At $20,918/yr net price, Bowling Green State University-Main Campus graduates earn $47,896/yr within 10 years of enrollment, which is $13,896/yr above the median for high school graduates.
Cost vs. Outcomes
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Net Price (per year) | $20,918 |
| Estimated 4-Year Cost | $83,672 |
| Median Earnings (10yr post-entry) | $47,896/yr |
| Earnings Premium vs. HS Diploma | +$13,896/yr |
| Estimated Break-Even | 6 years |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 62.8% |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $25,000 |
What You'll Actually Pay
Average net price by family income
| Family Income | Estimated Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $15,611/yr |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $16,496/yr |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $20,316/yr |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $23,010/yr |
| $110,001+ | $23,945/yr |
Earnings by Major
Top programs ranked by median earnings
| Program | Level | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Management and Services. | Master | $84,102 | |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | Master | $79,688 | $41,000 |
| Management Information Systems and Services. | Master | $74,196 | $20,500 |
| Psychology, General. | Doctoral | $67,660 | |
| Educational Administration and Supervision. | Doctoral | $67,164 | |
| Construction Engineering Technologies. | Bachelor | $65,131 | |
| Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other. | Bachelor | $64,829 | $17,321 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | Bachelor | $64,493 | $31,000 |
| Management Information Systems and Services. | Bachelor | $63,005 | $20,000 |
| Construction Engineering. | Bachelor | $62,154 | $26,000 |
The Risk Factor
62.8% of students at Bowling Green State University-Main Campus graduate within 6 years. A significant share of students finish, but roughly 37% do not complete their degree.
Analysis
Bowling Green sits in the middle on financial return. You pay a public-school net price and leave with median debt at $25,000, but the median earnings ten years out barely clear what a solid regional wage looks like. The gap between the top programs and that median is where the whole decision lives.
Your major decides everything here. Construction Engineering Technologies and the other engineering technology tracks push past $64,000, and the Engineering Technologies path does it with the lowest debt of any top program at Bowling Green. Computer and Information Sciences pays about the same but comes with the heaviest debt load on this list, so the payoff shrinks once you subtract loans. Management Information Systems gives you similar money with far less debt, making it the cleaner bet if you want tech-adjacent work. Anything outside these technical and business-computing fields is not represented in the top earners, so expect returns closer to the school-wide median.
The specific risk is graduating with average debt into an average salary. With a 62.80% grad rate, roughly one in three of you does not finish in the expected window, and debt without a degree is the worst outcome the numbers point to.
Net price barely moves across income tiers. If your family earns under $30,000, you pay only a few thousand less than a family above $110,000, so this school does not discount much for lower incomes. Families across the board pay a similar sticker.
Bowling Green fits you if you commit to construction engineering, engineering technology, or MIS and plan to work in the regional Ohio market. If you are drawn to a non-technical major, look hard at whether the earnings justify the same net price everyone else pays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bowling Green State University-Main Campus worth the cost?
With graduates earning $47,896 ten years after enrollment and median debt of $25,000, BGSU offers moderate returns that vary significantly by program. Business and HR management majors see strong outcomes, while other programs may struggle to justify the $20,918 annual net price.
What are the best paying majors at Bowling Green State University-Main Campus?
Human Resources Management leads at $84,102, followed by Business Administration at $79,688 and Management Information Systems at $74,196. These business-focused programs offer substantially better returns than the university average.
How much student debt do Bowling Green State University-Main Campus graduates have?
The median debt is $25,000, which is manageable given the $47,896 average earnings. However, graduates in lower-paying majors may face payment challenges with this debt load.
Does Bowling Green State University-Main Campus have good graduation rates?
BGSU's 62.80% graduation rate is below the national average, meaning nearly 4 out of 10 students don't finish their degree. This completion risk adds to the financial uncertainty of attending.