University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
Cincinnati, Ohio · Public · 85.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 55/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Cincinnati's main campus earns a 55 ROI score (Below Average Value). The composite is held up by a 75% completion rate (85 sub-score, the strongest dimension) and dragged down by a 0.193 earnings premium (39) and 12.2-year payback period (48). In-state tuition is $13,976 with average net price of $25,648 and total four-year cost around $102,592. Median debt of $21,250 is reasonable, producing a 0.537 debt-to-earnings ratio (66 sub-score). The headline ROI score understates UC because the school's earnings distribution is heavily bimodal: engineering, nursing, and finance grads do very well; the large communications, arts, music, and health-science cohorts pull the median down. UC's signature co-op program, which routes students through paid internships from sophomore year onward, is a structural earnings amplifier the score doesn't fully capture.
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $13,976/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $29,310/yr |
| Average net price | $25,648/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $102,592 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $54,810 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $39,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $225 |
| Estimated payback period | 12.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 75.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 29,882 |
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: $13,976/year ($29,310/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 $25,648/year, or roughly $102,592 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 $17,974/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $29,616/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $21,250, which works out to about $225 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($39,600) and comes to 0.54, 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 | $17,974 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,092 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $22,492 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $27,596 |
| $110,001+ | $29,616 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families at $0-$30,000 pay $17,974 net and $30,001-$48,000 pay $18,092 - essentially flat (mild inversion noted but tiny). That's about $72K over four years before any co-op earnings offset. Pell plus state aid does meaningful work but most students will borrow at or above the $21K median.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
$48,001-$75,000 households pay $22,492 and $75,001-$110,000 pay $27,596. Total four-year cost ranges $90K-$110K. Co-op earnings can offset $20K-$40K of that depending on program. For middle-income Ohio families with engineering or nursing intent, UC remains a defensible value play despite the headline 55 score.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $29,616 (~$118K over four years). The co-op program differentiates here - families who value structured paid work experience get something distinctive for the price.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Cincinnati-Main Campus with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | $72,881 | C+ |
| Registered Nursing | $85,551 | B |
| Finance and Financial Management | $83,501 | B |
| Psychology | $48,406 | D |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $100,975 | B+ |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $60,441 | C |
| Mechanical Engineering | $86,331 | B |
| Biology | $57,443 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $75,398 | B |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $54,231 | 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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is the largest cohort at 363 graduates with a B grade. First-year earnings of $71,105 climb to $85,551 by year four against $27,000 median debt (0.38 ratio). This is a high-volume, high-confidence ROI path.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer/information sciences delivers a B+ grade with 280 graduates. First-year earnings of $69,548 grow to a remarkable $100,975 by year four against $23,203 debt (0.334 ratio). The co-op program is a major driver - students arrive at graduation with 1-2 years of paid industry experience baked in.
Marketing
Marketing is UC's largest non-STEM program at 502 graduates with a C+ grade. First-year earnings of $50,636 rise to $72,881 by year four against $23,000 debt (0.454 ratio). Reasonable but not exceptional outcomes - the cohort is large enough that median masks substantial dispersion between strong and weak placements.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering enrolls 218 graduates with a B grade. First-year earnings of $72,412 climb to $86,331 by year four against $25,998 debt (0.359 ratio). Combined with civil, electrical, computer, biomedical, aerospace, and chemical engineering, UC's CEAS produces over 700 strong-ROI graduates per year. Engineering is the institutional ROI engine.
Psychology
Psychology pulls 315 graduates with a D grade. First-year earnings of $33,513 rising to $48,406 by year four against $24,250 debt produces a 0.724 ratio. As at most schools, the bachelor's alone under-earns the cost; this program functions as a feeder for graduate work. Students should plan that pathway before committing or be prepared for a long payback.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 68.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 75.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 61.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 67.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Cincinnati-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 | 85.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 590-700 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 570-670 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 24-29 |
| Enrollment | 29,882 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 18.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $11,468 |
UC admits 85.3% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 590-700 math and 570-670 reading; ACT composite is 24-29.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus (this school) | 55 | $25,648 | $54,810 |
| The University of Texas at San Antonio | 68 | $10,836 | $57,131 |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | 55 | $23,433 | $58,128 |
| Georgia Southern University | 52 | $15,267 | $53,236 |
| University of Akron Wayne College | 48 | $6,032 | $46,600 |
| University of Akron Main Campus | 38 | $13,946 | $46,600 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See University of Cincinnati-Main Campus side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
UC fits Ohio in-state students seeking an urban research university with strong professional/STEM placement. Enrollment of 29,882 is substantial. The school's defining feature is the mandatory or near-mandatory co-op in many programs - students typically work 5-6 paid co-op terms during their degree, which dramatically improves placement and starting salaries. Engineering, nursing, business, and design students get outsized returns; arts, communications, kinesiology, and psychology students experience materially weaker outcomes despite strong instruction.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for University of Cincinnati-Main Campus is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $25,648 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $54,810 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 12.2 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: its 75.0% graduation rate. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost.
Median debt of $21,250 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $39,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54, 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.
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus: Common Questions
Is University of Cincinnati-Main Campus worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. University of Cincinnati-Main Campus scores 55/100 on our ROI scale. At $25,648 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $54,810 ten years after entry, so it takes about 12.2 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does University of Cincinnati-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 $25,648 a year, or roughly $102,592 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 University of Cincinnati-Main Campus graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $54,810 ten years after enrolling, roughly $13,010 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 University of Cincinnati-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 12.2 years for University of Cincinnati-Main Campus. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Cincinnati-Main Campus graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,250, against average earnings of $39,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54. 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 University of Cincinnati-Main Campus?
The six-year graduation rate is 75.0%, 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.