Which Ohio State bachelor's program has the lowest debt?

Public Policy graduates leave with a median of $14,500 in federal loans, the lowest among 97 Ohio State bachelor's programs that report debt.

How much does Ohio State cost?

In-state tuition and fees are $13,244 a year, and $40,022 for out-of-state students. After grants and scholarships, the average net price is $17,339 a year.

How many Ohio State programs report graduate pay?

98 bachelor's programs, 5 associate's programs, and one certificate program at Ohio State report first-year pay, and 103 of them also report federal debt.

Ohio State Programs, Ranked by Graduate Pay and Debt

Ohio State University-Main Campus
Public university
Columbus, OH
45,638 undergraduates

College Scorecard June 2026 release

The short answer

98 Ohio State bachelor's programs report what graduates earn. Computer Engineering pays the most in the first year ($83,342), and Dance the least ($21,167). The median program pays $41,886. Ohio State also has 5 associate's programs and one certificate program that report pay.

In-state tuition and fees$13,244Per year. Out-of-state $40,022

Average net price after aid$17,339Per year

Graduation rate88%Within 6 years

Admission rate61%Of applicants

All 98 bachelor's programs, ranked

Each figure is the median for the program's graduates. "Rank in Ohio" compares first-year pay with the same field's bachelor's programs across Ohio. Programs that don't report a figure are listed last when you sort by it.

