# Best Colleges in Ohio

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 50 | Category: By State
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-colleges-ohio

## Methodology

Composite score for institutions in Ohio

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

Choosing the right college can be a daunting task, especially in a state like Ohio, where there are many options to consider. With 50 institutions analyzed, this list highlights schools that excel in key areas like earnings potential and graduation rates. Understanding these factors can help prospective students and their families make informed decisions about their education.

What sets these top schools apart from the rest? The data reveals outcomes that matter: average earnings, graduation rates, student debt, and overall mobility. For example, the average earnings of graduates from these institutions stand at $55,314, while the average graduation rate is 54%. The list below showcases how each school compares on these crucial metrics, providing a clearer picture of what to expect.

Take Ohio State University and Case Western Reserve University. Both have impressive earnings, with Ohio State graduates earning an average of $60,409, while Case Western graduates reach $87,989. However, this comes at a cost, as Case Western's net price is significantly higher at $41,190 compared to Ohio State's $17,339. This contrast illustrates the trade-off between potential earnings and the financial burden of tuition, which can be a critical factor in decision-making.

## Key Findings

- Ohio State graduates earn an average of $60,409.
- Case Western Reserve University has a net price of $41,190.
- Mount Carmel College of Nursing has a graduation rate of 64%.
- The average debt for students across these schools is $19,254.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [Kenyon College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/kenyon-college) | Gambier, OH | 84% | $71,830 | $38,512 | $18,527 | 0.26x |
| 2 | [Case Western Reserve University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/case-western-reserve-university) | Cleveland, OH | 87% | $87,989 | $41,190 | $24,000 | 0.27x |
| 3 | [Ohio Northern University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ohio-northern-university) | Ada, OH | 75% | $80,928 | $24,478 | $27,000 | 0.33x |
| 4 | [University of Dayton](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-dayton) | Dayton, OH | 81% | $75,537 | $29,533 | $23,250 | 0.31x |
| 5 | [The College of Wooster](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-college-of-wooster) | Wooster, OH | 74% | $59,629 | $23,458 | $26,500 | 0.44x |
| 6 | [Denison University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/denison-university) | Granville, OH | 79% | $67,753 | $40,007 | $26,000 | 0.38x |
| 7 | [Cedarville University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cedarville-university) | Cedarville, OH | 73% | $55,443 | $24,468 | $20,937 | 0.38x |
| 8 | [Otterbein University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/otterbein-university) | Westerville, OH | 68% | $53,313 | $19,237 | $26,000 | 0.49x |
| 9 | [Walsh University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/walsh-university) | North Canton, OH | 60% | $59,764 | $20,493 | $27,000 | 0.45x |
| 10 | [Oberlin College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/oberlin-college) | Oberlin, OH | 80% | $58,343 | $38,645 | $26,000 | 0.45x |
| 11 | [John Carroll University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/john-carroll-university) | University Heights, OH | 78% | $62,860 | $28,746 | $26,000 | 0.41x |
| 12 | [Franciscan University of Steubenville](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/franciscan-university-of-steubenville) | Steubenville, OH | 76% | $50,030 | $23,589 | $23,384 | 0.47x |
| 13 | [North Central State College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-central-state-college) | Mansfield, OH | 35% | $38,158 | $4,687 | $8,252 | 0.22x |
| 14 | [Cleveland State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cleveland-state-university) | Cleveland, OH | 50% | $52,131 | $14,764 | $21,797 | 0.42x |
| 15 | [Youngstown State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/youngstown-state-university) | Youngstown, OH | 52% | $41,544 | $12,767 | $24,000 | 0.58x |
| 16 | [Mount Vernon Nazarene University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/mount-vernon-nazarene-university) | Mount Vernon, OH | 66% | $49,555 | $22,421 | $25,000 | 0.5x |
| 17 | [Central Ohio Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/central-ohio-technical-college) | Newark, OH | 27% | $39,168 | $9,948 | $12,072 | 0.31x |
| 18 | [Marietta College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/marietta-college) | Marietta, OH | 60% | $57,180 | $21,083 | $27,000 | 0.47x |
| 19 | [Ohio Wesleyan University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ohio-wesleyan-university) | Delaware, OH | 60% | $55,624 | $20,897 | $27,000 | 0.49x |
