2026 SB 135 Report
A Public University for the Public Good
Bowling Green State University: #1 Student Experience in Ohio
| Campus | ||
| Metric | Main | Firelands |
| Average annual cost of attendance1 | $20,918 | $17,791 |
| Student degree completion rates2 | 66%2a | 13%2b |
| Percent of students completing or persisting at same or different institution3 | 71%3a | 54%3b |
| Median federal debt of graduates1 | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Percent of first-time, full-time degree seeking students that took federal loans4 | 56% | 52% |
| Post-graduation student loan default rate5 | 2% | 2% |
| Percent in forbearance5 | 10% | 10% |
| Percent not making progress5 | 35% | 35% |
| Percent in deferment5 | 10% | 10% |
| Percent making progress5 | 34% | 34% |
| Percent discharged5 | ** | ** |
| Percent paid in full5 | 8% | 8% |
| One-year post-graduation employment rate (Nationwide)6 | ||
| Undergraduate | 72%6a | 66%6b |
| Master's | 79%6c | n/a |
| Doctoral | 85%6d | n/a |
| Percent of employed graduates who are employed in Ohio by degree level | ||
| Certificates 1-2 years | ** | ** |
| Associates | n/a | n/a |
| Baccalaureate | 77%6a | n/a |
| Master's | 67%6c | n/a |
| Doctoral | 37%6d | n/a |
| Percent of Baccalaureate graduates employed in Ohio and/or enrolled in college | 71%6e | n/a |
**Indicates Privacy Suppression
Definitions and Sources:
1: The average annual net price that a student who receives federal financial aid pays to cover expenses (e.g., tuition, living expenses) to attend a school. Net price is the school's cost of attendance minus any grants and scholarships received.
Source: College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/) last updated November 17, 2025.
2a and 3a: Fall 2019 Full-time, First-time degree-seeking students who earned Bachelor’s degree within 6 years of entry.
Source: Ohio Department of Higher Education
2b and 3b: Fall 2022 Full-time, First-time degree-seeking students who earned Associate’s or Bachelor's degree within 3 years of entry.
Source: Ohio Department of Higher Education
4: Percent of Full-time, First-time undergraduate degree-seeking students who borrowed federal loans to pay for college.
Source: College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/), last updated November 17, 2025.
5: Percentage of undergraduate federal student loan borrowers in default after 2 years of completion, suppressed for n<30.
Source: College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/), last updated November 16, 2025.
6: Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes provided by US Census Bureau
6a: Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes, 2019-2021 graduated cohorts
6b: Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes, 2016-2020 graduated cohorts
6c: Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes, 2016-2020 graduated cohorts
6d: Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes, 2016-2020 graduated cohorts
6e: Workforce Success Measures, 2020-2021 graduated cohorts
Updated: 04/23/2026 03:13PM