Best Online Associate Degrees in Ohio 2024

Badge for BEST ONLINE ASSOCIATE'S IN OHIO

Published: Jul 22, 2022
Updated: Mar 4, 2024

Find the best online associate degrees in Ohio ranked by the academic success of faculty and alumni associated with the colleges and universities and their online degree programs.

Top Online Associate Degree Programs in Ohio

University of Cincinnati
University of Akron
Notre Dame College
University of Cincinnati Clermont College
Miami University Hamilton
Ohio Christian University
North Central State College
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Lakeland Community College
Northwest State Community College

University of Cincinnati
University of Akron
Herzing University
Miami University Hamilton
University of Cincinnati Clermont College
Notre Dame College
North Central State College
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Lakeland Community College
Ohio Christian University

University of Cincinnati 86%
Mount Vernon Nazarene University 85%
University of Akron 83%
Notre Dame College 79%

Northwest State Community College 25 to 1
University of Cincinnati Clermont College 20 to 1
University of Cincinnati 18 to 1
University of Akron 16 to 1
North Central State College 14 to 1
Miami University Hamilton 12 to 1
Mount Vernon Nazarene University 11 to 1
Notre Dame College 11 to 1
Lakeland Community College 10 to 1
Ohio Christian University 8 to 1

Mount Vernon Nazarene University $34,168
Notre Dame College $31,950
Ohio Christian University $23,050
University of Cincinnati $10,656
University of Akron $10,097
Miami University Hamilton $6,083
University of Cincinnati Clermont College $5,628
North Central State College $5,388
Northwest State Community College $4,496
Lakeland Community College $3,927

Miami University Hamilton $13,396
University of Cincinnati $13,224
Ohio Christian University $11,160
Mount Vernon Nazarene University $10,674
University of Akron $7,958

Herzing University
Northwest State Community College
Lakeland Community College
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
North Central State College
Ohio Christian University
Miami University Hamilton
University of Cincinnati Clermont College
Notre Dame College
University of Akron

Northwest State Community College
Ohio Christian University
Lakeland Community College
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
North Central State College
Notre Dame College
University of Cincinnati Clermont College
Miami University Hamilton
Herzing University
University of Akron

Notre Dame College 79%
University of Akron 83%
Mount Vernon Nazarene University 85%
University of Cincinnati 86%

Ohio Christian University 8 to 1
Lakeland Community College 10 to 1
Mount Vernon Nazarene University 11 to 1
Notre Dame College 11 to 1
Miami University Hamilton 12 to 1
North Central State College 14 to 1
University of Akron 16 to 1
University of Cincinnati 18 to 1
University of Cincinnati Clermont College 20 to 1
Northwest State Community College 25 to 1

Lakeland Community College $3,927
Northwest State Community College $4,496
North Central State College $5,388
University of Cincinnati Clermont College $5,628
Miami University Hamilton $6,083
University of Akron $10,097
University of Cincinnati $10,656
Ohio Christian University $23,050
Notre Dame College $31,950
Mount Vernon Nazarene University $34,168

University of Akron $7,958
Mount Vernon Nazarene University $10,674
Ohio Christian University $11,160
University of Cincinnati $13,224
Miami University Hamilton $13,396

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

What is an Associate Degree?

An associate degree is a two-year degree that can be earned at state community colleges, vocational schools, and most accredited colleges and universities. An associate’s degree provides an introductory level college education where students usually take an array of liberal arts or humanities courses along with introductory level courses in a specific subject area. Most associate degree programs are available to both on campus students and online students.

Why get an associate degree?

An associate degree is an affordable and accessible way to get a college education while improving your earning potential. This degree is popular among students looking for entry-level work in their field, and for those who are already working. Getting an associate’s degree is a great degree for those who must balacne work responsibilities and studies. Online courses and complete online programs make it possible for students to earn associate credits and degrees without disrupting daily work responsibilities.

An associate’s degree is also a far more affordable and accessible alternative to earning a bachelor’s degree. The associate degree takes about half as long to earn as a bachelor’s degree. Students only need 60 credits to graduate with an associate’s degree, versus the 120 credits needed for a bachelor’s degree.

Can I get a job with an associate degree?

You can get an entry-level job in your field with an associate’s degree. Many students will use their associate’s degree as a way to get relevant job training before entering the job market. You may want to get an associate degree first to save money, or improve your admission chances, before getting a bachelor’s degree. The associate degree is a popular stepping stone for students who will seek a bachelor’s degree. When you earn an associate degree from an accredited state community college, you can usually transfer your credits toward your bachelor’s degree program.

Can I get an online degree at the associate level?

You can definitely get an online degree at the associate level. A growing number of online colleges offer high-quality associate-level online courses and complete online programs. Online students will typically take the same courses and curricula as on-campus students.

Are associate degrees from online colleges respected?

Online degrees at the associate level are respected as long as these online degrees come from accredited community colleges or two-year schools. Regional accreditation is important when it comes to online colleges. If you plan to go into a bachelor’s degree program at a regionally accredited school, you must earn your online degree from a regionally accredited associate degree program.

If you need more answers to frequently asked questions about online degrees, we can help.

How do we determine Ohio’s best online colleges for associate degrees?

