Joy Baeumel, Financial Aid Manager | Apollo Career Center
Joy Baeumel, Financial Aid Manager | Apollo Career Center
Data shows that students paid $9,717 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $466 more than the previous school year.
Among the six institutions in the county, Bluffton University stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $35,516. The University of Northwestern Ohio followed with an average of $12,470 per year. Apollo Career Center students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $725.
At the time, a total of $10 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Allen County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached $6.4 million.
Currently there are six higher education institutions in Allen County, including Bluffton University, Ohio State Beauty Academy, and Ohio State University-Lima Campus.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State University-Lima Campus | 199 | $1,143,006 | $5,744 | 104 | $544,525 | $5,236 |
| Apollo Career Center | 45 | $234,050 | $5,201 | 21 | $91,751 | $4,369 |
| Bluffton University | 162 | $4,745,109 | $29,291 | 132 | $1,187,680 | $8,998 |
| James A. Rhodes State College | 124 | $535,533 | $4,319 | 43 | $270,580 | $6,293 |
| Ohio State Beauty Academy | 20 | $103,920 | $5,196 | 23 | $162,500 | $7,065 |
| University of Northwestern Ohio | 563 | $3,217,299 | $5,715 | 572 | $4,140,250 | $7,238 |
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