Ohio State vs. UVA vs. Tennessee

Should I go to Ohio State University or University of Virginia Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Ohio State or UVA 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 State University vs. University of Virginia Main Campus vs. The University of Tennessee comparison
Ohio State University University of Virginia Main Campus The University of Tennessee College 4
Ohio State University University of Virginia Main Campus The University of Tennessee
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Overview

 Ohio State UVA Tennessee
Location Columbus, OH Charlottesville, VA Knoxville, TN
Setting Large City Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 60,046 25,924 36,304
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #139 #63 #222
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website osu.edu virginia.edu tennessee.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 Ohio State UVA Tennessee
Tuition (In State) $11,826 $17,490 $11,332
Tuition (Out of State) $37,332 $53,836 $29,522
Room & Board $14,272 $13,940 $12,500
Avg Net Price $19,575 $17,831 $20,885
Avg Grant Aid $11,791 $29,675 $11,491
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 28% 85%

Admission

 Ohio State UVA Tennessee
Applied 70,028 56,528 50,488
Admitted 35,588 9,533 23,221
Acceptance Rate 50.8% 16.9% 46%
Enrolled % 22.7% 41.6% 28.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.76 3.85 3.66
Typical High School Grades A- A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Very High Low
ACT Range 29/32 32/34 25/31
SAT Range 1330/1480 1410/1530 1190/1340
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Ohio State UVA Tennessee
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

 Ohio State UVA Tennessee
Graduation Rate 80% 94% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,600 $77,200 $56,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 86% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $19,500 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $201 $206

Diversity

 Ohio State UVA Tennessee
% Men 10% 15% 9%
% Women 14% 17% 11%
Racial Diversity Low Medium Low
HBCU No No No
% White 71% 60% 79%
% Black 6% 6% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 6% 3%
% Native American 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5% 3%
% International 7% 5% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 6% 3%

Students

 Ohio State UVA Tennessee
% In-State 65% 65% 58%
% Out-of-State 26% 29% 41%

Campus

 Ohio State UVA Tennessee
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes No
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Comparable Facts

  • Ohio State University is larger than than UVA based on total student enrollment (60,046 students vs. 25,924 students)

Ohio State vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Ohio State or UVA?

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is 47.9% more expensive to attend than Ohio State for in-state tuition ($17,490.00 vs. $11,826.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.2% higher at UVA than Ohio State University ($53,836.00 vs. $37,332.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Virginia Main Campus than Ohio State ($17,831 vs. $19,575)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Virginia Main Campus are 2.4% lower than costs at Ohio State University ($13,940 vs. $14,272)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio State University than University of Virginia Main Campus (64% vs. 28%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Virginia Main Campus students is 151.7% larger than aid received Ohio State University ($29,675 vs. $11,791)

Ohio State vs. UVA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Virginia Main Campus (1364) is 69 points higher than at Ohio State (1295)
  • Incoming UVA students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Ohio State (29)
  • Accepted freshman UVA students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at Ohio State (3.76)
  • Ohio State has a higher acceptance rate (50.8%) than UVA (16.9%)

Ohio State vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UVA is higher than Ohio State University (94% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from University of Virginia Main Campus earn on average $26,600 more per year than Ohio State graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $50,600)
  • University of Virginia Main Campus students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Ohio State graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,500)
  • UVA graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Ohio State graduates. ($201 vs. $222)
  • More UVA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ohio State students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 63%)

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