Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks University of Cincinnati-Main Campus #251 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median $72,188 four years after enrollment, placing University of Cincinnati-Main Campus in the 73.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks University of Cincinnati-Main Campus #239 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. University of Cincinnati-Main Campus delivers strong graduate earnings relative to cost, with median $72,188 four years after enrollment placing the university well above most institutions in the Azimuth coverage set. Azimuth's composite ranking reflects a consistent balance across return, access, and mobility — with the return pillar, anchored by a business-dominant program mix, as the institution's strongest signal among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks University of Cincinnati-Main Campus #251 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 83.1 percentile for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Cincinnati, OH, University of Cincinnati-Main Campus enrolls roughly 29,882 undergraduates. Retention stands at 85.4% and the six-year graduation rate is 75.0%, reflecting a solid record of converting enrollment into degree completion. The composite is anchored by return on investment. Azimuth ranks University of Cincinnati-Main Campus #239 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 83.8 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median four-year earnings of $72,188, placing University of Cincinnati-Main Campus in the 73.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $9,283 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of Cincinnati-Main Campus in the 84.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business is the dominant program family, and the breadth of Cincinnati's professional and applied programs — spanning business, engineering, and health sciences — supports strong labor-market alignment across a range of career paths. Access and affordability provide additional context for the composite. University of Cincinnati-Main Campus admits about 85.3% of applicants, with 18.8% of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants and 31.0% identifying as first-generation college students. Mobility sits in the 88.1 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, and affordability sits in the 37.5 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting the cost structure typical of a large public research university. Access sits in the 62.8 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, shaped by the institution's admissions posture and the share of lower-income students it enrolls.
University of Cincinnati's published cost of attendance is $32,171. Financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $17,974, middle-income families pay around $22,492, and higher-income families pay approximately $29,616. Azimuth ranks University of Cincinnati-Main Campus #891 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. As a public research university, University of Cincinnati structures aid through federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional programs. The gap between sticker price and net price reflects the institution's need-based aid reach, which varies by income level. Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA, and the university participates in federal work-study and loan programs. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $21,250, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $23,602; 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 $72,188, median federal debt of $21,250 projects to a monthly payment of about $240 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus is a strong fit for students drawn to business, applied professional fields, and career-oriented programs who want a large public research university in Cincinnati, OH with broad access and solid long-term financial outcomes. The earnings case is grounded in real results. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $72,188, placing University of Cincinnati-Main Campus in the 73.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and earn about $9,283 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the university in the 84.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access profile is broad. 18.8% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 31.0% are first-generation students — a profile that reflects the university's role as an accessible public institution serving a wide range of Ohio families. University of Cincinnati-Main Campus sits in the 70.0 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a historical 10-year Scorecard measure not yet updated to the 4-year horizon — suggesting that students from lower-income backgrounds have achieved meaningful post-graduation outcomes here. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program mix is concentrated in Business and applied professional fields, so students whose interests align with those areas will find the strongest outcomes, and the net price for higher-income families of $29,616 means families should weigh total cost against the university's return profile before committing.
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 University Of Cincinnati-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.
University of Cincinnati's published cost of attendance is $32,171. Financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $17,974, middle-income families pay around $22,492, and higher-income families pay approximately $29,616.
Azimuth ranks University of Cincinnati-Main Campus #891 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.
As a public research university, University of Cincinnati structures aid through federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional programs. The gap between sticker price and net price reflects the institution's need-based aid reach, which varies by income level.
Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA, and the university participates in federal work-study and loan programs. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $21,250, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $23,602; 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 $72,188, median federal debt of $21,250 projects to a monthly payment of about $240 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 $72,188, placing University of Cincinnati-Main Campus in the 73.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs above the $65,228 median at comparable institutions.
Graduates earn about $9,283 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of Cincinnati-Main Campus in the 84.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks University of Cincinnati-Main Campus #239 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The earnings pattern at University of Cincinnati-Main Campus reflects a degree mix anchored in Business and professional fields. Business accounts for 20% of graduates, followed by Engineering at 12% and Arts at 7%.
Nursing stands out as the highest aggregate-return program, combining enrollment scale with strong four-year earnings. The Digital Marketing program graduates 436 students with median earnings of $72,881 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #30 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Nursing and Psychology, General also deliver competitive median early-career pay, with graduates earning $85,551 and $48,406 respectively four years after enrollment. Among the highest-earning programs, Finance and Biology, General post median earnings of $83,501 and $57,443 four years after enrollment, reflecting OH's strong regional demand in applied and technical fields.
Computer Engineering
59 graduates
Computer and Information Sciences, General
200 graduates
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
98 graduates
Chemical Engineering
124 graduates
Construction Engineering
40 graduates
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus's program mix is anchored in Business, with concentrations in Business (20% of graduates), Engineering (12%), and Arts (7%). Across 84 programs serving roughly 6,651 graduates annually, 53 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold.
The strongest rankings cluster in applied and technical fields. Azimuth ranks Artificial Intelligence #45 among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with graduates earning $100,975 — the highest four-year median earnings at the institution.
Azimuth ranks Mechanical Engineering #189 among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with a cohort of 211 graduates earning $86,331. Nursing ranks #137 among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment with graduates earning $85,551.
Among the most popular programs, Digital Marketing (436 graduates) and Nursing (379 graduates) enroll the largest cohorts, with four-year median earnings of $72,881 and $85,551 respectively. The labor-market alignment across University of Cincinnati-Main Campus's top programs reflects a balance between high-mobility direct-to-workforce pathways and fields with more varied early-career trajectories.
Programs in engineering, computing, and finance tend to be high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the national labor market directly and four-year earnings closely reflect outcomes; programs in health and social sciences may include a share of graduates continuing to graduate or professional study, where four-year figures undercount longer-run trajectory. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these program families align with national labor-market demand.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University Of Delaware Similar quality tier (#8573 ranked) | DE | 71% | $72,950 | #8573 | Compare |
University Of Memphis Similar quality tier (#9096 ranked) | TN | 72% | $48,458 | #9096 | Compare |
The University Of Alabama Similar quality tier (#7528 ranked) | AL | 77% | $59,221 | #7528 | Compare |
Clemson University Similar quality tier (#9611 ranked) | SC | 38% | $71,513 | #9611 | Compare |
Rowan University Similar quality tier (#7527 ranked) | NJ | 78% | $59,988 | #7527 | Compare |
