National university
#16 Best colleges in OhioUniversity of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid About $26,000 a year
Median debt at graduation: $21,250 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Campus tour
University of Cincinnati Campus Tour 2025 | Full Virtual Walkthrough for Prospective Students · From the college’s official YouTube channel. Plays from YouTube when you tap it.
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#79 of 1,046
- Best colleges for social work in America#70 of 605
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#113 of 950
- Best colleges for nursing in America#132 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#144 of 1,132
- Best colleges for marketing in America#114 of 834
Show 16 more
- Best colleges for business in America#233 of 1,563
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#277 of 1,829
- Best colleges for education in America#201 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#194 of 1,238
- Best colleges for finance in America#121 of 744
- Best colleges for psychology in America#258 of 1,418
- Best colleges in America#337 of 1,829
- Best colleges for English in America#244 of 1,283
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#260 of 1,358
- Best test-optional colleges in America#294 of 1,481
- Best colleges for art and design in America#243 of 1,187
- Best colleges for history in America#257 of 1,247
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#257 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#261 of 1,162
- Best colleges for music in America#239 of 1,063
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#256 of 1,116
In Ohio
- Best colleges for social work in Ohio#5 of 42
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Ohio#12 of 99
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Ohio#7 of 57
- Best colleges for business in Ohio#11 of 72
- Best colleges for nursing in Ohio#10 of 64
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Ohio#8 of 51
Show 21 more
- Best colleges in Ohio#16 of 99
- Best colleges for accounting in Ohio#9 of 54
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Ohio#10 of 59
- Best colleges for English in Ohio#12 of 69
- Best colleges for education in Ohio#11 of 63
- Best colleges for psychology in Ohio#13 of 71
- Best colleges for marketing in Ohio#9 of 48
- Best colleges for art and design in Ohio#12 of 59
- Best colleges for history in Ohio#13 of 61
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Ohio#13 of 60
- Best colleges for finance in Ohio#9 of 40
- Best test-optional colleges in Ohio#16 of 68
- Best colleges for mathematics in Ohio#13 of 55
- Best colleges for engineering in Ohio#9 of 36
- Best colleges for music in Ohio#12 of 48
- Best colleges for chemistry in Ohio#13 of 52
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Ohio#13 of 50
- Best colleges for economics in Ohio#11 of 41
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in Ohio#9 of 33
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in Ohio#4 of 13
- Best large colleges in Ohio#3 of 9
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.75%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.85%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,282 · ACT 26.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.19 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$12,292
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 paid by families who received aid, by income. Families who get no aid pay the full cost of attendance: $32,171 a year.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
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) | 31,184 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 50% · Women 50% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 31% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 21% |
| Total students | 43,338 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | About $26,000 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $32,171 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $21,250 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 75% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 42% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 44% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 57% |
| First-year retention | 85% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $54,810 |
| Admission rate | 85% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $50 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,051 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 19% |
| Average SAT | 1282 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 570–670 |
| SAT math | 590–700 |
| ACT composite | 24–29 |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| Computer engineering | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Electrical engineering | |
| Chemical Engineering | |
| Information science | |
| Construction Engineering | |
| Architectural Engineering | |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | |
| Allied health | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Nursing | |
| Finance | |
| Insurance | |
| Clinical laboratory science | |
| Health administration | |
| Mathematics | |
| Accounting | |
| Economics | |
| Business administration | |
| International business | |
| Marketing | |
| Chemistry | |
| Design | |
| Paralegal studies | |
| Other health professions and related clinical sciences | |
| Architecture | |
| Human resources | |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Speech-language pathology | |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | |
| History | |
| Political science | |
| Neuroscience | |
| Biology | |
| International relations | |
| Communication studies | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Theatre | |
| Counseling and mental health | |
| Public health | |
| Sociology | |
| Social work | |
| Psychology | |
| Journalism | |
| Special education | |
| Teacher education | |
| Secondary education | |
| Broadcasting | |
| English | |
| Fine arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): American Sign Language, Anthropology, Applied mathematics, Archeology, Area studies, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Biochemistry, Classics, Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Dance, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Engineering-Related Fields, Ethnic and gender studies, Experimental psychology, Family and human development, Film and video, Fire science, Geography, Geology and earth science, German, Industrial Engineering, Information technology, Liberal arts, Literature, Management science, Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Music, Nutrition Sciences, Other biological and biomedical sciences, Other visual and performing arts, Philosophy, Physics, Plant Sciences, Pre-health, Programming, Public relations, Real Estate, Romance languages, Software and media applications, Urban Studies/Affairs, Writing and rhetoric.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Health professions | |
| Engineering | |
| Computer and information sciences | |
| Biology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 10% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 9% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $13,564 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Big Twelve Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 19 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 6%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 57%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $50,297IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 27% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)About 10 miles away · about 30 minutes by car |
| Town population | 311,224Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | CincinnatiIn or next to this city |
| Typical weather | 32°F in January · 76°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Cincinnati Lunken Airport, OH, about 5 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Questions families ask
- What is University of Cincinnati’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 19% 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 University of Cincinnati cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is about $26,000 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 University of Cincinnati?
- University of Cincinnati admitted 85% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do University of Cincinnati’s graduates do?
- 75% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $54,810; the median federal debt at graduation is $21,250.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 201885
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (very high research)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
Compare side by side: University of Cincinnati vs Michigan State · University of Cincinnati vs The University of Alabama · University of Cincinnati vs University of Oregon · University of Cincinnati vs George Mason
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