Thinking about Bowling Green State University-Main Campus, a college in Ohio where more students graduate in Business than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Bowling Green, Ohio. It enrolls 12,812 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Good
58/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes64
Value20
Affordability29
Selectivity40
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus admits 81% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
81%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1000 – 1210
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
19 – 26
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Bowling Green State University-Main Campus is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
8.8 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $24,022 a year on average, it sits in line with what public colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$14,460
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$22,448
Room & Board (on-campus)
$14,508
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,150
Books & Supplies
$800
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,600
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,400
Total Cost of Attendance
$33,007
Application fee: $45 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$18,396
$30,001 – $48,000
$18,547
$48,001 – $75,000
$21,820
$75,001 – $110,000
$25,741
Over $110,000
$27,414
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,50010%percentile
$6,15925%percentile
$25,000Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$35,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $18,625
↓ $6,375
No Pell $15,971
↓ $9,029
Dependent students $17,500
↓ $7,500
Independent students $14,750
↓ $10,250
Female students $18,125
↓ $6,875
Male students $16,477
↓ $8,523
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,250, less than completers ($25,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
55% of students who start here finish within six years, and 81% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
55%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
81%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $47,896 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$47,896
Earning > $25K
77%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$40,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$52,000
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$39,500
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$44,600
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$48,000
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $12,000, about 23% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
20.6 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 82% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 12,812 students, a large student community. Worth knowing: 30% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
12,812
Part-Time
5%
First-Generation
30%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 78.3%10,033
Black 6.7%855
Hispanic 5.8%742
Other 3.7%474
International 1.8%236
Asian 1.2%150
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Bowling Green State University-Main Campus. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
148 distinct programs across
28 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 17 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.
Student : Faculty
17:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$13,434
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$217M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$92,510
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
737 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
203
28%
$124,443
Associate Professors
186
25%
$94,449
Assistant Professors
88
12%
$81,530
Instructors
89
12%
$66,033
Lecturers
171
23%
$71,926
Pros & Cons of Bowling Green State University-Main Campus
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Bowling Green State University-Main Campus is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Bowling Green State University-Main Campus is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bowling Green State University-Main Campus
The questions families ask most about Bowling Green State University-Main Campus, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Bowling Green State University-Main Campus hard to get into?
Not especially. Bowling Green State University-Main Campus admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 81%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Bowling Green State University-Main Campus?
81% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Bowling Green State University-Main Campus?
Aim for 1210 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 1000 and 1210 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Bowling Green State University-Main Campus?
Aim for 26 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 19 and 26 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Bowling Green State University-Main Campus cost?
Budget around $24,022 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Bowling Green State University-Main Campus worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $47,896 a year against a net price of $24,022, about 2.0 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Bowling Green State University-Main Campus known for?
Mostly Business Administration, Special Education, Teacher Education (K-12). Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Bowling Green State University-Main Campus graduates earn?
About $47,896 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Bowling Green State University-Main Campus accredited?
Yes. Bowling Green State University-Main Campus is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Bowling Green State University-Main Campus?
12,812 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Bowling Green State University-Main Campus?
55% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Bowling Green State University-Main Campus a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Bowling Green State University-Main Campus located?
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus is located in Bowling Green, Ohio.
What programs does Bowling Green State University-Main Campus offer?
148 different programs, most commonly Business Administration, Special Education, Teacher Education (K-12). If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Bowling Green State University-Main Campus?
17 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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