HEAD-TO-HEAD · 30-YEAR ROI

Ohio State University vs University of Cincinnati

University of Cincinnati clears +$1.97M in 30-year net value, Ohio State University +$1.93M — both pay off, University of Cincinnati by +$35K.

Two Ohio public flagships, priced the way an in-state student actually pays. Same state, same residency — so the only thing moving the number is the school.

IPEDS 2023 tuition · FREOPP 2021 earnings · BEA 2023 cost-of-living · resident (in-state) pricing · same model as /worth-it · both schools NPV-positive.

Ohio State University · Columbus, OH

30-year net value
+$1.93M
Total cost of attendance
$108,524
Median earnings · 10 yrs out
$61,460
Breaks even by age
37

University of Cincinnati · Cincinnati, OH

clears more

30-year net value
+$1.97M
Total cost of attendance
$103,816
Median earnings · 10 yrs out
$61,403
Breaks even by age
37
How this is computed (and what it isn’t)

Each school runs through the /worth-it model at its resident tuition rate, with the same loan assumptions, the same 30-year horizon, and each state’s own cost-of-living. The “30-year net value” is the projected accumulated value of the degree over that horizon, in real dollars — the same figure the calculator headlines.

We only publish pairs where both schools clear positive net value, so the comparison is “both pay off, one clears more,” never “this school is a bad bet.” Earnings are rolled up from at least three FREOPP programs per school (ADR-0032), so a single high-earning major can’t distort the number.

Cite this:

LE TEEN (2026). “Ohio State University vs University of Cincinnati: 30-year ROI head-to-head.” Data: IPEDS 2023 · FREOPP 2021 · BEA 2023. https://le-teen.com/compare/ohio-state-vs-cincinnati

Keep comparing

Questions

Is Ohio State University or University of Cincinnati a better return on investment?
On a 30-year net-value basis at resident (in-state) pricing, University of Cincinnati clears +$1.97M and Ohio State University +$1.93M — both are solidly positive, so neither is a bad bet; University of Cincinnati comes out ahead by +$35K. Figures from IPEDS 2023 tuition, FREOPP 2021 earnings, and BEA 2023 cost-of-living, run through the same model as the LE TEEN calculator.
How much more does University of Cincinnati pay off than Ohio State University?
About +$35K over a 30-year horizon (+$1.97M vs +$1.93M in projected net value). That gap reflects each school's net price and its graduates' median earnings — not a judgment that either degree fails to pay off, since both clear positive.
What is the 30-year net value of a degree from Ohio State University?
+$1.93M at resident (in-state) pricing — total cost of attendance $108,524, median earnings ten years out $61,460, breaking even around age 37. Run your own assumptions on the /worth-it calculator.