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Public · 4-year

Bowling Green State University-Main Campus

Bowling Green, Ohio

30
F
DR Rating
DegreeReturn Rating — Poor value

A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.

Poor return
$-25,448 over 10 years

Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.

On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.

13.2 yrs
Break-even
-24%
10-year ROI
$52,975
Median earnings as of 2024
74% of Bowling Green State University-Main Campus students earn more than a typical U.S. high-school graduate (about $28,000/yr) ten years after starting — measured from IRS tax records, not surveys.

The numbers behind the verdict

$24,022
Average net price / yr as of 2024
$52,975
Median earnings (5 yr) as of 2024
$40,959
Median earnings (1 yr) as of 2024
$25,000
Median debt at graduation as of 2024
64%
Graduation rate as of 2024
74%
Earn more than a HS grad as of 2024
67%
Repaying their loans (3 yr) as of 2024
82%
Retention rate as of 2024

Lifetime ROI: the long view

Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.

$-25,448
After 10 years
$54,302
After 20 years
$134,052
After 30 years
$213,802
After 40 years

Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.

Equity & access

Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.

By gender
Women
$44,289
Men
$53,538

17% gap between the two groups

By family-income background
From lower-income families
$42,035
From higher-income families
$53,188

21% gap between the two groups

By student status (FAFSA)
Dependent students
$48,991
Independent students
$42,421

13% gap between the two groups

30%
First-generation students
48%
Take federal student loans
96%
Born in the U.S.
Who studies here
White 78%Hispanic 6%Asian 1%Black 7%Other 8%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.

Net price by family income

What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.

Family incomeAverage net price / yr
Family income $0–$30k$18,396
$30k–$48k$18,547
$48k–$75k$21,820
$75k–$110k$25,741
$110k+$27,414

How Bowling Green State University-Main Campus compares

This college against the Ohio and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.

Graduate earnings over time

Median earnings of Bowling Green State University-Main Campus students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.

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Best-paying majors at Bowling Green State University-Main Campus

Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.

MajorCredentialEarnings (5 yr)Median debt10-yr ROIVerdict
Psychology, GeneralMaster's$91,869+876%Strong return
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralAssociate's$95,512$31,000+751%Strong return
Construction EngineeringAssociate's$90,467$26,000+691%Strong return
Management Information Systems and ServicesAssociate's$85,566$20,000+633%Strong return
Computer EngineeringAssociate's$84,600$26,637+586%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsCertificate$113,316$41,000+515%Strong return
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, OtherAssociate's$77,410$17,321+496%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's$78,492$23,738+491%Strong return
Finance and Financial Management ServicesAssociate's$76,229$23,250+453%Strong return
Accounting and Related ServicesAssociate's$74,461$21,211+428%Strong return
MarketingAssociate's$74,031$23,250+414%Strong return
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsAssociate's$69,623+413%Strong return
Accounting and Related ServicesCertificate$91,110+380%Strong return
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's$70,334$25,000+343%Strong return
EconomicsAssociate's$67,556$23,625+298%Strong return
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsAssociate's$64,569$25,000+242%Strong return
Health and Medical Administrative ServicesAssociate's$62,614$25,498+207%Strong return
MathematicsAssociate's$61,120$20,621+190%Strong return
Educational Administration and SupervisionCertificate$75,554$32,725+183%Strong return
ChemistryAssociate's$60,969$24,250+181%Strong return
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationAssociate's$59,879$22,519+165%Strong return
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsCertificate$53,150$19,309+162%Strong return
Political Science and GovernmentAssociate's$59,813$23,760+161%Strong return
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, GeneralAssociate's$58,588$26,000+136%Strong return
Environmental DesignAssociate's$58,480$25,072+136%Strong return

Calculate your own ROI

Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.

ROI at Bowling Green State University-Main Campus

Or pick your to set cost

Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.

10-yr net gain
Break-even
10-yr ROI

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Admissions & profile

81%
Admission rate
1,117
Average SAT
23
Median ACT
12,812
Undergraduates

Location

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.

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