The Ohio State University is among the nation's 15 largest universities. Despite having over 67,000 students (including 45,000 undergrads), the university says that over 80% of first-year classes have fewer than 50 students in them.
Students flock to the university’s business and engineering schools, with programs in finance, accounting, marketing, computer engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering drawing large numbers. Biology, speech communication and psychology are also popular majors.
The university stands out for its low price. For in-state students who qualify for resident tuition, the cost is under $14,000 as of the 2026-2027 academic year. According to Money's analysis, the net price of an Ohio State degree is significantly cheaper than the national median.
The campus social scene is a big draw for prospective students. Greek life is prevalent, with over 60 sororities and fraternities. The university is a huge sports school: Football unites the campus (as does the act of hating rival Michigan), and no one manages to graduate without memorizing the cheers. It certainly helps that the football team (and its mascot, Brutus Buckeye) has been a mainstay in the NCAA playoffs in recent years.
