Best Small Colleges in Ohio 2024

Updated: Dec 6, 2023

Small colleges in Ohio are a great option for students interested in a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Whether the focus is on the technical or on the liberal arts, small colleges give you the chance to pursue a well-rounded education while working closely with classmates and professors in a dynamic community atmosphere.

Oberlin College
Kenyon College
Denison University
Wilberforce University
Ohio Wesleyan University
College of Wooster
Wittenberg University
Ashland University
John Carroll University
Marietta College

Wittenberg University 94%
Hiram College 93%
Central State University 89%
Muskingum University 86%
Tiffin University 83%
Marietta College 83%
John Carroll University 82%
Notre Dame College 79%
Malone University 78%
Baldwin Wallace University 77%

Central State University 21 to 1
Wilberforce University 19 to 1
Tiffin University 17 to 1
Franciscan University of Steubenville 16 to 1
Cedarville University 16 to 1
John Carroll University 14 to 1
Walsh University 14 to 1
Shawnee State University 14 to 1
Muskingum University 13 to 1
Ohio Northern University 13 to 1

Kenyon College $66,490
Oberlin College $62,024
Denison University $60,000
College of Wooster $57,500
Ohio Wesleyan University $49,822
John Carroll University $47,290
Wittenberg University $43,106
Capital University $40,350
Marietta College $38,022
Baldwin Wallace University $36,850

University of Mount Union $39,000
Ohio Northern University $31,900
Oberlin College $29,692
Union Institute & University $15,911
Marietta College $15,663
John Carroll University $14,699
Tiffin University $14,000
Walsh University $13,410
Franciscan University of Steubenville $12,960
Wilberforce University $12,830

Baldwin Wallace University
Shawnee State University
Muskingum University
Notre Dame College
Walsh University
Malone University
Hiram College
Union Institute & University
Wilberforce University
Capital University

Malone University
Tiffin University
Notre Dame College
Walsh University
Shawnee State University
Capital University
Muskingum University
Cedarville University
Baldwin Wallace University
Union Institute & University

Denison University 22%
Kenyon College 34%
Oberlin College 35%
Wilberforce University 45%
Ohio Wesleyan University 52%
Ohio Northern University 54%
College of Wooster 56%
Cedarville University 65%
Franciscan University of Steubenville 67%
Ashland University 72%

Union Institute & University 6 to 1
Marietta College 9 to 1
Baldwin Wallace University 9 to 1
Denison University 9 to 1
Kenyon College 9 to 1
Capital University 9 to 1
Oberlin College 9 to 1
Hiram College 10 to 1
Wittenberg University 10 to 1
Ohio Wesleyan University 11 to 1

Central State University $5,176
Shawnee State University $9,341
Wilberforce University $13,250
Union Institute & University $17,141
Ashland University $24,140
Hiram College $25,500
Tiffin University $30,120
Muskingum University $30,690
Franciscan University of Steubenville $31,080
Notre Dame College $31,950

Hiram College $6,612
Ashland University $7,656
Wittenberg University $8,027
Central State University $8,100
Shawnee State University $10,156
Cedarville University $10,260
Muskingum University $10,440
Baldwin Wallace University $11,530
Malone University $12,330
Capital University $12,780

Key Takeaways

Ohio is home to numerous private and public colleges and universities, most of them found in major cities like Cincinnati, Cleveland, and the capital, Columbus.
Ohio State University is the state’s largest university and also one of the biggest in America. It is home to 43,000 students pursuing undergraduate programs every year, and the rest attending graduate school.
Ohio is also home of the Five Colleges of Ohio, a consortium of five notable liberal arts colleges.

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

The following list of the best small colleges and universities in Ohio is composed mainly of four-year undergraduate schools (though a handful also offer graduate programs). We’ve identified 52 small colleges in Ohio. The list below of the 25 best small colleges in Ohio. To be included schools must fully accredited, and must have student body populations below 5,000 students.

