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 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.
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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.
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.
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
57%
Graduation
88%
Student body
56K
Median SAT/ACT
1320/29
Ohio State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
85%
Graduation
73%
Student body
34K
Median SAT/ACT
1225/26
University of Cincinnati’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$16K
Acceptance
89%
Graduation
83%
Student body
20K
Median SAT/ACT
1265/27
Miami University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$13K
Acceptance
89%
Graduation
67%
Student body
23K
Median SAT/ACT
1150/23
Ohio University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
87%
Graduation
68%
Student body
23K
Median SAT/ACT
1115/23
Kent State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$13K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
62%
Student body
16K
Median SAT/ACT
1115/23
Bowling Green State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
85%
Graduation
60%
Student body
14K
Median SAT/ACT
1110/22
University of Akron’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
91%
Graduation
51%
Student body
13K
Median SAT/ACT
1055/21
Cleveland State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
97%
Graduation
55%
Student body
15K
Median SAT/ACT
1097/23
University of Toledo’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
96%
Graduation
44%
Student body
8K
Median SAT/ACT
1089/21
Wright State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
78%
Graduation
47%
Student body
10K
Median SAT/ACT
1075/21
Youngstown State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
59%
Graduation
23%
Student body
4K
Central State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Graduation
37%
Student body
3K
Shawnee State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
20%
Student body
3K
University of Cincinnati Clermont College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
19%
Student body
1K
Miami University Middletown’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Graduation
33%
Student body
2K
Kent State University at Stark’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Graduation
29%
Student body
<1K
Kent State University at Ashtabula’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
19%
Student body
2K
Miami University Hamilton’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
19%
Student body
1K
Ohio University Southern Campus’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Graduation
31%
Student body
<1K
Kent State University at Salem’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Graduation
30%
Student body
2K
Ohio State University at Newark’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
18%
Student body
1K
Ohio University – Chillicothe’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Graduation
15%
Student body
<1K
Ohio State University at Mansfield’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Graduation
15%
Student body
1K
Ohio State University at Marion’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Graduation
24%
Student body
<1K
Ohio State University at Lima’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 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.