Ohio State University is a well-regarded public research university in Columbus, Ohio in the Columbus metropolitan area. It is a extremely large university with approximately 47,100 undergraduate students. Ohio State's acceptance rate is approximately 50.8%, and therefore admissions are competitive. Majors offered are Finance, Marketing, Psychology, Communications, and Biology. The six-year graduation rate is 88%, and Ohio State alumni have an average beginning salary of around INR 61,60,000 (ten years post-graduation, converted from $74,100 median earnings).
University of Wisconsin–Madison is a highly respected public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin in the Madison metropolitan area. It is a big university with approximately 33,500 undergraduate students. The admissions are competitive as Wisconsin–Madison's acceptance rate is around 43%. Majors are Social Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, Business, and Psychology. The graduation rate is 88% in six years, and the median starting salary for Wisconsin–Madison graduates is around INR 63,50,000 (ten years post-graduation, from $76,700 median earnings).
| Ohio State University | University of Wisconsin | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 6.1 Out of 10 | 6.8 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 190 QS World University 2026 # 55 Center for World University Rankings 2025 # 116 Times Higher Education 2025 | # 110 QS World University 2026 # 30 Center for World University Rankings 2025 # 56 Times Higher Education 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 27 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 84 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 # 28 for Law by US News 2025 | # 27 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 119 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 # 28 for Law by US News 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -146 PG Programs -75 Doctorate Programs -100 | UG Programs -166 PG Programs -101 Doctorate Programs -69 |
| Acceptance Rate | 57.2 % | 43.0 % |
| Exam Score | Duolingo-120 IELTS-7 SAT-1260 TOEFL-79 | GMAT-680 IELTS-7 SAT-1280 TOEFL-92 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 36430 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 40507 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 14738 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 38634 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 25540 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 17149 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | Average Salaries are listed below:
| Graduate Employability Rankings- #55 (QS 2020); Average salary- 72,492 USD; Top recruiters: UW- Madison, Target Corporation, Oracle, Mercer, Kohl's, Milliman, Epic, UW Health, 3M Company; Highest paid degrees: Doctorate (235,000 USD), PhD (168,000 USD), Masters in Finance (130,000 USD), Masters in Science (120,000 USD), Bachelor of Science (94,000 USD), Bachelor of Arts (92,000 USD), BS Nuclear Engineering (72,083 USD) |
| application requirements | Academic transcripts; Academic recommendation; Standardized test scores; 2-3 LORs; Resume; SOPs/ Essays; Proof of English language proficiency; Additional Requirements (video interview, work experience, research papers, etc.). | Academic transcripts, Resume, 2-3 LORs, SOPs/ Essays, Standardized test scores (ACT, GMAT, GRE), Proof of English proficiency, Additional documents (Design portfolio, research-based writing samples, etc.) |
| Campuses and B-Schools | Fisher College of Business | Wisconsin School of Business |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 8.5/10 Read 6 reviews | 7.7/10 Read 21 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 24 for Business by US News 2025 # 101 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 119 for Business by QS World University 2025 | # 40 for Business by US News 2025 # 54 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 201 for Business by QS World University 2025 |
| exam scores | Duolingo - 120/160IELTS - 7/9TOEFL - 100/120 | Duolingo - 125/160IELTS - 7/9PTE - 73/90TOEFL - 92/120 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Apr 25, 2025 (Final Application Deadline For Autumn 2025 Intake) May 30, 2025 (Final Application Decision For Autumn 2025 Intake) | Sep 25, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Nov 4, 2025 (Round 2 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Jan 13, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Mar 3, 2026 (Round 4 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Apr 9, 2026 (Round 5 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Jun 4, 2026 (Round 6 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | Ohio State University | University of Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1922 | 1848 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 18:1 |
| Male:Female | 51% Male, 49% Female | 49% Male, 51% Female |
| Location Facts | main campus in Columbus & regional campuses in Lima, Mansfield, Marion, Newark, & Wooster; 1,764-acre main campus, about 2.5 miles north of the city's downtown | over 900 acres campus in Madison; lies along the southern shore of Lake Mendota. |
| Library | 18th largest university research library in North America; 21 libraries on Columbus campus, 8 branches at off-campus research facilities & regional campuses, 1 book storage depository near campus; 5.8 million volumes in total. | 12th largest research library collection in North America; 40 libraries; 8.3 million volumes; 101,000 serial titles, 6.4 million microform items, and over 8.2 million items; Memorial Library (1st library at UW) holds 3 million volumes on 78.5 miles of shelving; over1.2 million Microform items. |
