About ONU

Ohio Northern University is an independent, comprehensive University located in Ada, Ohio, distinguished by nationally ranked academics and a 95 percent job placement rate. The year 2021 marks 150 years since our founder, H.S. Lehr., established the Northwestern Ohio Normal School (our original name), and we remain as devoted as ever to developing students who are ready to immerse themselves in high-impact learning, with more than 60 programs to choose from in our five colleges: Arts & Sciences, Business, Engineering, Pharmacy and Law.

Celebrating 150 years

SMALL UNIVERSITY, HUGE IMPACT.

ONU has a rich history of academic excellence, and we’re always evolving to meet society’s ever-changing needs. We’ve most recently been recognized for teaching quality, high graduation rates, commitment to volunteer service and providing a high return on investment for our graduates.

ONU AT A GLANCE

The University is made up of five colleges, each preparing you to take on whatever challenges you see in the world.

2,814 Students representing 50 states and 26 countries
18 Average class size, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 11:1
574 Faculty and staff members
33,141 Alumni from 50 states and 69 countries

Ohio Northern University students walk through downtown Ada.

WELCOME TO CLEAR SKIES, OPEN SPACES AND FRESH IDEAS

Ohio Northern University is set in the rural village of Ada. It’s a small town, but we still do plenty of big things. And ONU is at the center of it all. Without the distractions of a big city, we hone in on exploring what excites us, solving what puzzles us and building strong relationships with our community.

Ohio Northern’s ambitious, pioneering attitude has been alive since the very beginning. The school started with a single person and a single idea. With the help of the community, Henry Solomon Lehr founded the Northwestern Ohio Normal School in 1871. When the college’s curriculum grew to include pharmacy, engineering, law and business programs, its name was changed to Ohio Normal University and, eventually, in 1903, Ohio Northern University.
In 1899, the University affiliated with the United Methodist Church and more intentionally embraced church-related values. From these beginnings, Ohio Northern University has developed a focus on teaching, learning, scholarship, professional practice and a campus environment that’s centered on students, service and values.
With top-ranked programs and opportunities outside the classroom, any path you choose at Ohio Northern will be grounded in concrete applications for the future. But the best part is that you never really have to choose. Our campus is an open frontier where engineers can be artists and artists can be entrepreneurs. At ONU, we embrace the overlap in every field.
Our values at ONU have been influenced by a unique history and an enduring affiliation with the United Methodist Church. We’re inspired by the higher values of truth, beauty and goodness. Above all, our mission is to prepare students for success in their careers and service to their communities, the nation and the world. Students at ONU work closely with faculty so they can learn to think critically, creatively and entrepreneurially. The practical experience gained at ONU, along with creative exploration outside of the classroom, prepares students for a lifetime of personal growth.

ONU Leadership

President

Board of Trustees

Adriane Thompson-Bradshaw singing at graduation

Administration

Recognition of Excellence

This fall, several ranking services continue to rank ONU among the best universities for offering an exceptional educational experience. While the criteria differ, the common denominator is the recognition of the value of relevancy of an Ohio Northern degree.

No. 3 Ranked No. 3 among Midwest regional colleges by U.S. News & World Report in Best Colleges 2021
No. 1 Ranked by career-guidance site Zippia as most likely in Ohio (and third in nation) to place its graduates into a job.
Top 12 One of the top 12 small Midwest colleges by The Wall Street Journal
No. 4 Ranked by Washington Monthly as No. 4 on its “Bachelor's Colleges” list

Here's what others are saying

Ohio Northern University has been lauded as the best in the state for preparing students for success in their career.

College rankings continue to recognize the high-quality Ohio Northern educational experience. Outside sources confirm Ohio Northern University’s strong reputation:

• Ranked No. 3 among Midwest regional colleges by U.S. News & World Report in Best Colleges 2021, ranked fourth in “Best Value Schools” and among the “A+ Schools for B Students” regional categories

• One of nation’s top schools in The Princeton Review’s annual college guide, The Best 386 Colleges: 2021 Edition.

• Ranked by Washington Monthly as No. 4 on its “Bachelor's Colleges” list.

• One of top 12 small Midwest colleges by The Wall Street Journal.

• Ranked by career-guidance site Zippia as the most likely college or university in the state of Ohio (and third in the nation) to place its graduates into a job.

• The New York Times ranks ONU second out of all 76 colleges in Ohio, 10th nationally out of 578 national selective private colleges, and 84th out of all 2,137 colleges in the U.S. for “median student income at age 34.”

• Ranked by Forbes in its 2019 "America's Top Colleges" 2019.

• Among top five private universities, and in top 16 overall in Ohio, for return on investment, and No. 6 in Ohio for salary potential by PayScale.

• Included in MONEY's “Best Colleges for 2020.”

• Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings 2021 rates ONU as a top university and 31st of 212 institutions in the Midwest, noting the University’s particular strength in student engagement.

Student competes in a group activity during orientation

The Ohio Northern Promise

The Ohio Northern Promise ensures that higher education, historically a key enabler of social mobility, remains accessible and affordable for bright young students and their families. Our path to Affordable Excellence includes a four-year graduation guarantee*, hands-on high-impact learning as a core component of every academic major, and sustained job placement and graduate and professional school admissions rates for graduates.

Students across most undergraduate programs will complete their bachelor’s degrees in four years. This is a campus-wide commitment from the University. ONU guarantees that, as a first-time freshman enrolled in a program designed to be completed in four years, you will graduate in four years. If it takes longer than four years (through no fault of your own), there will be no additional tuition cost for completing your degree.

If you are a first-time freshman, you will receive information about this program before Welcome Weekend so that you can explore the guarantee’s details and guidelines.

Key components:
• A four-year graduation guarantee*
• Hands-on high-impact learning, a core component of every academic major
• Sustained job placement and graduate and professional school admissions rates for graduates

*Available across most undergraduate programs

See Programs of Study