| 20 | [Ursuline College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ursuline-college) | Pepper Pike, OH | 61% | $56,878 | $16,164 | $26,250 | 0.46x |
| 21 | [University of Toledo](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-toledo) | Toledo, OH | 56% | $50,632 | $17,249 | $22,250 | 0.44x |
| 22 | [Ashland University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ashland-university) | Ashland, OH | 61% | $52,928 | $21,988 | $25,000 | 0.47x |
| 23 | [University of Mount Union](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-mount-union) | Alliance, OH | 62% | $53,217 | $23,280 | $27,000 | 0.51x |
| 24 | [Lakeland Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lakeland-community-college) | Kirtland, OH | 23% | $39,612 | $7,606 | $14,751 | 0.37x |
| 25 | [Muskingum University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/muskingum-university) | New Concord, OH | 55% | $48,440 | $19,532 | $25,369 | 0.52x |
| 26 | [Hiram College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/hiram-college) | Hiram, OH | 57% | $54,311 | $21,058 | $27,000 | 0.5x |
| 27 | [Xavier University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/xavier-university) | Cincinnati, OH | 70% | $64,873 | $32,997 | $23,250 | 0.36x |
| 28 | [Capital University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/capital-university) | Columbus, OH | 63% | $54,143 | $22,576 | $26,889 | 0.5x |
| 29 | [Wittenberg University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/wittenberg-university) | Springfield, OH | 53% | $54,947 | $18,649 | $27,000 | 0.49x |
| 30 | [The University of Findlay](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-findlay) | Findlay, OH | 60% | $56,996 | $27,221 | $25,439 | 0.45x |
| 31 | [Malone University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/malone-university) | Canton, OH | 48% | $48,909 | $20,948 | $26,289 | 0.54x |
| 32 | [Ohio Dominican University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ohio-dominican-university) | Columbus, OH | 44% | $51,748 | $20,079 | $26,000 | 0.5x |
| 33 | [Belmont College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/belmont-college) | St Clairsville, OH | 41% | $35,329 | $6,995 | $8,747 | 0.25x |
| 34 | [Bluffton University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bluffton-university) | Bluffton, OH | 51% | $49,547 | $19,943 | $27,000 | 0.54x |
| 35 | [Northwest State Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northwest-state-community-college) | Archbold, OH | 46% | $40,004 | $13,555 | $9,750 | 0.24x |
| 36 | [Baldwin Wallace University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/baldwin-wallace-university) | Berea, OH | 68% | $54,122 | $27,603 | $27,000 | 0.5x |
| 37 | [Wilmington College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/wilmington-college) | Wilmington, OH | 51% | $48,491 | $24,153 | $24,208 | 0.5x |
| 38 | [Ohio State University-Main Campus](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ohio-state-university-main-campus) | Columbus, OH | 88% | $60,409 | $17,339 | $19,976 | 0.33x |
| 39 | [Lake Erie College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lake-erie-college) | Painesville, OH | 40% | $50,417 | $20,961 | $26,000 | 0.52x |
| 40 | [Southern State Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southern-state-community-college) | Hillsboro, OH | 31% | $35,463 | $9,674 | $11,457 | 0.32x |
| 41 | [Heidelberg University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/heidelberg-university) | Tiffin, OH | 51% | $48,466 | $20,556 | $27,000 | 0.56x |
| 42 | [Zane State College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/zane-state-college) | Zanesville, OH | 49% | $35,006 | $8,062 | $6,834 | 0.2x |
| 43 | [Tiffin University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/tiffin-university) | Tiffin, OH | 41% | $35,942 | $26,500 | $27,000 | 0.75x |
| 44 | [Lourdes University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lourdes-university) | Sylvania, OH | 35% | $48,150 | $23,206 | $27,000 | 0.56x |
| 45 | [Shawnee State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/shawnee-state-university) | Portsmouth, OH | 45% | $39,596 | $14,381 | $23,000 | 0.58x |
| 46 | [Defiance College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/defiance-college) | Defiance, OH | 34% | $49,351 | $26,337 | $26,813 | 0.54x |
| 47 | [Mercy College of Ohio](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/mercy-college-of-ohio) | Toledo, OH | 49% | $65,409 | $17,989 | $20,834 | 0.32x |
| 48 | [Franklin University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/franklin-university) | Columbus, OH | 21% | $51,892 | $25,243 | $20,836 | 0.4x |
| 49 | [Central State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/central-state-university) | Wilberforce, OH | 24% | $33,267 | $13,096 | $30,739 | 0.92x |
| 50 | [Marion Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/marion-technical-college) | Marion, OH | 28% | $41,495 | $7,417 | $8,300 | 0.2x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Colleges in Ohio." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-colleges-ohio

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.