UVA vs. Ohio State

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

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

Costs

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

Admission

 UVA Ohio State
Applied 56,528 70,028
Admitted 9,533 35,588
Acceptance Rate 16.9% 50.8%
Enrolled % 41.6% 22.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.85 3.76
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 32/34 29/32
SAT Range 1410/1530 1330/1480
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, 2026

Academics

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

Outcomes

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

Diversity

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

Students

 UVA Ohio State
% In-State 65% 65%
% Out-of-State 29% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

UVA vs. Ohio State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UVA or Ohio State?

  • 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)

UVA vs. Ohio State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • 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%)

UVA vs. Ohio State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UVA 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 UVA.

  • 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/