Ohio: Small Colleges, Big Student Outcomes

Ohio has a wide range of higher education learning environments like small colleges, large schools, and world-class research institutions. The major cities both have large and medium-sized schools, while others have a mix of public and private universities with some liberal arts institution and research university options.

With a handful of large universities in Ohio, is enrolling in a small college worth it? What are the best small colleges in Ohio that deliver the same quality of education as the bigger ones? And why should you attend a small college?

Why Attending a Small College is a Wise Choice

Most of the time, the first college of choice for many students is the bigger and larger universities, because these schools are known to deliver the best quality education. But did you know that smaller colleges are great choices as well?

There are so many advantages to attending small colleges in Ohio. These schools are more personalized, and they offer the chance to get more one-on-one attention. Below are a few of the compelling reasons for attending a smaller college.

Smaller Class Sizes: Smaller colleges have smaller class sizes. Therefore, they encourage greater participation in class. Most of the time, students get more out of their classes in small colleges than they can get jotting down notes in big lecture halls at large public universities.

In terms of classroom and small group discussions, students have a better grasp of concepts, develop critical thinking skills, and get to meet and keep new friends.

Better Interaction with Professors: In large colleges and universities, students often do not get much personal interaction with their professors. There are even cases where classes are taught by adjunct professors or graduate students. This is not typical in a small college.

Professors in small colleges are normally available during office hours. Students have the chance to get to know their professors on a more personal level. This can be especially advantageous when asking for letters of reference later. The same applies to college administrators and other school personnel.

Less Competition for Scholarships and Financial Aid: Fewer students means less competition for scholarships and financial aid. As a result, students in smaller schools often get more financial support.

Students also have better chances of obtaining a work-study program. Students are likely to land a position at a smaller school because the competition for campus jobs is more manageable.

Stronger Sense of Community: Small colleges typically have a strong sense of community. Because of the small size of the student body, students have an easier time making friends not only within their program, but in other departments as well.

And another added benefit is that a close community makes it less likely for students to feel alone or homesick.

Better Curriculum Flexibility: Small colleges provide their students with more flexibility in terms of creating and developing their curricula. Students get to follow different procedures and work with the relevant departments in forming their own major or self-study programs. This is something that may be more difficult in a larger schools.

Student Performance is Evaluated More Carefully: In larger universities, professors and advisers may be overwhelmed by the stacks of exams to grade and papers to read. This makes it very difficult for them to provide meaningful feedback or give individual attention to their students.

In smaller schools, professors have more time to give feedback and guidance. Some students may find this intimidating, but it is one of the most efficient ways to grow and learn intellectually.

How do we determine Ohio's best small 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 Small Colleges in Ohio 2023

Ohio’s Best Small 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.

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Best Small Colleges in Ohio 2024

10 Best Small Colleges in Ohio 2024

Key Takeaways

Colleges and Universities in Ohio

What are Ohio’s Colleges & Universities?

Ohio: Small Colleges, Big Student Outcomes

Why Attending a Small College is a Wise Choice

Best Small Colleges in Ohio 2023

Career Outlook for degree at Oberlin College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Denison University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Kenyon College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Ashland University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at John Carroll University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Ohio Wesleyan University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Wittenberg University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at College of Wooster

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Ohio Northern University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Franciscan University of Steubenville

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of Mount Union

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Cedarville University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Marietta College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Tiffin University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Central State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Capital University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Wilberforce University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Union Institute & University

Most Influential Alumni

Union Institute & University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Hiram College

Most Influential Alumni

Hiram College’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Malone University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Walsh University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Notre Dame College

Most Influential Alumni

Notre Dame College’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Muskingum University

Most Influential Alumni

Muskingum University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Shawnee State University

Career Outlook for degree at Baldwin Wallace University

Most Influential Alumni

Ohio’s Best Small College in Your Area of Interest