Individuals who are considering a career as a Marine and who are interested in attending college in the state of Ohio may want to think about joining the NROTC program while in school. In Ohio, there are a couple of schools that act as host campuses for the NROTC program, through which students could receive training to join the Marines. We will look at these two programs in greater detail below.
Program Comparison
| School Name | Institution Type | Location | Tuition (in-state 2022-2023)* | Tuition Assistance/Military Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami University | 4-year, public | Oxford, OH | $15,555 | Point of contact for military members, credit for military training |
| Ohio State University | 4-year, public | Columbus, OH | $12,485 | Point of contact for military members, Servicemembers Opportunity College, credit for military training |
Source: *U.S. Department of Education
Program Highlights
As there is no dedicated training program entirely for the Marines, students who are interested in completing an ROTC program for the Marines will have to enroll in the Navy ROTC program, which provides training for both future Navy seamen and Marines. In the state of Ohio, there are two universities that offer the NROTC program - Miami University and Ohio State University. Students in the NROTC program at either of these schools will have the same eligibility for NROTC scholarships, under the Marine option, as they are determined on a national level by the Navy and are awarded based on merit and intended major. The Navy categorizes majors into three tiers, with the top two tiers receiving 85% of the scholarships. These scholarships cover four full years of tuition, as well as a monthly living stipend. The two schools in Ohio are unique from each other in a number of ways, which we will discuss below.
Miami University
A fairly large public university with almost 20,000 students, Miami University is located in Oxford, Ohio, just north of Cincinnati. Students who enroll in the NROTC program at Miami University can select any major they wish, though they will have to also complete mandatory courses in the Naval Sciences, including physical preparedness, which will culminate in the award of a minor in Naval Science upon graduation. There are a large number of degree options at Miami University, many of which fall into the tier one and tier two categories as determined by the Navy. Tier one majors at this school include chemical engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering, while tier 2 programs include computer engineering, general engineering, manufacturing engineering, biochemistry, and physics. In terms of student life, Miami University is home to 22 fraternities and 18 sororities, as well as a large number of student groups and organizations.
Ohio State University
Ohio State University is a very large public university with over 61,600 students located in the capital city of Columbus. Students in the NROTC program at this school will have access to the USS CARMEN DDGS 71, a state of the art simulator that is housed on-campus at the school. Like any other NROTC program, students are required to complete summer cruises as part of their training. Future Marines participate in the same training during their first year as other participants entering the Navy, but they then attend a different summer training during subsequent years that is designed especially for Marines. Students at OSU have many options when it comes to selecting their major. Tier one majors at this school include aeronautical engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, systems engineering, and mechanical engineering. Tier two majors include civil engineering, general engineering, engineering physics, and computer science. NROTC students will take one Naval Science class per semester and participate in weekly drill exercises. Students in the NROTC program are encouraged to become active on campus by participating in athletics or Greek life, as there are 69 different fraternities and sororities on campus.
