Regional university
#18 Best colleges in OhioOtterbein University
Westerville, OH · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $19,237 a year
Median debt at graduation: $26,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#178 of 1,046
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#214 of 950
- Best colleges for nursing in America#255 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#275 of 1,132
In Ohio
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Ohio#8 of 57
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in Ohio#5 of 33
- Best colleges for business in Ohio#12 of 72
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Ohio#9 of 51
- Best colleges in Ohio#18 of 99
- Best colleges for accounting in Ohio#10 of 54
Show 15 more
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Ohio#11 of 59
- Best colleges for nursing in Ohio#12 of 64
- Best colleges for English in Ohio#13 of 69
- Best colleges for education in Ohio#12 of 63
- Best colleges for psychology in Ohio#14 of 71
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Ohio#20 of 99
- Best colleges for marketing in Ohio#10 of 48
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in Ohio#7 of 33
- Best colleges for art and design in Ohio#13 of 59
- Best colleges for history in Ohio#14 of 61
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Ohio#14 of 60
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in Ohio#8 of 32
- Best colleges for finance in Ohio#10 of 40
- Best test-optional colleges in Ohio#17 of 68
- Best colleges for mathematics in Ohio#14 of 55
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.68%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.80%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,220 · ACT 25
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.12 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$11,946
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $48,321 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 2,119 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 40% · Women 60% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 26% |
| Total students | 2,357 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $19,237 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $48,321 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 68% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 52% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 56% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 70% |
| First-year retention | 80% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $53,313 |
| Admission rate | 85% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,194 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 31% |
| Average SAT | 1220 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | — |
| SAT math | — |
| ACT composite | 22–28 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Nursing | |
| Business administration | |
| Health sciences | |
| Public relations | |
| Communication studies | |
| Psychology | |
| Teacher education | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Biology | |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | |
| Theatre |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Accounting, Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services, Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs, Allied health, Biochemistry, Business/Corporate Communications, Chemistry, Computing and information science, Criminology, Design, Economics, Education (general), Engineering Physics, English, Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering, Ethnic and gender studies, Finance, Fine arts, History, Human resources, International business, International relations, Liberal arts, Management science, Marketing, Mathematics, Mechanical engineering, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Other business, management, marketing, and related support services, Other english language and literature/letters, Philosophy, Philosophy and Religious Studies, Physics, Political science, Public administration, Public health, Romance languages, Secondary education, Sociology, Special education, Sustainability Studies, Systems Engineering, Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians, Writing and rhetoric.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Health professions | |
| Business | |
| Biology | |
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Psychology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 4% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 3% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $13,236 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · Ohio Athletic Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 12 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 14%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 45%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $54,610IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 61% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH)About 9 miles away · about 20 minutes by car |
| Town population | 38,645Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | ColumbusAbout 10 miles away · about 20 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 30°F in January · 75°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Westerville, OH |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.86 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.21 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.21 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Otterbein University’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 29% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Otterbein University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $19,237 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Otterbein University?
- Otterbein University admitted 85% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Otterbein University’s graduates do?
- 68% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $53,313; the median federal debt at graduation is $26,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 204936
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (medium programs)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): United Methodist
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Colleges like this one
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