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Bowling Green State University-Firelands

Public Huron, OH · Rural · Great Lakes · 87% data
B- Earnings C Value C Affordability
Graduation Rate
11% F
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$47,896 B-
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$17,480 C
Close to the national average
Enrollment
1,251
Earnings +17% vs avg
Graduation -81% vs avg
Net Price 2% vs avg

Bottom line: A C- overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 16.4× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $16.4 over 20 years.

16.4× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $16.4 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,073,786.

What The Data Says

  1. A C- overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Graduation of 11% — 81% below the national average.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $16.4 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Bowling Green State University-Firelands Matters

Bowling Green State University-Firelands is a public community college in Huron, OH and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by an above-average alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public Community College
Carnegie Class
Associate's College
Enrollment
1,251
Setting
Rural
Primary Strengths
Humanities, Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Education

Why students choose Bowling Green State University-Firelands

Strength in Humanities
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C-
Top 56% overall
B-
Earnings
$47,896 median
C
Value
2.7× net price
C
Affordability
$17,480/yr net
F
Graduation
11% graduate
C-
Diversity
0.52 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Bowling Green State University-Firelands might be a great fit for students who appreciate a smaller, more intimate setting with around 1,251 peers. This campus is particularly known for its focus on practical fields like Humanities, Education, Business & Marketing, Health Professions, and Criminal Justice. Students here often appreciate the close-knit community and the personalized attention they receive from faculty, making it easier to dive deeply into their chosen subjects.

After graduation, students can expect to earn a median income of about $47,896 after ten years. This figure gives a solid idea of the economic return on their investment in education. For those who qualify for financial aid, about 28% of students receive Pell Grants, which can help lessen the financial burden. The combination of these factors suggests that graduates often find stable paths in their careers, reinforcing the university’s commitment to preparing students for the workforce.

When looking at the cost, the net price after aid stands at approximately $17,480, with a median debt of around $25,000. This financial picture can be appealing, especially for those who are mindful of their debt load. Students who thrive at Bowling Green State University-Firelands are likely those who value a supportive learning environment and are ready to engage actively with their studies and community.

Can I Get In?

How selective Bowling Green State University-Firelands is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Bowling Green State University-Firelands? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Huron, Ohio, Bowling Green State University-Firelands enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 11%.

Retention Rate
51%
Full-Time Faculty
32%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$8,169
Student–Faculty Ratio
16:1
Diversity Index
0.52
First-Gen Students
30%

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Bowling Green State University-Firelands? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Bowling Green State University-Firelands is $14,395, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $17,480. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $15,207 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $25,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$6,407
Out-of-State
$14,395
Avg Net Price
$17,480
Median Debt
$25,000
Pell Grant Rate
28%
Federal Loan Rate
30%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$15,207
Family Income $30K–$48K
$15,447
Family Income $48K–$75K
$17,855
Family Income $110K+
$21,882

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Bowling Green State University-Firelands — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Bowling Green State University-Firelands Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Bowling Green State University-Firelands earn a median of $47,896, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$41,281
8 Years
$44,746
10 Years
$47,896
Debt-to-Earnings
0.52x
Earning > $25K
62%

Earnings Trajectory

$41,281 6yr $44,746 8yr $47,896 10yr

How Bowling Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation11%Earnings 10yr$48KNet Price$17KRetention51%Median Debt$25KPell Grant Rate28%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$15K$0-30K$15K$30-48K$18K$48-75K$22K$110K+

College ROI Calculator

Is Bowling Green State University-Firelands Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Bowling Green State University-Firelands delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $17,480/year ($69,920 total). Graduates earn $47,896 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,143,706 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,073,786 (16.4× your investment). The median debt is $25,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 11% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$69,920
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,143,706
Net Return
$1,073,786
ROI Multiple
16.4×
Cost Per Year
$17,480
Median Debt
$25,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
11%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Bowling Green State University-Firelands? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Bowling Green State University-Firelands. Its economic connectedness score is 1.05, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.08). Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.05
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.08
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
8.0%
Support Ratio
0.97
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Top Programs

The fields Bowling Green State University-Firelands awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Bowling Green State University-Firelands? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Huron, Ohio, Bowling Green State University-Firelands enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 11%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Bowling Green State University-Firelands? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Bowling Green State University-Firelands is $14,395, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $17,480. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $15,207 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $25,000 in federal student loans.

Is Bowling Green State University-Firelands Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Bowling Green State University-Firelands earn a median of $47,896, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

How Connected Is Bowling Green State University-Firelands? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Bowling Green State University-Firelands. Its economic connectedness score is 1.05, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.08). Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

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