#	Program	Year 1 pay	Year 5 pay	Debt	Rank in Ohio
1	Computer EngineeringAbout 455 graduates a year	$83,342	$106,752	$20,247	2nd of 8
2	Applied MathematicsAbout 65 graduates a year	$82,523	Not reported	$14,929	1st of 1
3	Computer and Information ScienceAbout 145 graduates a year	$82,448	$109,946	$23,000	1st of 12
4	Industrial EngineeringAbout 149 graduates a year	$80,876	$105,342	$21,875	1st of 4
5	Mechanical EngineeringAbout 218 graduates a year	$79,359	$95,293	$20,500	1st of 14
6	Electrical EngineeringAbout 217 graduates a year	$78,872	$101,785	$22,411	5th of 11
7	Other EngineeringAbout 30 graduates a year	$78,734	$98,765	$22,000	1st of 1
8	Chemical EngineeringAbout 155 graduates a year	$77,455	$97,429	$20,500	6th of 10
9	Real EstateAbout 66 graduates a year	$72,769	$89,863	$19,000	1st of 1
10	Aerospace EngineeringAbout 96 graduates a year	$72,062	$88,477	$25,853	3rd of 3
11	Management Information SystemsAbout 84 graduates a year	$72,017	$91,948	$21,500	2nd of 8
12	Other AgricultureAbout 71 graduates a year	$71,570	$87,612	$26,750	1st of 1
13	NursingAbout 235 graduates a year	$71,175	$79,123	$25,163	10th of 38
14	Materials EngineeringAbout 54 graduates a year	$70,371	$92,120	$19,500	1st of 1
15	Management ScienceAbout 52 graduates a year	$68,814	$82,377	$20,500	2nd of 4
16	Civil EngineeringAbout 151 graduates a year	$68,031	$82,114	$23,545	6th of 10
17	Environmental EngineeringAbout 37 graduates a year	$67,938	$84,092	$24,850	1st of 1
18	Biomedical EngineeringAbout 89 graduates a year	$65,469	$86,881	$23,125	4th of 7
19	FinanceAbout 817 graduates a year	$65,181	$93,666	$20,500	3rd of 21
20	Medical Laboratory ScienceAbout 25 graduates a year	$64,267	$71,648	$22,500	3rd of 6
21	Agricultural EngineeringAbout 56 graduates a year	$62,981	$72,572	$24,872	1st of 1
22	AccountingAbout 297 graduates a year	$62,399	$89,592	$23,284	4th of 30
23	Business EconomicsAbout 104 graduates a year	$61,979	$82,890	$19,500	1st of 6
24	Business AdministrationAbout 236 graduates a year	$61,423	$85,390	$23,250	3rd of 40
25	Dental Hygiene and AssistingAbout 43 graduates a year	$61,173	$63,442	$25,500	1st of 2
26	Diagnostic and Treatment ProfessionsAbout 87 graduates a year	$60,834	$68,561	$24,179	5th of 12
27	Food ScienceAbout 15 graduates a year	$59,889	$70,674	$20,534	1st of 1
28	Human ResourcesAbout 62 graduates a year	$58,991	$73,508	$19,500	2nd of 14
29	International BusinessAbout 38 graduates a year	$57,678	$90,874	$27,000	1st of 7
30	MarketingAbout 478 graduates a year	$56,465	$80,070	$21,198	2nd of 30
31	International StudiesGraduates a year not reported	$55,240	Not reported	$20,075	1st of 4
32	Health and Medical AdministrationAbout 26 graduates a year	$54,301	$81,572	$25,000	2nd of 9
33	PhysicsAbout 68 graduates a year	$53,504	$80,357	$23,357	1st of 1
34	MathematicsAbout 158 graduates a year	$52,921	$75,971	$20,500	2nd of 7
35	DieteticsAbout 10 graduates a year	$52,247	$58,222	$22,750	1st of 6
36	Legal StudiesGraduates a year not reported	$51,231	$66,038	$22,938	1st of 1
37	Public PolicyAbout 32 graduates a year	$50,643	Not reported	$14,500	1st of 1
38	Agricultural BusinessAbout 51 graduates a year	$50,565	$68,055	$20,000	1st of 2
39	Landscape ArchitectureGraduates a year not reported	$50,394	$60,051	$23,250	1st of 1
40	EconomicsAbout 272 graduates a year	$50,209	$72,851	$23,125	10th of 13
41	BusinessAbout 4 graduates a year	$48,597	$65,016	$19,900	4th of 7
42	Family and Consumer EconomicsAbout 57 graduates a year	$46,474	$65,515	$25,000	1st of 1
43	Special EducationAbout 21 graduates a year	$45,213	$49,462	$26,899	2nd of 15
44	Design and Applied ArtsAbout 48 graduates a year	$45,176	$69,416	$25,100	3rd of 15
45	GeographyAbout 43 graduates a year	$44,789	$62,445	$23,250	1st of 3
46	Liberal Arts and General StudiesAbout 9 graduates a year	$43,393	$49,273	$21,250	3rd of 11
47	Plant ScienceAbout 27 graduates a year	$42,712	$53,324	$16,105	1st of 1
48	ChemistryAbout 69 graduates a year	$42,698	$73,644	$25,225	6th of 8
49	Subject-Area Teacher EducationAbout 171 graduates a year	$41,944	$49,306	$23,250	2nd of 14
50	Apparel and TextilesAbout 75 graduates a year	$41,827	$61,223	$22,313	1st of 3
51	Public AdministrationAbout 88 graduates a year	$41,650	$63,423	$21,887	2nd of 2
52	Urban and Regional PlanningAbout 36 graduates a year	$41,501	$57,866	$25,250	2nd of 3
53	CommunicationsAbout 478 graduates a year	$41,232	$63,099	$23,500	3rd of 19
54	Geology and Earth ScienceAbout 15 graduates a year	$41,156	$50,483	$26,000	1st of 6
55	Other Communication and JournalismAbout 18 graduates a year	$41,040	$54,611	$22,250	1st of 2
56	AviationAbout 87 graduates a year	$40,102	$79,569	$24,842	2nd of 3
57	PhilosophyAbout 34 graduates a year	$39,971	$47,850	$26,247	1st of 4
58	Pre-Health StudiesGraduates a year not reported	$39,642	$65,856	$22,334	2nd of 6
59	Environmental Science and ConservationAbout 143 graduates a year	$39,545	$58,110	$21,438	1st of 7
60	CriminologyAbout 142 graduates a year	$39,396	$57,464	$21,922	1st of 6
61	Social WorkAbout 163 graduates a year	$38,739	$44,646	$26,970	6th of 14
62	Allied Health and Medical AssistingAbout 436 graduates a year	$38,691	$70,008	$21,500	1st of 1
63	International RelationsAbout 133 graduates a year	$38,584	$65,732	$19,500	2nd of 4
64	SociologyAbout 84 graduates a year	$38,034	$52,440	$21,739	3rd of 9
65	MicrobiologyAbout 41 graduates a year	$37,592	$65,347	$20,500	1st of 1
66	Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical SciencesAbout 92 graduates a year	$37,369	$76,968	$20,500	3rd of 3
67	Hospitality ManagementAbout 37 graduates a year	$36,986	$56,411	$26,000	1st of 3
68	Other Interdisciplinary StudiesAbout 13 graduates a year	$36,725	$45,469	$20,029	4th of 6
69	Kinesiology and Exercise ScienceAbout 167 graduates a year	$36,592	$54,863	$23,000	4th of 26
70	Educational AdministrationAbout 85 graduates a year	$36,487	$38,587	$23,000	2nd of 2
71	Teacher EducationAbout 66 graduates a year	$36,483	$44,875	$25,432	16th of 31
72	Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyAbout 100 graduates a year	$36,427	$70,901	$18,500	2nd of 3
73	Public HealthAbout 93 graduates a year	$36,226	$67,625	$18,500	5th of 7
74	Political ScienceAbout 265 graduates a year	$35,977	$66,909	$21,500	10th of 21
75	ArchitectureGraduates a year not reported	$35,370	$59,837	$27,000	2nd of 3
76	Environmental Management and PolicyAbout 50 graduates a year	$35,019	$44,703	$27,000	1st of 2
77	Human Development and Family StudiesAbout 101 graduates a year	$34,610	$52,826	$23,250	2nd of 5
78	Foods and NutritionAbout 69 graduates a year	$34,540	$59,086	$26,654	1st of 2
79	Animal ScienceAbout 130 graduates a year	$33,642	$50,455	$23,301	2nd of 2
80	BiologyAbout 486 graduates a year	$32,356	$67,156	$23,362	10th of 28
81	PsychologyGraduates a year not reported	$32,276	$51,498	$22,145	13th of 29
82	JournalismAbout 41 graduates a year	$31,955	$63,824	$23,346	5th of 7
83	GeneticsAbout 56 graduates a year	$31,800	$62,758	$21,216	1st of 1
84	Ethnic, Cultural, and Gender StudiesAbout 30 graduates a year	$31,179	$51,643	$22,056	1st of 1
85	ZoologyAbout 101 graduates a year	$29,996	$48,205	$24,800	1st of 5
86	NeuroscienceAbout 283 graduates a year	$29,638	$63,324	$22,286	4th of 4
87	EnglishAbout 130 graduates a year	$29,605	$45,720	$23,500	6th of 18
88	Fine and Studio ArtsAbout 74 graduates a year	$29,186	$41,781	$26,849	4th of 17
89	AnthropologyAbout 70 graduates a year	$28,172	$44,620	$22,834	2nd of 5
90	East Asian LanguagesAbout 24 graduates a year	$28,109	$44,960	$22,500	1st of 1
91	Romance LanguagesAbout 82 graduates a year	$27,815	$59,003	$22,746	4th of 7
92	Linguistics and Language StudiesAbout 36 graduates a year	$27,788	$53,401	$20,096	1st of 1
93	HistoryAbout 120 graduates a year	$26,663	$47,823	$21,500	11th of 12
94	MusicAbout 30 graduates a year	$26,084	$38,830	$27,000	5th of 10
95	TheatreAbout 20 graduates a year	$23,920	$38,039	$25,250	4th of 13
96	Communication Sciences and DisordersAbout 85 graduates a year	$23,509	$60,948	$19,500	3rd of 3
97	Agricultural Public ServicesAbout 7 graduates a year	$23,221	Not reported	Not reported	1st of 1
98	DanceAbout 22 graduates a year	$21,167	$40,010	$26,000	1st of 1

