Youngstown State University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Youngstown, Ohio. It enrolls 7,961 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
67/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes42
Value67
Affordability68
Selectivity32
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Youngstown State University admits 84.5% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
84.5%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1010 – 1230
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
19 – 25
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 Youngstown State University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
12.9 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 $12,767 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. 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)
$11,113
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$11,473
Room & Board (on-campus)
$11,730
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,730
Books & Supplies
$1,200
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,680
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,680
Total Cost of Attendance
$21,708
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
$9,328
$30,001 – $48,000
$9,421
$48,001 – $75,000
$13,369
$75,001 – $110,000
$16,249
Over $110,000
$18,235
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.
$2,75110%percentile
$6,00225%percentile
$24,000Medianpercentile
$31,00075%percentile
$46,35090%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 $17,250
↓ $6,750
No Pell $13,750
↓ $10,250
Dependent students $15,000
↓ $9,000
Independent students $18,750
↓ $5,250
Female students $16,750
↓ $7,250
Male students $14,284
↓ $9,716
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,250, less than completers ($24,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
38% of students who start here finish within six years, and 76% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. 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
38%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
76%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $41,544 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)
$41,544
Earning > $25K
66%
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
$33,900
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$47,300
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$34,500
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$42,200
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$45,200
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $13,400, about 28% 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 ↑
20.2 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 78% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 7,961 students, a large student community. Worth knowing: 38% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
7,961
Part-Time
14%
First-Generation
38%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 65.7%5,226
International 11.5%919
Black 8.0%637
Hispanic 4.9%387
Other 3.9%312
Asian 1.6%128
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Youngstown State University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Youngstown State University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
123 distinct programs across
25 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 18 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.
Student : Faculty
18:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$9,959
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$323M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$75,135
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
321 instructional faculty across 4 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
120
37%
$86,958
Associate Professors
80
25%
$78,211
Assistant Professors
43
13%
$73,551
Lecturers
78
24%
$54,663
Pros & Cons of Youngstown State University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Youngstown State University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Modest first-year retention
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Best for:
Based on the data, Youngstown State University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about Youngstown State University
The questions families ask most about Youngstown State University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Youngstown State University hard to get into?
Not especially. Youngstown State University admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 84.5%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Youngstown State University?
84.5% 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 Youngstown State University?
Aim for 1230 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 1010 and 1230 (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 Youngstown State University?
Aim for 25 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 19 and 25 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Youngstown State University cost?
Budget around $12,767 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 Youngstown State University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $41,544 a year against a net price of $12,767, about 3.3 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 Youngstown State University known for?
Mostly Business, Nursing, Business Administration. 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 Youngstown State University graduates earn?
About $41,544 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 Youngstown State University accredited?
Yes. Youngstown State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Youngstown State University?
7,961 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Youngstown State University?
38% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Youngstown State University a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Youngstown State University located?
Youngstown State University is located in Youngstown, Ohio.
What programs does Youngstown State University offer?
123 different programs, most commonly Business, Nursing, Business Administration. 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 Youngstown State University?
18 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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