Best Public Colleges in Ohio 2024

Published: May 3, 2021
Updated: Oct 26, 2023

Public colleges and universities account for almost 75 percent of all undergraduate students in the U.S. The best public colleges in Ohio provide broad access to reputable degree programs, affordable tuition, and sprawling educational communities.

Ohio State University
University of Cincinnati
Miami University
Ohio University
Kent State University
Bowling Green State University
University of Akron
Cleveland State University
University of Toledo
Wright State University

Wright State University 95%
University of Toledo 92%
Central State University 89%
Miami University 88%
Kent State University 88%
Ohio University 87%
University of Cincinnati 86%
Cleveland State University 85%
University of Akron 83%
Youngstown State University 81%

Ohio State University at Newark 27 to 1
Kent State University at Ashtabula 21 to 1
Central State University 21 to 1
University of Cincinnati Clermont College 20 to 1
Kent State University at Stark 19 to 1
Kent State University at Salem 19 to 1
Kent State University 19 to 1
Ohio University Southern Campus 18 to 1
University of Cincinnati 18 to 1
Youngstown State University 18 to 1

Miami University $13,678
Ohio University $13,352
Cleveland State University $12,144
Ohio State University $11,525
Bowling Green State University $11,272
Kent State University $11,218
University of Cincinnati $10,656
Wright State University $10,174
University of Akron $10,097
Youngstown State University $9,426

University of Toledo $15,053
Wright State University $14,298
Miami University Hamilton $13,396
Miami University Middletown $13,396
Miami University $13,396
University of Cincinnati $13,224
Ohio State University $12,092
Kent State University at Stark $12,072
Kent State University $12,071
Ohio State University at Lima $12,025

Ohio State University at Lima
Ohio State University at Marion
Ohio State University at Mansfield
Ohio University – Chillicothe
Ohio State University at Newark
Kent State University at Salem
Ohio University Southern Campus
Miami University Hamilton
Kent State University at Ashtabula
Kent State University at Stark

Ohio State University at Marion
Ohio State University at Lima
Ohio University – Chillicothe
Kent State University at Salem
Kent State University at Ashtabula
Ohio State University at Mansfield
Kent State University at Stark
Ohio University Southern Campus
Ohio State University at Newark
University of Cincinnati Clermont College

Ohio State University 53%
Bowling Green State University 79%
Youngstown State University 81%
University of Akron 83%
Cleveland State University 85%
University of Cincinnati 86%
Ohio University 87%
Kent State University 88%
Miami University 88%
Central State University 89%

Miami University Hamilton 12 to 1
Miami University Middletown 14 to 1
Wright State University 14 to 1
Shawnee State University 14 to 1
Ohio State University at Mansfield 15 to 1
Ohio State University at Marion 15 to 1
Miami University 15 to 1
University of Akron 16 to 1
Cleveland State University 16 to 1
Ohio State University at Lima 17 to 1

Central State University $5,176
University of Cincinnati Clermont College $5,628
Ohio University – Chillicothe $6,004
Ohio University Southern Campus $6,004
Miami University Middletown $6,045
Miami University Hamilton $6,083
Kent State University at Stark $6,902
Kent State University at Salem $6,902
Kent State University at Ashtabula $6,902
Ohio State University at Lima $8,677

Youngstown State University $6,494
University of Akron $7,958
Central State University $8,100
Bowling Green State University $8,418
Ohio University $9,444
Shawnee State University $10,156
Cleveland State University $10,627
Ohio State University at Lima $12,025
Ohio State University at Mansfield $12,025
Ohio State University at Newark $12,025

Table of Contents

Colleges and Universities in Ohio

Ohio offers over 120 colleges and universities for students to earn their associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree. The largest school in the state, Ohio State University, a public institution, serves almost 55,000 students. This university has five regional campuses, which have graduated alumni like writer Harlan Ellison and Wikipedia cofounder Larry Sanger. The majority of Ohio’s schools, however, are private.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

Tuition at these schools varies greatly, with costs as low as $7,000 at God’s Bible School and College, and as high as $56,000 at Kenyon University. The state is also home to nearly 40 higher education institutes with religious affiliations, offering plenty of options for students aiming to blend their faith with higher education. Although tuition costs in Ohio are higher than the national average, Ohio provides several loan forgiveness programs to those pursuing careers as public defenders and prosecutors, dentists, nurses, primary care physicians, and mental health providers. Many of these programs require individuals to work in shortage areas around the state for a certain time period in order to qualify.

If you’re someone with a wide variety of interests, Ohio might just be the place for you. In The Buckeye State, individuals can visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, take a trip through Amish Country, attend a professional sporting event, and hike waterfalls in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It seems this state has something for everyone, including those pursuing a higher education degree.

Learn more about the numerous excellent degree paths and career prospects available in Ohio.

What are Ohio’s Colleges & Universities?

Ohio’s Best Overall

What is the difference between public and private colleges?

Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models. Public colleges and universities are owned by the state and receive both state and federal funding to operate. Private colleges and universities are private companies with private funding. If you’re looking at the pros and cons of private vs. public colleges, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.

Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a bachelor’s degree at a public university is often lower than the equivalent cost at a private college — especially for students attending a public school in their home state. Attending a college in-state is usually the cheapest option. Private universities and colleges can be very competitive with their funding opportunities, so do not simply believe that private colleges are always going to be more expensive. According to National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room and board for full-time students) at a public university was slightly over $20,000. In contrast, private universities cost, on average, nearly $43,000 annually. But in the end, the cost of college comes down to each student’s academic and financial situation.

This list is composed entirely of public colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 25 public universities in Ohio. To be included in our list of the best public colleges in Ohio, shcools must receive direct funding from the state, be fully accredited, and offer a broad range of bachelor’s degress.

How do we determine Ohio's best public colleges and universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

Best Public Colleges in Ohio 2023

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Ohio’s Best Public College in Your Area of Interest

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2024 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2023. That’s because we took a fundamentally different approach. For 2024 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

Check out our directory of public colleges throughout the U.S. for a look at the top public colleges in every state.

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Best Public Colleges in Ohio 2024

10 Best Public Colleges in Ohio

Colleges and Universities in Ohio

What are Ohio’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Public Colleges in Ohio 2023

Career Outlook for degree at Ohio State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of Cincinnati

Most Influential Alumni

University of Cincinnati’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Miami University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Ohio University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Kent State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Bowling Green State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of Akron

Most Influential Alumni

University of Akron’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Cleveland State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of Toledo

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Wright State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Youngstown State University

Most Influential Alumni

Youngstown State University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Central State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Shawnee State University

Career Outlook for degree at University of Cincinnati Clermont College

University of Cincinnati Clermont College’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Miami University Middletown

Career Outlook for degree at Kent State University at Stark

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Kent State University at Ashtabula

Career Outlook for degree at Miami University Hamilton

Miami University Hamilton’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Ohio University Southern Campus

Career Outlook for degree at Kent State University at Salem

Career Outlook for degree at Ohio State University at Newark

Career Outlook for degree at Ohio University – Chillicothe

Career Outlook for degree at Ohio State University at Mansfield

Career Outlook for degree at Ohio State University at Marion

Career Outlook for degree at Ohio State University at Lima

Ohio’s Best Public College in Your Area of Interest