UB vs. Ohio State

Deciding between University at Buffalo and Ohio State University Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

University at Buffalo
Ohio State University Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • UB Buffalo, NY
  • Ohio State Columbus, OH
  • Setting
  • UB Large Suburban
  • Ohio State Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • UB 31,903
  • Ohio State 61,443
  • Type
  • UB Public 4 Year
  • Ohio State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UB #101
  • Ohio State #135
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UB -
  • Ohio State -
  • Status
  • UB Non-profit
  • Ohio State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UB
  • Ohio State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UB $10,936
  • Ohio State $13,244
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UB $31,536
  • Ohio State $40,022
  • Room & Board
  • UB $17,426
  • Ohio State $14,738
  • Average Net Price
  • UB $20,529
  • Ohio State $19,783
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UB $10,663
  • Ohio State $13,151
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UB 76%
  • Ohio State 70%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UB 40,856
  • Ohio State 72,829
  • Admitted
  • UB 30,308
  • Ohio State 44,116
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UB 74.2%
  • Ohio State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • UB 14.1%
  • Ohio State 21.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UB 1300
  • Ohio State 1400
  • Typical ACT score
  • UB 29
  • Ohio State 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • UB 3.75
  • Ohio State 3.76
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UB A-
  • Ohio State A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • UB Very High
  • Ohio State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • UB Low
  • Ohio State Low
  • ACT Range
  • UB 27/32
  • Ohio State 28/32
  • SAT Range
  • UB 1210/1380
  • Ohio State 1310/1480
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UB Test optional
  • Ohio State Required
  • Application Deadline
  • UB
  • Ohio State Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UB 11:1
  • Ohio State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UB
    • Business (20%)
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Engineering (11%)
    • Psychology (11%)
    • Communication (8%)
  • Ohio State
    • Business (18%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Engineering (9%)
    • Health Professions (8%)
    • Work and Family Studies (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UB 71%
  • Ohio State 80%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UB $58,400
  • Ohio State $50,600
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UB 70%
  • Ohio State 63%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UB $19,500
  • Ohio State $21,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UB $201
  • Ohio State $222

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UB 51%
  • Ohio State 48%
  • % Women
  • UB 49%
  • Ohio State 52%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UB High
  • Ohio State Medium
  • HBCU
  • UB No
  • Ohio State No
  • % White
  • UB 48%
  • Ohio State 71%
  • % Asian
  • UB 14%
  • Ohio State 6%
  • % Black
  • UB 7%
  • Ohio State 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • UB 6%
  • Ohio State 4%
  • % Native American
  • UB 0%
  • Ohio State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UB 0%
  • Ohio State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UB 2%
  • Ohio State 3%
  • % International
  • UB 16%
  • Ohio State 7%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UB 5%
  • Ohio State 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UB 88%
  • Ohio State 64%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UB 3%
  • Ohio State 28%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • UB Yes
  • Ohio State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • UB No
  • Ohio State No
  • Meal Plan
  • UB Yes
  • Ohio State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • UB No
  • Ohio State No
  • Daycare Facility
  • UB Yes
  • Ohio State Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare University at Buffalo in Buffalo, NY with Ohio State University Main Campus in Columbus, OH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Ohio State University Main Campus is larger than UB based on total student enrollment (61,443 students vs. 31,903 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University at Buffalo is located in Buffalo, NY (Large Suburban setting); Ohio State University Main Campus is in Columbus, OH (Large City setting).
  • University at Buffalo is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Ohio State University Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University at Buffalo 11:1; Ohio State University Main Campus 16:1.

UB vs. Ohio State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UB or Ohio State? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ohio State University Main Campus than UB ($19,783 vs. $20,529).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ohio State University Main Campus are 15.4% lower than at University at Buffalo ($14,738 vs. $17,426).
  • Ohio State University Main Campus is 21.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than UB (about $2,308 more per year; $13,244.00 vs. $10,936.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 26.9% higher at Ohio State than at University at Buffalo (about $8,486 more per year; $40,022.00 vs. $31,536.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University at Buffalo than at Ohio State University Main Campus (76% vs. 70%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio State University Main Campus students is 23.3% larger than aid received by University at Buffalo students ($13,151 vs. $10,663).

UB vs. Ohio State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UB or Ohio State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Ohio State and UB.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Ohio State University Main Campus (1400) is 100 points higher than at UB (1300).
  • Incoming Ohio State students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (30 vs. 29 at UB).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University at Buffalo 1210/1380; Ohio State University Main Campus 1310/1480.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University at Buffalo 27/32; Ohio State University Main Campus 28/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UB - Test optional; Ohio State - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Ohio State Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Ohio State students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.76) than students at UB (3.75).
  • UB has a higher acceptance rate (74.2%) than Ohio State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14.1% at UB vs. 21.8% at Ohio State.

UB vs. Ohio State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UB and Ohio State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Ohio State University Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (80%) is higher than University at Buffalo's (71%).
  • Graduates from University at Buffalo earn a median of about $7,800 more per year than Ohio State graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,400 vs. $50,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University at Buffalo graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than Ohio State graduates ($19,500 vs. $21,500).
  • Among borrowers, UB graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Ohio State graduates ($201 vs. $222).
  • More UB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ohio State students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 63%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.