Oklahoma State University-Main Campus
Stillwater, Oklahoma · Public · 75.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 70/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus posts an ROI score of 70 out of 100 (Fair Value). The school enrolls 21,773 undergraduates in Stillwater, with in-state tuition of $10,234, out-of-state tuition of $25,754, and a net price of $17,447. Six-year average earnings are $42,600, climbing to a median $57,413 by year ten - a healthy earnings ramp characteristic of well-rounded comprehensive universities. The 9.4-year payback period and 0.481 debt-to-earnings ratio (median debt $20,500) both reflect manageable borrowing relative to outcomes. The strongest sub-score is debt-to-earnings (77), supported by a respectable 68.2% completion rate. The 74.8% three-year repayment rate is the relative weak spot, suggesting that while OSU graduates earn enough to manage debt eventually, early-career repayment is uneven. The four-year all-in cost of $69,788 is reasonable for in-state students at OSU; out-of-state attendees should weigh the larger cost differential against major selection carefully.
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $10,234/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $25,754/yr |
| Average net price | $17,447/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $69,788 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $57,413 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $42,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $217 |
| Estimated payback period | 9.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 68.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 21,773 |
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: $10,234/year ($25,754/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $17,447/year, or roughly $69,788 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 $12,243/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,711/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,500, which works out to about $217 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($42,600) and comes to 0.48, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
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 | $12,243 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,314 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,893 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,896 |
| $110,001+ | $24,711 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-$30,000 face a net price of $12,243 - the lowest tier and only modestly above the in-state sticker. With Pell, state grants, and OSU's institutional aid, this bracket benefits from meaningful aid stacking. The four-year cost of about $49,000 against $42,600 six-year earnings produces workable math for completers, especially in engineering, business, or nursing tracks.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $12,314 - nearly identical to the lowest tier. The $48,001-$75,000 bracket steps up to $15,893. These brackets see the strongest aid leverage and represent the sweet spot for OSU's value proposition.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $21,896 and $110,001-plus pays $24,711, because aid phases out at upper incomes. For higher-income in-state families, OSU still represents a reasonable value play, but the gap between OSU and a more selective private (with strong merit aid) narrows considerably.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Oklahoma State University-Main Campus with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $64,062 | C+ |
| Marketing | $62,716 | C+ |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $52,152 | C |
| Psychology | $50,956 | C |
| Animal Sciences | $53,971 | C+ |
| Mechanical Engineering | $89,436 | B+ |
| Finance and Financial Management | $81,340 | B |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $85,641 | B |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $60,830 | B |
| Accounting | $81,039 | C+ |
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.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering is OSU's largest engineering program, graduating 211 students annually with first-year median earnings of $69,905 and four-year out earnings of $89,436. Median debt of $21,750 produces a 0.311 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B+ ROI grade. Career paths span energy, aerospace, manufacturing, and the broader Oklahoma oil-and-gas economy. This is one of the strongest value propositions on campus - modest in-state cost paired with high early earnings.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration graduates 381 students with first-year earnings of $45,200, climbing to $64,062 by year four. Median debt of $22,472 yields a 0.497 ratio and C+ grade. The program is the volume engine of the Spears School of Business; outcomes are acceptable, especially for in-state students paying the lower net price. Career outcomes vary widely by concentration.
Marketing
Marketing graduates 337 students with $44,366 first-year earnings and $62,716 by year four. Debt of $22,250 produces a 0.502 ratio and C+ grade. The program is heavily enrolled relative to entry-level marketing wages, putting graduates in a competitive job market. Outcomes improve substantially for those who pair marketing with quantitative or technology coursework.
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
Communications graduates 108 students with $34,752 first-year earnings, ramping to $56,319 by year four. Debt of $22,062 produces a 0.635 ratio and C grade. Communications outcomes show one of the steepest earnings ramps on campus, with first-year wages substantially below long-run earnings. Students should plan for several lean post-grad years before earnings catch up to debt service.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 252 students with first-year earnings of $32,302 and four-year out earnings of $50,956. Median debt of $20,500 produces a 0.635 ratio and C grade. As at most universities, undergraduate psychology earnings are constrained without graduate study; the data here reflects bachelor's-only outcomes. Students planning graduate school should weigh undergraduate debt carefully against future borrowing.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 70.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 74.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 71.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 74.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Oklahoma State University-Main 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
| Acceptance rate | 75.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 510-620 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 530-630 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 20-27 |
| Enrollment | 21,773 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 28.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,704 |
OSU's admission rate is 75.0%. SAT mid-ranges are 510-620 math and 530-630 reading, with ACT composite mid-range of 20-27. The accessible profile supports the 68% completion rate: students who matriculate generally have the academic foundation to finish, though the gap between admit rate and completion rate (about 7 points) suggests room to improve advising and retention.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma State University-Main Campus (this school) | 70 | $17,447 | $57,413 |
| University of Arkansas | 69 | $18,209 | $58,191 |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | 68 | $15,435 | $57,289 |
| Temple University | 64 | $28,198 | $63,727 |
| University of Central Oklahoma | 38 | $18,309 | $48,351 |
| Cameron University | 20 | $10,912 | $40,118 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Oklahoma State University-Main Campus side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
The right student here is one who can take advantage of the breadth: Oklahoma residents accessing the $10,234 sticker, students with clear interest in engineering, agriculture, business, or nursing (where outcomes are strongest), and students who value the residential Stillwater campus experience. Out-of-state students paying $25,754 should be aiming at high-ROI majors to justify the price premium.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $17,447 a year after aid ($69,788 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $57,413 a decade out, the cost takes about 9.4 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: its 68.2% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings.
Median debt of $20,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $42,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.48, 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.
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus: Common Questions
Is Oklahoma State University-Main Campus worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Oklahoma State University-Main Campus is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 70/100 on our ROI scale. At $17,447 a year after aid ($69,788 over four years) against $57,413 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 9.4 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Oklahoma State University-Main 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 $17,447 a year, or roughly $69,788 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 Oklahoma State University-Main Campus graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $57,413 ten years after enrolling, roughly $15,613 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 Oklahoma State University-Main 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 9.4 years for Oklahoma State University-Main Campus. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Oklahoma State University-Main Campus graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,500, against average earnings of $42,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.48. 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 Oklahoma State University-Main Campus?
The six-year graduation rate is 68.2%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (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.