2025 College Rankings

Ohio State University is one of the most recognizable colleges in the country, due in no small part to its storied football rivalry with the University of Michigan. But there’s more to Ohio State than athletics: in recent years, the university has made meaningful strides toward becoming a top-tier academic institution.

Until very recently, Ohio State maintained a broad commitment to discriminatory Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. While none of its faculty job postings require DEI statements, the university supported a sizable DEI bureaucracy, with roughly three staff members per 1,000 undergraduates. The school’s other activist commitments are relatively limited. Ohio State has adopted a policy of institutional neutrality, a welcome sign that it aims to remain focused on its educational mission rather than involve itself in contentious public debates.

Ohio State’s commitment to free speech is mixed. Many students are not fully confident that the administration supports open expression. Ohio State employs a bias-response system, designed to monitor speech that some may find offensive—a practice that can chill open debate. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) gives the school a “yellow” speech code rating, indicating that its policies could be misused to restrict speech. At the same time, Ohio State has endorsed the Chicago Principles, signaling at least a formal commitment to protecting free expression on campus.

Students at Ohio State are relatively tolerant of differing viewpoints. Most report to FIRE a general willingness to allow controversial speakers on campus, though tolerance is higher for left-leaning speakers. Since 2019, several attempts have been made to de-platform invited guests. In one notable instance, students heckled and booed conservative commentator Ben Shapiro during his speech, though he ultimately finished his remarks without interruption.

Ohio State’s curriculum is middling. The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) gives the university a B in its What Will They Learn? ratings, which assign letter grades based on how many of seven core subjects are required in the core curriculum or general education program. However, students must take DEI-focused courses to graduate but are not required to study more foundational subjects like U.S. history or government.

One of the most notable curricular developments is the creation of a new center focused on civics. Established in 2023, the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society is an independent institute dedicated to exploring “the foundation of the American constitutional order and its impact on society.” The center is developing new courses and degree programs, in addition to public programming. It opened in fall 2025.

From a financial standpoint, Ohio State can be a mixed investment. The university outperforms expectations in six-year graduation and retention rates. However, it falls short in other key areas. Median annual earnings ten years after enrollment are nearly $13,000 below expectations, based on SAT scores and Pell Grant data. It takes students an average of three years to recoup the cost of their education, which is above the overall average of 2.3 years.