At $25,727/yr net price, Ohio Northern University graduates earn $80,928/yr within 10 years of enrollment, which is $46,928/yr above the median for high school graduates.
Cost vs. Outcomes
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Net Price (per year) | $25,727 |
| Estimated 4-Year Cost | $102,908 |
| Median Earnings (10yr post-entry) | $80,928/yr |
| Earnings Premium vs. HS Diploma | +$46,928/yr |
| Estimated Break-Even | 2.2 years |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 74.2% |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $27,000 |
What You'll Actually Pay
Average net price by family income
| Family Income | Estimated Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $20,389/yr |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $21,125/yr |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $22,253/yr |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $26,769/yr |
| $110,001+ | $29,022/yr |
Earnings by Major
Top programs ranked by median earnings
| Program | Level | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration. | Doctoral | $115,064 | |
| Mechanical Engineering. | Bachelor | $70,680 | $27,000 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. | Bachelor | $68,219 | |
| Civil Engineering. | Bachelor | $63,005 | $23,586 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians. | Bachelor | $63,005 | |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | Bachelor | $60,623 | $27,000 |
| Accounting and Related Services. | Master | $57,995 | $20,500 |
| Accounting and Related Services. | Bachelor | $53,629 | $27,000 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration. | Bachelor | $51,482 | $27,000 |
| Construction Management. | Bachelor | $50,563 | $27,000 |
The Risk Factor
74.2% of students at Ohio Northern University graduate within 6 years. A significant share of students finish, but roughly 26% do not complete their degree.
Analysis
Ohio Northern gives you a solid financial return that holds up against its price. You pay about $25,700 a year net, leave with $27,000 in debt near the national norm, and reach median earnings just over $80,000 after ten years. A 74% graduation rate and an 88% retention rate mean you are likely to finish and start earning, which is the biggest factor in whether the cost pays off.
The engineering programs are where the money is. Mechanical engineering graduates earn about $70,700, electrical around $68,200, and civil about $63,000. If you come here for one of these, your degree pays for itself and then some. Nursing lands near $60,600 with the same $27,000 debt load, so the return is decent but thinner than engineering. Civil engineering is the sharpest deal here: you carry less debt ($23,586) for earnings close to the top programs.
The risk is program-specific. The strong earnings above are all technical and pre-professional. If you enroll in a major outside engineering or nursing, expect a weaker payoff against the same tuition, and the school's listed outcomes give you little to point to. Ada is a small rural town, so the engineering and nursing pipelines matter more than local job density.
The net price tiers stay fairly flat. If your family earns under $30,000, you pay about $20,400. if over $110,000, about $29,000. That $8,600 gap across income levels is smaller than at many private schools, which means lower-income families get less of a break than you might hope, while higher earners avoid the steepest sticker price.
Ohio Northern fits you if you want engineering or nursing and value finishing on time. Look elsewhere if your major sits outside those fields and you need aid to scale with income.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ohio Northern University worth the cost?
Ohio Northern University's value depends heavily on your major. Pharmacy graduates earn $115,000 annually, making the $25,727 yearly cost reasonable, but many other programs struggle to justify the price with lower starting salaries.
What are the best paying majors at Ohio Northern University?
Pharmacy is Ohio Northern's clear winner at $115,000 starting salary, followed by engineering programs ranging from $63,000-$70,000. Most other majors fall well below these numbers.
How much debt do Ohio Northern University graduates have?
Ohio Northern graduates leave with a median debt of $27,000. This debt load is manageable for pharmacy and engineering majors but creates financial stress for graduates in lower-paying fields.
Does Ohio Northern University provide good financial aid?
Ohio Northern's net price of $25,727 after aid is still high compared to typical graduate earnings of $80,928. The school's financial aid helps but doesn't fully address the cost-to-outcome gap for most programs.