Wisconsin vs. Ohio State vs. Rose-Hulman vs. Northeastern

Should I go to University of Wisconsin Madison or Ohio State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin Madison vs. Ohio State University vs. Rose Hulman Institute of Technology vs. Northeastern University comparison
University of Wisconsin Madison Ohio State University Rose Hulman Institute of Technology Northeastern University
University of Wisconsin Madison Ohio State University Rose Hulman Institute of Technology Northeastern University
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Overview

 Wisconsin Ohio State Rose-Hulman Northeastern
Location Madison, WI Columbus, OH Terre Haute, IN Boston, MA
Setting Midsize City Large City Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 49,605 60,046 2,250 31,159
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #110 #139 #115 #132
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website wisc.edu osu.edu rose-hulman.edu northeastern.edu
Team Colors                                        

Costs

 Wisconsin Ohio State Rose-Hulman Northeastern
Tuition (In State) $9,644 $11,826 $52,998 $62,000
Tuition (Out of State) $39,042 $37,332 $52,998 $62,000
Room & Board $13,500 $14,272 $17,718 $18,790
Avg Net Price $14,216 $19,575 $44,016 $34,770
Avg Grant Aid $11,350 $11,791 $30,210 $46,558
% Receiving Grant Aid 49% 64% 99% 73%

Admission

 Wisconsin Ohio State Rose-Hulman Northeastern
Applied 63,505 70,028 5,384 96,631
Admitted 27,529 35,588 3,920 5,459
Acceptance Rate 43.3% 50.8% 72.8% 101.4%
Enrolled % 28.9% 22.7% 14.5% 70%
Avg High School GPA 3.88 3.76 4.0 3.91
Typical High School Grades A- A- A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Low Low Low Extreme
ACT Range 28/32 29/32 29/34 33/35
SAT Range 1360/1510 1330/1480 1280/1470 1460/1550
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026 Feb 1, 2026 Mar 1, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

 Wisconsin Ohio State Rose-Hulman Northeastern
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1 11:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)
  • Engineering (84%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (6%)
  • Physical Sciences (3%)
  • Biology (3%)
  • Mathematics (3%)
  • Business (200%)
  • Engineering (87%)
  • Health Professions (86%)
  • Social Sciences (74%)
  • Communication (51%)

Outcomes

 Wisconsin Ohio State Rose-Hulman Northeastern
Graduation Rate 82% 80% 77% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $50,600 $84,200 $69,500
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 63% 90% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,250 $21,500 $27,000 $27,875
Median Loan Payment $230 $222 $279 $288

Diversity

 Wisconsin Ohio State Rose-Hulman Northeastern
% Men 12% 10% 1% 26%
% Women 14% 14% 0% 23%
Racial Diversity Low Low Low Very High
HBCU No No No No
% White 76% 71% 74% 48%
% Black 2% 6% 2% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 4% 3% 7%
% Native American 0% 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3% 4% 4%
% International 8% 7% 12% 20%
% Unknown Race 0% 3% 0% 6%

Students

 Wisconsin Ohio State Rose-Hulman Northeastern
% In-State 48% 65% 32% 21%
% Out-of-State 44% 26% 61% 66%

Campus

 Wisconsin Ohio State Rose-Hulman Northeastern
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes No Yes
Learn More Details Details Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Ohio State University is larger than than Wisconsin based on total student enrollment (60,046 students vs. 49,605 students)

Wisconsin vs. Ohio State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wisconsin or Ohio State?

  • Ohio State University is 22.6% more expensive to attend than Wisconsin for in-state tuition ($11,826.00 vs. $9,644.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.6% higher at Wisconsin than Ohio State University ($39,042.00 vs. $37,332.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Madison than Ohio State ($14,216 vs. $19,575)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Madison are 5.7% lower than costs at Ohio State University ($13,500 vs. $14,272)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio State University than University of Wisconsin Madison (64% vs. 49%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio State University students is 3.9% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Madison ($11,791 vs. $11,350)

Wisconsin vs. Ohio State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Madison (1300) is 5 points higher than at Ohio State (1295)
  • Incoming Wisconsin students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at Ohio State (29)
  • Accepted freshman Wisconsin students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Ohio State (3.76)
  • Ohio State has a higher acceptance rate (50.8%) than Wisconsin (43.3%)

Wisconsin vs. Ohio State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin.

  • The graduation rate at Wisconsin is higher than Ohio State University (82% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Madison earn on average $14,200 more per year than Ohio State graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $50,600)
  • Ohio State University students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than Wisconsin graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,250)
  • Ohio State graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Wisconsin graduates. ($222 vs. $230)
  • More Wisconsin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ohio State students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 63%)

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