| Campus Life | 90-acre recreational space; 6 Rec Sports facilities; 8 health & student wellness centers; 1000+ student organizations; 3 Arts and Culture centers; 30+ food outlets across different campuses; Ohio Union (One of area's most comprehensive event centers); The Lantern (official daily student published newspaper, one of the largest campus newspaper in USA). | Contains a hospital, botanical gardens, an on-campus dairy farm; music hall; Camp Randall Stadium; 23 Big Ten varsity teams; nearly 900 student organizations; WSUM 91.7 FM (University Radio); Geology Museum; Chazen Museum of Art; The Daily Cardinal and The Badger Herald (2 daily university newspaper); Memorial Union Terrace (hangout space for students). |
| Hostel | #Food and housing - $14738 | #On campus - $1300 #On campus - $15849 |
| Famous Alumni | 570,000 living alumni; Larry Sanger (one of the founders of Wikipedia); Steve May (chief technology officer at Pixar); James S. Albus (Roboticist); Jesse Owens (American athlete); R. L. Stine (American novelist); Roy Lichtenstein (American artist); Patricia Heaton (American actress); Woody Hayes (American football player); James Thurber (American cartoonist); Ross Butler (American actor). | Living alumni: 451,142; 41 Pulitzer Prize winners; Dick Cheney (Businessman, Politician and 46th Vice President of USA); Laurel Clark (Medical doctor and NASA astronaut); Greta Van Susteren (Lawyer, commentator, and TV news anchor); Anders Holm (Writer, actor, producer, and comedian); Thomas J. Falk (CEO of Kimberly-Clark), Carol Bartz (CEO of Yahoo!), Keith Nosbusch (CEO of Rockwell Automation). |
| City Life | Columbus- the capital & largest city in Ohio; distinctive neighborhoods, dynamic nightlife & music, creative arts scene, original culinary experiences, wide array of festivals; famous attractions: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Columbus Museum of Art, Center of Science and Industry (COSI), Huntington Park, Topiary Park; Unemployment Rate: 3.5% (Dec 2019) | Madison- Capital city of Wisconsin; home to historical sites, festivals and a fireworks display; growing technology economy; Famous attractions- Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin East, Wisconsin State Capitol, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Monona Terrace, Henry Vilas Zoo; Unemployment rate- 2.8% (Feb 2020). |
| Weather |
Ohio State University vs University of Wisconsin – Madison
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
Both Ohio State University and the University of Wisconsin – Madison are top U.S. public research universities, ranked highly nationally and internationally. University of Wisconsin ranks #110 in QS and 56th in Times Higher Education whereas Ohio State University? ranks #190 in QS and 116 in Times Higher Education Based on subject, Wisconsin performs highly in Life Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, Education, and Social Sciences, generally within the global top 25–40. Ohio State performs highly in Business, Engineering, and Health Sciences, also regularly in the top 50–70 globally for these fields.
General Information
The University of Wisconsin – Madison, which was established in 1848, is the flagship of Wisconsin's public university system and has an enrollment of around 50,000 students. It is known for integrating excellent liberal arts programs with first-class scientific research and is situated in the city of Madison, a lively college town with a high quality of life. Ohio State University, established in 1870, has a campus in Columbus, Ohio, and is among the United States' largest universities, with more than 65,000 students at its campuses. The university has a wide academic portfolio with special strengths in professional programs like Business, Medicine, and Engineering.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Both schools have competitive admissions, although selectivity varies somewhat. The University of Wisconsin – Madison accepts approximately 43% of applicants in total, more so for engineering, computer science, and biological sciences. Ohio State University's acceptance rate is approximately 50.8%, but its Honors Program and competitive majors (e.g., Business, Engineering) are highly competitive. Both receive great numbers of out-of-state and international applicants, yet Wisconsin is typically regarded as more selective.
Research Impact & Facilities
The University of Wisconsin – Madison ranks among the nation's best research universities, with research spending over $1.5 billion annually, ranking consistently in the top five among public universities in research. It is internationally known for life sciences breakthroughs, agriculture, social science, and healthcare breakthroughs. Ohio State University likewise possesses a robust research reputation, with spending more than $1.2 billion every year, placing in the top 15 public universities in the U.S. for research funding. It has a special reputation in medicine, engineering, and energy research. Both institutions possess vast libraries, labs, and innovation centers, although Wisconsin slightly leads in research output and reputation.
Cost & Financial Aid
Both are public universities, and tuition depends on residency. Both in-state students at both schools pay around $11,000–$12,000 per year, while out-of-state students pay around $35,000–$38,000 per year. Competitive scholarships are offered by the University of Wisconsin – Madison for top achievers, especially within Wisconsin. Ohio State University offers a wide range of financial aid, including both merit and need-based aid, and enjoys strong support for both in-state and out-of-state students. International students at both campuses have limited access to scholarship programs.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
University of Wisconsin – Madison graduates are highly regarded in academic life, public service, health sciences, and scientific research, with high placement in graduate and professional schools. Its alumni base is strongest in the Midwest and across research-oriented professions. Ohio State University alumni perform well in business, engineering, healthcare, and sports-related fields, with a worldwide alumni body of over 600,000. Ohio State has particularly strong results in professional careers like business, law, and medicine, whereas Wisconsin is more commonly linked with academic, policy, and research leadership.
