachelor's Degree | $40,172 | $20,645 |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $39,954 | $20,500 |
| Air Transportation. | Bachelor's Degree | $39,791 | $21,731 |
| Special Education and Teaching. | Bachelor's Degree | $38,974 | $24,625 |
| Geography and Cartography. | Bachelor's Degree | $38,932 | $20,500 |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology. | Bachelor's Degree | $38,431 | not reported |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning. | Bachelor's Degree | $38,233 | $24,000 |
| Apparel and Textiles. | Bachelor's Degree | $38,186 | $20,500 |
| Public Health. | Bachelor's Degree | $37,881 | $16,260 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | Bachelor's Degree | $37,353 | $19,822 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | Bachelor's Degree | $37,208 | $19,748 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research. | Master's Degree | $36,846 | not reported |
| Hospitality Administration/Management. | Bachelor's Degree | $36,234 | $20,500 |
| Architecture. | Bachelor's Degree | $35,785 | $25,500 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. | Bachelor's Degree | $35,084 | $20,829 |
| Sociology. | Bachelor's Degree | $35,052 | $19,143 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology. | Bachelor's Degree | $35,024 | $19,783 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences. | Bachelor's Degree | $34,649 | $25,000 |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $34,517 | $22,000 |
| Music. | Master's Degree | $34,497 | not reported |
| Public Administration. | Bachelor's Degree | $34,336 | $20,500 |
| Animal Sciences. | Bachelor's Degree | $34,236 | $21,500 |
| Political Science and Government. | Bachelor's Degree | $33,926 | $20,000 |
| Criminology. | Bachelor's Degree | $33,830 | $19,500 |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies. | Bachelor's Degree | $33,819 | $19,342 |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other. | Bachelor's Degree | $33,775 | $22,375 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research. | Bachelor's Degree | $32,665 | $20,650 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. | Bachelor's Degree | $32,444 | $20,250 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. | Bachelor's Degree | $31,706 | $19,500 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision. | Bachelor's Degree | $31,695 | $21,197 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies. | Bachelor's Degree | $31,674 | $18,384 |
| Animal Sciences. | Associate's Degree | $31,332 | $12,000 |
| Social Work. | Bachelor's Degree | $30,962 | $21,668 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy. | Bachelor's Degree | $30,737 | $24,812 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. | Bachelor's Degree | $30,629 | not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | Bachelor's Degree | $30,563 | $22,017 |
| Psychology, General. | Bachelor's Degree | $30,355 | $19,500 |
| Philosophy. | Bachelor's Degree | $30,105 | $20,800 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $29,965 | $19,798 |
| Agricultural Production Operations. | Associate's Degree | $29,873 | $12,000 |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. | Bachelor's Degree | $29,509 | $20,638 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $29,041 | $19,076 |
| Journalism. | Bachelor's Degree | $28,920 | $20,500 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $28,914 | $20,000 |
| Fine and Studio Arts. | Bachelor's Degree | $28,537 | $25,625 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $28,135 | $18,425 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration. | Bachelor's Degree | $27,756 | $19,294 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs. | Bachelor's Degree | $27,724 | $19,500 |
| English Language and Literature, General. | Bachelor's Degree | $27,536 | $20,000 |
| Biology, General. | Bachelor's Degree | $27,470 | $20,500 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. | Bachelor's Degree | $27,247 | $21,500 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences. | Bachelor's Degree | $27,176 | $21,134 |
| History. | Bachelor's Degree | $26,168 | $19,838 |
| Agricultural Business and Management. | Associate's Degree | $25,593 | $12,000 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts. | Bachelor's Degree | $25,292 | $20,687 |
| Anthropology. | Bachelor's Degree | $25,095 | $20,500 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. | Bachelor's Degree | $24,438 | $18,500 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies. | Bachelor's Degree | $24,224 | $21,563 |
| Zoology/Animal Biology. | Bachelor's Degree | $22,941 | $21,375 |
| Music. | Bachelor's Degree | $21,997 | $25,500 |
| Genetics. | Bachelor's Degree | $21,648 | $20,182 |
| Dance. | Bachelor's Degree | $21,123 | $25,500 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft. | Bachelor's Degree | $20,371 | $23,250 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. | Associate's Degree | $12,217 | $13,000 |

## What this is — and is NOT

Institution-wide medians from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. **Not** a prediction of what you would earn or owe, **not** a figure for any single program (a CS and a fine-arts graduate of the same school diverge enormously), **not** proof the school caused the outcome (selection, not causation), and **not** a "best college" ranking. Explore Ohio State University-Main Campus by field of study at the official Scorecard: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?204796

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Structured data (JSON-LD), each figure labeled by epistemic status: `/education/ohio-state-university-main-campus-oh.jsonld` · all schools: `/education`