Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Ohio University-Main Campus #319 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $70,528, placing Ohio University-Main Campus in the 73.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Ohio University-Main Campus sits in the 85.5 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting strong graduate outcomes relative to comparable institutions. --- Students at Ohio University-Main Campus earn about $9,793 more than similar students at comparable institutions, a result that places the university among the stronger performers for graduate earnings outcomes in the Azimuth coverage set. Azimuth ranks Ohio University-Main Campus #319 for overall value among nonprofit four-year institutions, anchored by its health-focused program mix and the earnings gains graduates achieve relative to similar students at comparable institutions.
Azimuth ranks Ohio University-Main Campus #319 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Athens, OH, Ohio University-Main Campus enrolls roughly 19,633 undergraduates. Freshman retention runs at 83.9% and the six-year graduation rate is 65.5%, reflecting solid degree-completion performance for a broad-access public university. The composite is anchored by return on investment. Azimuth ranks Ohio University-Main Campus #275 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median four-year earnings of $70,528, and earn about $9,793 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Ohio University-Main Campus in the 85.5 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution's dominant concentration in Health — a field with strong regional and national hiring demand — helps explain why graduates consistently outpace earnings expectations relative to comparable institutions. Access and affordability shape the rest of the composite picture. Ohio University-Main Campus admits roughly 85.0% of applicants, reflecting a broad-access admissions posture that keeps the entering class large and diverse. 21.2% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 33.9% are first-generation college students, underscoring the university's role as a meaningful pathway for students who are the first in their families to pursue a degree. The institution sits in the 53.5 percentile for affordability and the 62.2 percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions, with mobility outcomes in the 74.2 percentile — a profile that reflects both the university's broad reach and the earnings lift it delivers for students who complete their degrees.
Ohio University-Main Campus's published cost of attendance is $30,586. Net price by income band reflects the institution's need-based aid structure: low-income families pay approximately $15,673, middle-income families pay around $19,078, and higher-income families pay approximately $24,492. Azimuth ranks Ohio University-Main Campus #663 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Ohio University participates in federal need-based aid programs including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, along with state and institutional aid. Families apply using the FAFSA to determine eligibility and aid packages. The institution's affordability ranking reflects both the headline cost and the net price after aid, positioning it within the broader landscape of public four-year universities where pricing and aid availability vary considerably. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $21,056, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $23,508; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $70,528, median federal debt of $21,056 projects to a monthly payment of about $238 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Ohio University-Main Campus is a public research university in Athens, OH that suits students drawn to health, education, and applied professional fields who want a broad academic environment with manageable costs and a clear path to stable post-graduation earnings. Graduates earn in the 73.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and Ohio University-Main Campus sits in the 85.5 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions — graduates earn about $9,793 more than similar students at comparable institutions relative to similar students at comparable institutions. The dominant program concentration in Health — which accounts for 14% of degree output — means students whose interests align with health sciences, nursing, and allied health fields will find the strongest alignment between program choice and post-graduation outcomes. The access profile is broad. 21.2% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 33.9% are first-generation college students, with a Pell completion rate of 47.3% — a signal that the institution supports students from lower-income backgrounds through to graduation. Median student debt at graduation is $21,056, a figure that shapes how manageable repayment looks relative to typical earnings in this program mix. Fit depends on two realistic filters: students whose interests fall outside health and applied professional fields may find fewer high-earning program clusters here, and the regional labor market in southeastern OH is less dense than major metro areas, which matters for students who expect to stay local after graduation.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
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This is the Ohio University-Main Campus hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Ohio University-Main Campus's published cost of attendance is $30,586. Net price by income band reflects the institution's need-based aid structure: low-income families pay approximately $15,673, middle-income families pay around $19,078, and higher-income families pay approximately $24,492.
Azimuth ranks Ohio University-Main Campus #663 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Ohio University participates in federal need-based aid programs including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, along with state and institutional aid. Families apply using the FAFSA to determine eligibility and aid packages.
The institution's affordability ranking reflects both the headline cost and the net price after aid, positioning it within the broader landscape of public four-year universities where pricing and aid availability vary considerably. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $21,056, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $23,508; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $70,528, median federal debt of $21,056 projects to a monthly payment of about $238 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $70,528, placing Ohio University-Main Campus in the 73.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $9,793 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Ohio University-Main Campus in the 85.5 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Ohio University-Main Campus #275 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Median earnings for low-income graduates sit at $35,700, placing Ohio University-Main Campus in the 8.6 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a [historical 10-year Scorecard measure](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/) not yet updated to the four-year horizon.
The program mix at Ohio University-Main Campus is anchored by Health, which shapes the institution's overall earnings profile. Nursing stands out as the program combining the largest graduate cohort with strong median earnings, making it a key driver of the institution's aggregate return picture.
Among the most-enrolled programs, Nursing graduates 1,657 students four years after enrollment with median earnings of $87,308, and Azimuth ranks the program #51 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). Teacher Education enrolls 283 graduates with median earnings of $43,893, while Data Analytics and Psychology, General — with 222 and 211 graduates respectively — round out the institution's largest fields.
The On the higher-earning end, Digital Marketing program graduates 204 students with median earnings of $78,506, and Azimuth ranks that program #46 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi Similar quality tier (#10793 ranked) | TX | 89% | $51,865 | #10793 | Compare |
Southern Utah University Similar quality tier (#10790 ranked) | UT | 82% | $50,296 | #10790 | Compare |
Mississippi State University Similar quality tier (#10779 ranked) | MS | 78% | $51,513 | #10779 | Compare |
Eastern Michigan University Similar quality tier in Midwest (#10807 ranked) | MI | 80% | $51,793 | #10807 | Compare |
Florida Gulf Coast University Similar quality tier (#10767 ranked) | FL | 63% | $54,560 | #10767 | Compare |
Air Transportation
33 graduates
Industrial Engineering
21 graduates
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
17 graduates
Management Information Systems and Services
80 graduates
Computer Science
53 graduates
Ohio University-Main Campus's program mix is anchored in Health and applied professional fields, with meaningful concentrations in Business (14%), Education (6%), and Social Sciences (5%). The largest programs by graduate volume are Nursing (1,657 graduates), Teacher Education (283 graduates), Data Analytics (222 graduates), Psychology, General (211 graduates), and Digital Marketing (204 graduates), reflecting the university's broad reach across health, education, and business disciplines.
Across 82 programs serving roughly 5,529 students annually, 49 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold. The strongest earnings outcomes are concentrated in applied business and health-adjacent fields.
Nursing leads on median earnings four years after enrollment at $87,308, and Azimuth ranks Nursing #51 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with a cohort of 1,657 graduates. Finance follows with median earnings of $81,299, and Azimuth ranks Finance #111 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 141 graduates.
Digital Marketing and Business Administration round out the high-earnings tier, with Azimuth ranking Digital Marketing #46 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions and Business Administration #151 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, at $78,506 and $71,478 respectively. Several of Ohio University-Main Campus's most popular programs follow pathways where four-year earnings reflect direct labor-market entry — particularly Psychology, General and Digital Marketing, where graduates move into stable roles with consistent hiring demand.
Nursing and Teacher Education, by contrast, include a meaningful share of graduates who continue to graduate or professional study, meaning four-year earnings figures undercount the longer-run trajectory for those cohorts. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how Ohio University-Main Campus's dominant program families align with national labor-market trends.
