Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsPrivate nonprofit

Ashland University

Ashland, Ohio·Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above·Great Lakes·ashland.edu
6-yr Graduation
61%
-6.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Total enrollment
4,106
peer median 4,189
Avg net price
$21,988
-$565 vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
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About

Ashland University is a private university in Ashland, Ohio, United States. The university consists of a 135-acre (55 ha) main campus and several off-campus centers throughout central and northern Ohio. Ashland was founded in 1878 as Ashland College. It is affiliated with The Brethren Church.

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

Applied
3,814
3,814 candidates competed
Admitted
2,914
76.4% acceptance rate
Enrolled
464
15.9% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

Overall completion
61%-6.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
4-year graduation
49%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
60%
Full-time retention
77%

Pell equity

18.2pp gap
Pell recipients
49%107 of 218
Non-Pell (all)
67%258 of 384
Subsidized loan, no Pell
65%110 of 169
No Federal Aid
69%148 of 215

Non-Pell students graduate at a 18.2-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

Of 103 Title IV programs, 28 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 1 fails. 74 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
103
Passing
28
27.2% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
1
1.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
1.0%
+0.4pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

103programs
  • Passing28 · 27.2%
  • No Data74 · 71.8%
  • Failing1 · 1.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
1
Recoverable
0
At Risk
2
Watch
4
Safe
22
No data
74

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

29
Liberal Arts and Sciences General Studies and Humanities
Associate Degree · Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
-14.7%
$29,690 vs $34,808
Theological and Ministerial Studies
Master's Degree · Theology And Religious Vocations
+7.5%
$47,883 vs $44,535
Clinical Counseling and Applied Psychology
Master's Degree · Psychology
+9.3%
$46,529 vs $42,572
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor Degree · Education
+22.2%
$42,544 vs $34,808
Radio Television and Digital Communication
Bachelor Degree · Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
+23.3%
$42,929 vs $34,808
Special Education and Teaching
Bachelor Degree · Education
+23.7%
$43,052 vs $34,808
Public Relations Advertising and Applied Communication
Bachelor Degree · Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
+24.4%
$43,296 vs $34,808
History
Bachelor Degree · History
+28.0%
$44,543 vs $34,808

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

22
Theological and Ministerial Studies
Master's Degree · Theology And Religious Vocations
110%
$52,621 debt · $47,883 earn
Clinical Counseling and Applied Psychology
Master's Degree · Psychology
94%
$43,870 debt · $46,529 earn
Public Relations Advertising and Applied Communication
Bachelor Degree · Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
62%
$27,000 debt · $43,296 earn
History
Bachelor Degree · History
61%
$27,000 debt · $44,543 earn
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Subject Areas
Bachelor Degree · Education
60%
$27,000 debt · $45,115 earn
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor Degree · Education
59%
$25,000 debt · $42,544 earn
Special Education and Teaching
Bachelor Degree · Education
55%
$23,750 debt · $43,052 earn
Social Work
Bachelor Degree · Public Administration And Social Service Professions
54%
$25,500 debt · $47,094 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Higher Learning Commission

Accredited since 1938Next review Aug 2029
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Higher Learning Commission

Accredited since 1930

Programmatic accreditations · 6

Action history · 6

  1. Apr 2022Renewal of Accreditation
    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Didactic Program in Dietetics
  2. Nov 2018Renewal of Accreditation
    Higher Learning Commission
  3. Jun 2018Loss of Accreditation or Preaccreditation: Voluntary Withdrawal
    Commission on English Language Program Accreditation · English Language
  4. Nov 2017Renewal of Accreditation
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels
  5. Aug 2014Change in Agency recognition
    National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation · Music (MUS) - Institutions and units within institutions offering degree-granting and/or non-degree-granting programs

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$16,489
$30–48k$17,893
$48–75k$19,052
$75–110k$24,229
$110k+$26,507

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price (private)
$21,988
-$565vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs median $22,553
Federal loans
37.9%
In-state tuition
$31,210
Out-of-state
$31,210

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

In AY 2024–25, 3,803 students received $16.9M in Pell grants, alongside $20.8M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
3,803
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$16.9M
$16,930,938 total
Direct Loans
$20.8M
2,651 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

6k
20
4k
21
5k
22
4k
23
4k
24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$3.6M
902 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$4.3M
1,071 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$6.9M
392 loan awards
Parent PLUS$3.7M
214 loan awards
Grad PLUS$2.2M
72 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Of 1,331 borrowers who entered repayment, 16 (1.2%) defaulted within three years below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
1.2%
-1.1pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
1,331
Defaulted
16
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
3.7%
2017
4.0%
2018
4.1%
2019
1.2%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Ashland

Top program areas ranked by completions.

