Ohio State increases total enrollment to 68,183 students
70% of new first-year students come from Ohio
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The Ohio State University |
The Ohio State University has reported strong enrollment numbers across campuses and set new records on the Columbus campus in total and undergraduate enrollment.
New numbers from the university’s autumn 2026 enrollment census show total enrollment at Ohio State increased 1.4% over last year to a total of 68,183 students.
“We’re excited that so many talented students in Ohio and around the country are choosing the extraordinary educational experience that Ohio State provides,” said President Ravi V. Bellamkonda. “As Buckeyes, our students have access to excellence: experiential learning, industry-connected internships, research opportunities and an immersive campus life that will prepare them for success as professionals and leaders in their communities.”
Total enrollment on the Columbus campus reached a record high of 62,010 students, up 1.1% from the prior year. Undergraduate enrollment on the Columbus campus also reached a record high of 47,308 students.
The new enrollment report highlights growth on the university’s regional campuses. Regional campus total enrollment increased 4.1% to 6,173 students. And new first-year enrollment on the regional campuses is 3,256, a 6.1% increase over last year and a 22% increase over the past two years.
Autumn 2026 is the first year for the Regional Campus Commitment program, where eligible new first-year students who enroll at one of the university’s campuses in Lima, Mansfield, Marion or Newark or at Ohio State ATI in Wooster can now attend Ohio State without having to pay tuition or mandatory fees. The program supports qualifying students whose family income is less than $100,000 and who have demonstrated financial need
On the Columbus campus, new first-year enrollment grew to 8,585 students, up 375 students from the previous year. Students from the Buckeye State are at the heart of the new first-year class, with 70% coming from Ohio.
The new class remains academically strong with an average ACT score of 28.6 and an average SAT score of 1300. Students are also succeeding once they are on campus. Ohio State achieved a 93.9% first-year retention rate on the Columbus campus, according to the new report, up from 93.5% the previous year, with first-year retention also increasing on nearly all regional campuses.
In his State of the University address, Bellamkonda highlighted several bold initiatives to support student success. They include a new university partnership with Google Public Sector that will offer student ambassadors research opportunities with on-campus Google researchers. BuildX combines real-world startup practices, rapid experimentation, and mentorship from experienced founders, operators and investors to help students turn promising ideas into scalable ventures. And the continued growth of AI Fluency to help students become AI fluent – fluent in their field of study and fluent in applying AI in that field.
Additional highlights from the enrollment census include:
- Graduate student enrollment remained stable with 11,427 students.
- Professional student enrollment increased slightly to 3,281 students, up 1.3% from the prior year.
- Ohio State Online total enrollment grew to 4,196 students, up 884 students, or 26.7%, from the previous year.
