Otterbein University
Westerville, Ohio · Private Nonprofit · 84.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 53/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Otterbein University scores 53 (Below Average Value). The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.699 reflects $26,000 median debt against modest earnings. Nursing (47 graduates, $69,287 year one) is the clear financial outlier. Drama/Theatre (22 graduates, $12,546 year one, debt-to-earnings 2.138) is the most extreme negative case. Biology (38 graduates, F-grade), Wildlife Management (23 graduates, F-grade), and Kinesiology (31 graduates, D-grade) round out the programs with F and D grades.
Otterbein University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $35,548/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $35,548/yr |
| Average net price | $19,237/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $76,948 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $53,313 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $37,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $276 |
| Estimated payback period | 11.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 67.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,157 |
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: $35,548/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $19,237/year, or roughly $76,948 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 $12,458/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,620/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $26,000, which works out to about $276 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($37,200) and comes to 0.70, 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 | $12,458 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,659 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,478 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $23,061 |
| $110,001+ | $24,620 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-$30,000 income bracket pays $12,458 per year. The 30.6% Pell rate is moderate. Low-income nursing students at this net price are in a defensible financial position. Low-income students in theatre, wildlife management, or biology face acute financial risk - these are programs where early-career wages cannot service standard loan payments.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $16,478 and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket rises to $23,061 per year. The premium for Otterbein needs to be justified by specific program fit or campus environment, not financial return.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000 or more pay $24,620 per year - $98,480 over four years. Against $37,200 average six-year earnings, the full-price financial case at Otterbein is weak.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Otterbein University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $80,188 | B |
| Psychology | $49,090 | D |
| Biology | $42,619 | F |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $70,328 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $46,521 | D |
| Teacher Education | $47,383 | C |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $62,364 | D |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | $41,121 | F |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $58,065 | C |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $38,023 | F |
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 (47 graduates) earns $69,287 year one and $80,188 year four with a B-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.390 and $27,000 median debt. This is Otterbein's only program with an unambiguously good financial outcome. Columbus-area healthcare demand is strong, and Otterbein's nursing graduates enter a market where RN wages support the debt burden. Nursing is the primary financial reason to consider Otterbein.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance (14 graduates) earns $55,364 year one with a C+-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.462. Columbus's growing financial services sector supports finance career entry. At 14 graduates, program volume is low - confidence in Scorecard averages is limited.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (31 graduates) earns $44,689 year one and $70,328 year four with a C-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.587 and $26,247 median debt. Year-one wages are below what most business majors need to comfortably service $26,000 in student debt on a standard repayment plan.
Biology
Biology (38 graduates) earns only $24,341 year one and $42,619 year four with an F-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.068 and $26,000 median debt. Graduates owe more than their first year's wages. The year-four figure of $42,619 reflects some improvement but not enough to repair the early financial damage. Biology at Otterbein is financially justifiable only for students with a clear, fully-funded graduate or professional school pathway.
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Theatre (22 graduates) earns $12,546 year one and $38,023 year four with an F-grade debt-to-earnings ratio of 2.138 and $26,822 median debt. Year-one earnings are $12,546. The debt-to-earnings ratio is 2.138, and graduates owe more than two years of income. Otterbein's theatre program has a genuine regional reputation, but the financial data should be a serious deterrent to anyone without a specific professional plan.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 77.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 82.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 74.0% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 79.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Otterbein University’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 | 84.5% |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 22-28 |
| Enrollment | 2,157 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 30.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,630 |
Otterbein admits 84.5% of applicants with ACT composite 22-28; SAT data is not reported. This is a moderately accessible private institution with a United Methodist heritage. The Columbus metro location is Otterbein's geographic asset - graduates have access to a large, growing Midwestern job market. Admission is not competitive; the financial terms and program selection are the decisions that matter most.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Otterbein University (this school) | 53 | $19,237 | $53,313 |
| Augsburg University | 53 | $23,873 | $58,829 |
| Roanoke College | 53 | $24,503 | $58,047 |
| Trine University | 52 | $25,355 | $57,165 |
| Allegheny Wesleyan College | 29 | $5,355 | $37,453 |
| Art Academy of Cincinnati | 9 | $34,253 | $34,368 |
Who Thrives Here
The 84.5% acceptance rate with ACT 22-28 makes it broadly accessible. Students considering theatre, fine arts, biology (without grad school plans), or wildlife management should be direct with themselves about the financial implications of these programs at this price.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Otterbein University is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $19,237 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $53,313 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 11.8 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What it has going for it: high loan repayment success. What to keep an eye on: a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70 (median across the schools we score: 0.61).
Median debt of $26,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $37,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Otterbein University: Common Questions
Is Otterbein University worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Otterbein University scores 53/100 on our ROI scale. At $19,237 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $53,313 ten years after entry, so it takes about 11.8 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Otterbein University 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 $19,237 a year, or roughly $76,948 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 Otterbein University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $53,313 ten years after enrolling, roughly $11,513 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 Otterbein University?
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 11.8 years for Otterbein University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Otterbein University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $26,000, against average earnings of $37,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.70. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Otterbein University?
The six-year graduation rate is 67.9%, 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.