Program names link to the program's own page, and Ohio ranks link to the full ranking for the field. A program gets its own page when it reports both pay and debt and at least five Ohio programs in the field do too.

Some nursing bachelor's programs are for nurses who are already licensed and working (RN-to-BSN). College Scorecard counts them with programs for new students, and their graduates' pay reflects years of nursing experience, so high pay at a program here may not mean higher starting pay for a new nurse.

2 more bachelor's programs report debt but not pay, so they aren't listed.

All 5 associate's programs, ranked

Each figure is the median for the program's graduates. "Rank in Ohio" compares first-year pay with the same field's associate's programs across Ohio. Programs that don't report a figure are listed last when you sort by it.

#	Program	Year 1 pay	Year 5 pay	Debt	Rank in Ohio
1	Animal ScienceGraduates a year not reported	$39,743	$51,110	$12,000	1st of 1
2	Agricultural BusinessGraduates a year not reported	$34,747	$45,635	$12,000	1st of 2
3	Applied HorticultureGraduates a year not reported	$34,190	$42,621	$12,000	1st of 1
4	Agricultural ProductionGraduates a year not reported	$33,940	$41,301	$12,000	1st of 1
5	Liberal Arts and General StudiesGraduates a year not reported	$31,870	$45,755	$14,000	10th of 19

One more associate's program reports debt but not pay, so it isn't listed.

One certificate program

Each figure is the median for the program's graduates. "Rank in Ohio" compares first-year pay with the same field's certificate programs across Ohio.

Program	Year 1 pay	Year 5 pay	Debt	Rank in Ohio
Business AdministrationAbout 63 graduates a year	$66,278	Not reported	$18,250	1st of 4

Quick picks: bachelor's programs

Highest first-year pay

Computer Engineering$83,342
Applied Mathematics$82,523
Computer and Information Science$82,448
Industrial Engineering$80,876
Mechanical Engineering$79,359

Lowest median debt

Public Policy$14,500
Applied Mathematics$14,929
Plant Science$16,105
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology$18,500
Public Health$18,500

Largest programs

FinanceAbout 817 graduates a year
BiologyAbout 486 graduates a year
MarketingAbout 478 graduates a year
CommunicationsAbout 478 graduates a year
Computer EngineeringAbout 455 graduates a year

Common questions

Computer Engineering graduates earn a median of $83,342 in their first year, the most of 98 Ohio State bachelor's programs that report pay.

About this data

Earnings and debt only include students who received federal financial aid, and earnings only count graduates who were working and not enrolled in more school.
Debt only includes federal loans. Private loans and credit cards are not counted.
Tuition, net price, graduation rate, and admission rate are for the whole school, not one program.
Some schools with several campuses report one combined figure for all of them. We count each of those schools once, and leave them out of Ohio rankings when their main campus is in another state.
Scorecard figures describe graduating classes from several years ago.

Sources

U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study and institution files, June 2026 release
NCES, IPEDS tuition and fees, 2023-24, for in-district tuition labels