Distinct CIP programs113
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

833 total completions
01Business
23227.9%
02Education
19323.2%
03Health Professions
9010.8%
04Biological Sciences
637.6%
05History
597.1%
06Liberal Arts
516.1%
07Communication
485.8%
08Psychology
414.9%
09Theology
283.4%
10Security/Protective
283.4%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

Fall total
4,106
12-mo unduplicated
5,218
Undergraduate
3,565
Graduate
1,653

Gender split

Men
45%2,347
Women
55%2,871

Race / ethnicity composition

White
76.7%
Black
9.5%
Hispanic
4.1%
Two or more
3.5%
Non-resident
2.8%
Unknown
1.9%
Asian
1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.5%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

Athletes
742
469 M · 273 W
Women athletes
36.8%
Athletic aid
$5.3M
Total student aid
Budget
$12.9M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$3.2M
$2.0M
Recruiting expense
$64K
$23K
Head-coach salaries
$59K
$50K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 13

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
171 M · 140 W
$1.3M
Football
163 M ·
$2.7M
Soccer
40 M · 35 W
$985K
Swimming and Diving (combined)
26 M · 24 W
$535K
Baseball
48 M ·
$745K
Wrestling
37 M ·
$524K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
0.97
4 offenses · 4,143 students

3-year trend

1.422 yrs ago0.721 yr ago0.97Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
14
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
21
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
0

Criminal offenses by type

Rape
2
Fondling
2

By location

4total
  • On campus2
  • Public property2

Includes 2 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

1
Domestic violence
0
Dating violence
0
Stalking
1 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons00
Drugs00
Liquor10

Residence-hall fires

No residence-hall fires reported.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

Student-to-faculty
14.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
143

Ashland vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Ashland selected for federal comparison reporting.

GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectAshland University
61%4,106$21,988Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
67%80.2%3,404$29,466Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
60%80.9%5,923$18,838Doctoral/Professional
67%74.2%4,189$22,553Doctoral/Professional
72%93.5%4,916$31,679Doctoral/Professional
67%71.3%7,011$17,028Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
61%55.9%3,339$20,729Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
71%93.0%2,930$27,846Doctoral/Professional
58%83.4%5,016$27,221Doctoral/Professional
56%92.0%3,627$19,108Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
68%70.9%5,713$25,759Doctoral/Professional
Peer group median67%80.5%4,189$22,553

Institutions like Ashland

Explore the federal data for institutions in Ashland's comparison group.

Ashland Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Assessment
Phone
419-289-4142
Address
401 College Avenue, Ashland, OH 44805

Assessment is a systematic, ongoing process of collecting, analyzing, interpreting and acting on information related to the goals and outcomes for the central mission of the university, student learning and success.

Visit IR office page
Team
6 members
  • Jared S. Rosenberger
    Director of Institutional Assessment, Assistant Professor of Sociology
  • Cindy Moseman
    CAS Assessment Coordinator, Assistant Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Alison Rossi
    COBE Assessment Coordinator, Professional Instructor of Fashion Merchandising
  • Dawn Morton
    Director of Advanced Degree Programs and Assessment, Assistant Professor of Christian Formation and Leadership
  • Jill Matthes Baxter
    CONHS Assessment Coordinator, Academic Assessment Committee Chair, Associate Professor
  • Peter Ghazarian
    COE Assessment Coordinator, Assistant Professor, Doctoral Program in Leadership Studies, Director, Quality Assurance & Accreditation

Reports & documents (2)

Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.

Notable alumni of Ashland (5)

A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.

  • Peter Linneman
    Academia
  • Dwight Schar
    Business
  • Robin Meade
    Entertainment
  • Gil Dodds
    Sports
  • Katie Moon
    Sports

Frequently asked questions about Ashland University

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Ashland.

What is the graduation rate at Ashland University?

Ashland University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 61% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Ashland University?

Ashland University reports a total enrollment of 4,106 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Ashland University?

The average net price at Ashland University is $21,988 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Ashland University?

Ashland University's yield rate is 15.9%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Ashland University located?

Ashland University is located in Ashland, Ohio 44805.

Who runs Institutional Research at Ashland University?

Ashland University's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Assessment.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.

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