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. The pandemic caused schoools to become adept at delivering online education, and it has continued to improve. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

We rank our schools based off of influence. Influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

Best Online Associate Degrees in Ohio 2023

Student Submitted Questions on the Best Online Associate Degrees in Ohio

Melody asks, “Are tutoring services available to online students in Ohio?”

Dr. James Barham’s answer: Yes, online education has made big strides in recent years and many online programs are now well set up to provide students with the support they need. I would check with the specific school you’re interested in to see what this will look like, but many schools have live online tutoring, writing centers, and on-demand tutoring. Some schools even partner with third-party platforms to provide students with additional aid. There is also the Ohio eTutoring Collaborative, a group of Ohio colleges and universities that provides online tutoring support to students at member institutions.

Sawyer asks, “Is Ohio a good state to go to college in? How do graduation rates and salary outcomes for graduates compare to other states?”

Dr. Jed Macosko’s answer: With Ohio’s diversity of higher education institutions, the quality of its academic programs, and the plethora of research opportunities, internships, and employment options upon graduation, Ohio is a great place to go to school. While graduation rates vary based off the specific institution, the larger universities especially have high graduation rates, thanks in part to the Ohio Transfer Module. This initiative allows students to transfer credits easily among Ohio’s public colleges and universities, making it easier for students to finish their education. In regards to salary outcomes, these will also vary widely based on a person’s degree level, field of study, and the college or university they went to. However, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, many Ohio schools have strong salary outcomes.

Chaney asks, “Do colleges and universities in Ohio provide support to military students?”

Dr. James Barham’s answer: Many colleges and universities in Ohio have offices or centers dedicated to supporting veteran students and their families. These centers should help students understand GI Bill benefits, state and federal education benefits, and what specialized academic advising and counseling services might be available.

Ohio is just one of many states offering excellent online associate’s degrees. To check out our rankings, look into the best online associate’s degrees in Utah, North Dakota, Texas, and more!

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require a time of adjustment. Although you’ll typically learn the same material and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, going online will require greater independence and responsibility than going in person. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, for harnessing the online educational technology that you’ll need to use, and for completing the course requirements, such as listening to lectures, learning lessons, reading texts, and handing in assignments. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take the initiative in building relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier than campus-based education is ease of access: all you need is a computer and an internet connection for online education. But even this seeming advantage of online education can be misleading: what’s easier, studying online with your computer and internet connection from your home where you need to cook, clean, pay rent, and maintain a job? Or studying on campus in a dorm where all your living needs are handled by the school, and college staff are there to help you every step of the way?

If you take the commute to campus out of the equation, campus-based education is easier. All the support structures available on campus for students, especially with real people to help you in person, are not there online. The demands on you as an online student will largely be the same as for your campus-based counterpart, but without the same helps.

In general, your online courses will present the same material and test you in the same way as traditional in-person courses. In many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning with remote educational technology for the first time, online college may be considerably more challenging than campus-based college. For a few insights on how to manage this new online experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable non-profit institutions on the one end and less-than-reputable for-profit institutions on the other end. Accreditation gives you the power to identify the more reputable actors in online education. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency indicating that a college or university is meeting standards of quality and credibility. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university that is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. For students seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that they opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree. For more on this important topic, check out our What is Accreditation and Why Does It Matter? College & University Accreditation Guide.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited (see the previous point), you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer of credits. In many cases, you will encounter some bureaucratic haggling in which some of your credits will be transferred and others may be refused. However, provided that you have attended an online school with recognized regional accreditation, you should be in good shape in transferring your credits earned online.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript, or resumé differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

Some employers may express the concern that because you did your degree online, you may need to transition from an online education experience to in-person workplace experience. But in an age of Covid, that concern seems much diminished. The fact is that much employment these days is remote. And collaboration increasingly happens online over Zoom. Many employers will therefore view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will be less than ideal for you (though depending on your circumstances, it may also be the only viable option).

While there is much in traditional campus-based education that can be substituted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing that can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual in-person classroom setting. As you transition to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face in getting the most out of your online classes is overcoming this difference between “real reality” and “virtual reality.” Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. Above all, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete at your own pace and on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

Do you have a question about this topic? Ask it here

Best Online Associate Degrees in Ohio 2024

Top Online Associate Degree Programs in Ohio

Featured Programs

What is an Associate Degree?

Why get an associate degree?

Can I get a job with an associate degree?

Can I get an online degree at the associate level?

Are associate degrees from online colleges respected?

How do we determine Ohio’s best online colleges for associate degrees?

Best Online Associate Degrees in Ohio 2023

Career Outlook for degree at University of Cincinnati

Online Associate Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at University of Akron

Online Associate Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Notre Dame College

Online Associate Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at University of Cincinnati Clermont College

Online Associate Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Miami University Hamilton

Online Associate Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Ohio Christian University

Online Associate Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at North Central State College

Online Associate Degrees

Concentrations

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Mount Vernon Nazarene University

Online Associate Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Lakeland Community College

Online Associate Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Northwest State Community College

Online Associate Degrees

Online Associate Degrees

Student Submitted Questions on the Best Online Associate Degrees in Ohio

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

What can I expect from an online college course?+

Is online college easier than campus-based college?+

Why does accreditation matter in online college?+

Will I be able to transfer my online college degree?+

Will employers respect my online degree?+

What are the disadvantages of online classes?+

What are the advantages of online classes?+

Resources for Online College-Bound Students