Kentucky vs. Ohio State

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

 Kentucky Ohio State
Location Lexington, KY Columbus, OH
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 31,547 60,540
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #408 #134
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uky.edu osu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Kentucky Ohio State
Tuition (In State) $11,496 $11,525
Tuition (Out of State) $30,913 $35,762
Room & Board $14,676 $14,006
Avg Net Price $18,693 $19,582
Avg Grant Aid $14,114 $10,993
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 74%

Admission

 Kentucky Ohio State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,109 65,189
Admitted 20,979 34,370
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 52.7%
Enrolled % 28.9% 23.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.76
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 29/32
SAT Range 1070/1290 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 15, 2024 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

 Kentucky Ohio State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

 Kentucky Ohio State
Graduation Rate 59% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,750 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $235 $222

Diversity

 Kentucky Ohio State
% Men 40% 48%
% Women 60% 52%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 71%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

 Kentucky Ohio State
% In-State 61% 66%
% Out-of-State 37% 23%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ohio State University is larger than than Kentucky based on total student enrollment (60,540 students vs. 31,547 students)

Kentucky vs. Ohio State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kentucky or Ohio State?

  • Ohio State University is 0.3% more expensive to attend than Kentucky for in-state tuition ($11,525.00 vs. $11,496.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.7% higher at Ohio State than University of Kentucky ($35,762.00 vs. $30,913.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kentucky than Ohio State ($18,693 vs. $19,582)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ohio State University are 4.8% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($14,006 vs. $14,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kentucky than Ohio State University (94% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 28.4% larger than aid received Ohio State University ($14,114 vs. $10,993)

Kentucky vs. Ohio State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ohio State University (1295) is 152 points higher than at Kentucky (1143)
  • Incoming Ohio State students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Kentucky (25)
  • Accepted freshman Ohio State students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.76) than students at Kentucky (3.59)
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than Ohio State (52.7%)

Kentucky vs. Ohio State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kentucky 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 Kentucky.

  • The graduation rate at Ohio State is higher than University of Kentucky (80% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from University of Kentucky earn on average $400 more per year than Ohio State graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $50,600)
  • Ohio State University students graduate with a $1,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Kentucky graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,750)
  • Ohio State graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Kentucky graduates. ($222 vs. $235)
  • More Ohio State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kentucky students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 62%)

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