About
Ohio Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1842 by Methodist leaders and central Ohio residents, OWU is a member of the Ohio Five – a consortium of Ohio liberal arts colleges. Its 200-acre (81 ha) campus is 27 miles (44 km) north of Columbus, Ohio and includes the main academic and residential campus, Perkins Observatory, and the Kraus Wilderness Preserve.
Admissions & acceptance rate
First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 8.3-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 55 Title IV programs, 3 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 52 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing3 · 5.5%
- No Data52 · 94.5%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
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.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Higher Learning Commission
Programmatic accreditations · 2
Action history · 2
- Jun 2019Renewal of AccreditationHigher Learning Commission
- Aug 2014Change in Agency recognitionNational Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation · Music (MUS) - Institutions and units within institutions offering degree-granting and/or non-degree-granting programs
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 570 students received $3.3M in Pell grants, alongside $8.3M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
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.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 385 borrowers who entered repayment, 7 (1.8%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* 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.
Academic programs at Ohio Wesleyan
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 13
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus13
- Public property1
Includes 2 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Ohio Wesleyan vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Ohio Wesleyan selected for federal comparison reporting.
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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectOhio Wesleyan University | 59% | — | 1,525 | $20,897 | Baccalaureate |
| 62% | 80.7% | 1,308 | $14,301 | Baccalaureate | |
| 73% | 54.6% | 1,171 | $22,940 | Baccalaureate | |
| 79% | 17.4% | 2,394 | $40,007 | Baccalaureate | |
| 75% | 57.2% | 1,917 | $22,264 | Baccalaureate | |
| 69% | 73.1% | 753 | $24,714 | Baccalaureate | |
| 80% | 79.2% | 3,395 | $27,182 | Baccalaureate | |
| 76% | 75.3% | 1,166 | $19,072 | Baccalaureate | |
| 82% | 31.0% | 2,249 | $38,512 | Baccalaureate | |
| 81% | 34.2% | 2,909 | $38,645 | Baccalaureate | |
| 74% | 59.5% | 1,738 | $23,458 | Baccalaureate | |
| 77% | 63.3% | 866 | $24,336 | Baccalaureate | |
| Peer group median | 76% | 59.5% | 1,632 | $23,897 |
Institutions like Ohio Wesleyan
Explore the federal data for institutions in Ohio Wesleyan's comparison group.
- BaccalaureateMichigan
Albion College
Grad rate62%Admit rate80.7%Enrollment1,308Net price$14,301View data - BaccalaureatePennsylvania
Allegheny College
Grad rate73%Admit rate54.6%Enrollment1,171Net price$22,940View data - BaccalaureateOhio
Denison University
Grad rate79%Admit rate17.4%Enrollment2,394Net price$40,007View data - BaccalaureateIndiana
DePauw University
Grad rate75%Admit rate57.2%Enrollment1,917Net price$22,264View data - BaccalaureateIndiana
Earlham College
Grad rate69%Admit rate73.1%Enrollment753Net price$24,714View data - BaccalaureateMichigan
Hope College
Grad rate80%Admit rate79.2%Enrollment3,395Net price$27,182View data - BaccalaureateMichigan
Kalamazoo College
Grad rate76%Admit rate75.3%Enrollment1,166Net price$19,072View data - BaccalaureateOhio
Kenyon College
Grad rate82%Admit rate31.0%Enrollment2,249Net price$38,512View data - BaccalaureateOhio
Oberlin College
Grad rate81%Admit rate34.2%Enrollment2,909Net price$38,645View data - BaccalaureateOhio
The College of Wooster
Grad rate74%Admit rate59.5%Enrollment1,738Net price$23,458View data - BaccalaureateIndiana
Wabash College
Grad rate77%Admit rate63.3%Enrollment866Net price$24,336View data
Ohio Wesleyan Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Institutional Effectiveness at Ohio Wesleyan University is a place where data intersects with decision making, serving the OWU community in providing data and analysis that support all areas of the institution in taking data-driven decisions.
Visit IR office page- Paul FelicianoInstitutional Research Analyst
Common Data Set
Ohio Wesleyan's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.
Source publications
Reports & documents (7)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DashboardDashboardowu.edu
- Data definitionData Dictionary | Ohio Wesleyan UniversityThe Ohio Wesleyan University Data Dictionary provides definitions for a range of terms related to academic and institutional metrics, categorized alphabetically. This aids in understanding and standardizing data reporting and analysis within the institution.owu.edu
- Data dictionaryData Dictionary | Ohio Wesleyan UniversityThe Ohio Wesleyan University Data Dictionary provides a structured compilation of terms and definitions used in institutional effectiveness reporting. It covers various aspects of academic and demographic data, such as academic units, student enrollment statistics, graduation rates, faculty metrics, and race/ethnicity classifications. The dictionary is designed to standardize terminology across the university's data reporting, ensuring consistency in how data is collated and interpreted for both internal tracking and external reporting. Key definitions include terms related to student demographics, course and credit structure, and various metrics relating to graduation and retention rates.owu.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookInstitutional Data | Ohio Wesleyan UniversityOhio Wesleyan University publishes annual reports with information about the student body. This information, produced by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, includes data elements such as enrollment, demographics, graduation and retention rates, admissions data, tuition, financial aid, faculty, and degrees awarded. These reports include the Factbook, Common Data Set, and IPEDS Data Feedback Report.owu.edu
- Strategic planThe OWU Strategic Plan - Student Growth & DevelopmentOhio Wesleyan University's Strategic Plan focuses on enhancing student growth and development through co-curricular programs and a close-knit community environment. The plan emphasizes substantial investments in residential life, leadership development, wellness programs, and academic advising. Specific objectives include increasing on-campus residency, enhancing new student orientation, and constructing a recreation center to foster both academic success and personal fulfillment.owu.edu
- Strategic planThe OWU Strategic PlanOhio Wesleyan University emphasizes the value of a liberal arts education as a key to developing thoughtful and engaged leaders for the 21st-century global society. The strategic plan outlines initiatives emphasizing a blend of theoretical education and practical engagement, aiming to transform both students' lives and the university. The commitment encapsulates Ohio Wesleyan's aspirations to establish a new standard for a transformative educational experience.owu.edu
Grants & funding (1)
Federal grant awards and open funding opportunities awarded to this institution.
Notable alumni of Ohio Wesleyan (17)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- William HsiaoAcademics
- Shriram KrishnamurthiAcademics
- Edward D. MillerAcademics
- Ezra VogelAcademics
- Frank Sherwood RowlandNobel Prize winners
- Helen Blair BartlettScience
- Hü King EngScience
- Branch RickeySports
- Arthur FlemmingPolitics
- Robert E. LeeLiterature
- Richard North PattersonLiterature
- Wendie MalickArts and entertainment
Frequently asked questions about Ohio Wesleyan University
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Ohio Wesleyan.
What is the graduation rate at Ohio Wesleyan University?
How many students attend Ohio Wesleyan University?
What is the average net price at Ohio Wesleyan University?
What is the yield rate at Ohio Wesleyan University?
Where is Ohio Wesleyan University located?
Who runs Institutional Research at Ohio Wesleyan University?
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.
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