Ohio University-Zanesville Campus
Zanesville, Ohio · Public
ROI Score: 60/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Ohio University-Zanesville Campus earns a 60/100 ROI score and a Fair Value tier - a result driven almost entirely by extreme cost-efficiency. This is a regional branch campus serving rural Muskingum County and surrounding Appalachian Ohio, primarily offering 2-year associate's pathways and bachelor's completion programs through Ohio University's main campus. Net price is just $5,746 against $6,362 in-state tuition. Total four-year cost is $22,984 (note that most students attend 2 years here before transferring or completing). Average earnings six years after entry are $35,900, climbing to a median $52,581 by year ten. The implied payback period is 9.3 years. The earnings premium of 76.5% over a high-school graduate is exceptional (96/100 sub-score), which combined with rock-bottom cost produces a healthy ROI despite serious problems elsewhere. Median federal debt is $21,056, producing a 0.587 debt-to-earnings ratio. The dominant problem is completion: just 21.6% of students who start finish a credential at this campus - which reflects how branch campuses work statistically (many transfer to main campus before completing and don't count as completers here) but also genuine retention challenges. Repayment performance is weak at 68% three-year. The honest read: for cost-conscious students using OU-Zanesville as a 2-year transfer pathway to main campus, this is a good entry point; the headline completion rate misrepresents the actual student journey.
How Ohio University-Zanesville Campus scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- 6-year graduation rate21.6% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
Ohio University-Zanesville Campus
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $6,362/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $9,444/yr |
| Average net price | $5,746/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $22,984 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $52,581 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $35,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,056 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $223 |
| Estimated payback period | 9.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 21.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 560 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $6,362/year ($9,444/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $5,746/year, or roughly $22,984 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $3,280/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $8,773/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $21,056, which works out to about $223 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($35,900) and comes to 0.59, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $3,280 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $3,163 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $5,459 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $7,853 |
| $110,001+ | $8,773 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $3,280 net price. Pell grants alone cover this several times over, leaving Pell-eligible students with potential cash refund at Ohio U-Z. Across two years, $6,560 net cost is essentially trivial relative to earnings outcomes. This is an outstanding value for low-income rural Ohio students.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets pay $3,163 ($30K-$48K), $5,459 ($48K-$75K), and $7,853 ($75K-$110K). Note the inversion: the $30K-$48K bracket pays slightly LESS than the $0-$30K bracket - likely a small-cohort statistical artifact rather than actual policy. Across the middle bands, costs scale modestly with income. The $48K-$75K bracket is the value sweet spot.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $8,773 - still extraordinarily low by national standards. Over two years that's $17,546. Even high-income families capture meaningful value here as a 2-year cost-saving stop on the way to a bachelor's.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Ohio University-Zanesville Campus with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $87,308 | B |
| Social Work | $49,690 | C |
| Teacher Education | $43,893 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $71,478 | B |
| Communication and Media Studies | $54,695 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $55,867 | D |
| Psychology | $49,399 | D |
| History | $46,101 | F |
| Sociology | $51,312 | C |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $53,206 | D |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is OU-Zanesville's signature program with 21 graduates per cohort - the largest cohort with reported graduate volume. Graduates earn $75,809 one year out and $87,308 four years out, against $29,454 median debt and a 0.389 debt-to-earnings ratio (B grade). The combination of $5,746 net price and $75K starting RN earnings produces excellent first-year ROI.
Social Work
Social work graduates earn $37,990 one year out and $49,690 four years out, with $23,570 median debt and a 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio (C grade). 6 graduates per cohort. The earnings reflect typical social-work labor market conditions, but the low cost-of-attendance makes the financial math more workable than at private comparators. Social-work students should pursue MSW credentials via grad school for licensure and earnings improvement.
Teacher Education
Teacher education graduates earn $34,983 one year out and $43,893 four years out, with $23,050 median debt and a 0.659 debt-to-earnings ratio (C grade). 5 graduates per cohort. Ohio rural teacher salaries cap the upside, but at this net price the program remains a reasonable teacher-education pathway. PSLF eligibility for those entering public schools is essential.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business administration graduates earn $57,006 one year out and $71,478 four years out, against $25,000 median debt - a 0.439 debt-to-earnings ratio (B grade). Just 3 graduates per cohort makes this a tiny tracked sample, and the figures likely include system-wide OU students rather than purely branch-campus graduates. Still, for cost-conscious business-track students using Zanesville as transfer entry, the math is workable.
Psychology
Psychology graduates earn $30,682 one year out and $49,399 four years out, with $25,000 median debt and a 0.815 debt-to-earnings ratio (D grade). 3 graduates per cohort. Most students intending psychology careers should plan for grad school.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 64.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 67.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 55.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 64.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Ohio University-Zanesville Campus’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 560 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 13.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,667 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported. The completion rate is 21.6%.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio University-Zanesville Campus (this school) | 60 | $5,746 | $52,581 |
| University of Maine at Fort Kent | 64 | $7,482 | $51,077 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto | 63 | $19,454 | $63,435 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill | 63 | $19,659 | $63,435 |
| University of Akron Wayne College | 48 | $6,032 | $46,600 |
| University of Akron Main Campus | 38 | $13,946 | $46,600 |
Who Thrives Here
OU-Zanesville enrolls 560 students with a 13.0% Pell rate. The fit profile: rural and small-town Ohio residents who need affordable, geographically convenient access to Ohio University coursework, with the intent of transferring to Athens or completing online. Students should treat this campus as a strategic 2-year value play rather than a 4-year destination. Anyone seeking the full residential college experience should aim for OU's main Athens campus.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Ohio University-Zanesville Campus is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $5,746 a year after aid ($22,984 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $52,581 a decade out, the cost takes about 9.3 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates. What to keep an eye on: its 21.6% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 67.9% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $21,056 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $35,900 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Ohio University-Zanesville Campus: Common Questions
Is Ohio University-Zanesville Campus worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Ohio University-Zanesville Campus is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 60/100 on our ROI scale. At $5,746 a year after aid ($22,984 over four years) against $52,581 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 9.3 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Ohio University-Zanesville Campus cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $5,746 a year, or roughly $22,984 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Ohio University-Zanesville Campus graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $52,581 ten years after enrolling, roughly $10,781 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Ohio University-Zanesville Campus?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 9.3 years for Ohio University-Zanesville Campus. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Ohio University-Zanesville Campus graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,056, against average earnings of $35,900 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Ohio University-Zanesville Campus?
The six-year graduation rate is 21.6%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.