2024 Best Colleges in Ohio
96
Colleges
$52,674
Avg Salary*
57%
Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*
It's not easy to decide which college to attend when you have so many options available. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Top Ohio Colleges ranking.
After analyzing 96 schools in Ohio, we came up with our list of those that offered the highest quality education. Our ranking is based on over 20 objective factors, including post graduate earnings, freshman retention, and graduation rate. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another.
Get more details on our ranking methodology.
One Size Does Not Fit All
We've developed a number of other tools and rankings to help you make your college decision. Start by filtering this list by location or field of study and then explore our other rankings that feature schools great for different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.
We've created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you're torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another!
Top Colleges in Ohio
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2024 rankings named Case Western Reserve University the best school in Ohio in terms of overall quality for students working on their bachelor’s degree.Cleveland, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 3,885 students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Case Western go into careers with an average salary of $78,330 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Case Western Reserve University
Out of the 96 schools in Ohio that were part of this year’s ranking, Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #2 spot on the list.Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 16,838 students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Ohio State make an average of $55,332 per year during the early years of their career.
Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Miami University - Oxford. The school came in at #3 in Ohio on this year’s overall quality ranking. Miami University - Oxford is a fairly large public school located in Oxford, Ohio that handed out 5,964 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 4.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Miami University - Oxford is $54,650 during the early years of their career.
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A rank of #4 on our Best Colleges in Ohio list means Denison University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Granville, Ohio, and it awarded 604 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Denison is $57,435 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Denison University
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Ohio. UC is a public institution located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 11,947 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UC is $49,481 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on University of Cincinnati - Main Campus
With a ranking of #6, University of Dayton did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Ohio list. UDayton is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Dayton, Ohio. It awarded 3,510 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UDayton is $66,384 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on University of Dayton
With a ranking of #7, Kenyon College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Ohio list. Kenyon is located in Gambier, Ohio and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 383 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from Kenyon make an average of $61,998 a year.
Full Kenyon College Report
Oberlin College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Ohio ranking. Oberlin is located in Oberlin, Ohio and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 778 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin go into careers with an average salary of $47,921 during the early years of their career.
Full Oberlin College Report
Ohio University - Athens Campus ranked #9 on this year’s Best Colleges in Ohio list. OHIO Athens is a large public school situated in Athens, Ohio. It awarded 10,380 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $47,145 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on Ohio University - Athens Campus
University of Northwestern Ohio did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Ohio ranking, coming in at #10. University of Northwestern Ohio is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lima, Ohio. It awarded 1,294 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from University of Northwestern Ohio is $47,419 during the early years of their career.
Full University of Northwestern Ohio Report
With a ranking of #11, Union Institute & University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Ohio list. Union is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 403 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Union go into careers with an average salary of $57,590 during the early years of their career.
Full Union Institute & University Report
Xavier University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Colleges in Ohio list. Xavier is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 2,125 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Xavier go into careers with an average salary of $62,015 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Xavier University
Eastern Gateway Community College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Colleges in Ohio list. Eastern Gateway Community College is a large public school located in Steubenville, Ohio that handed out 3,930 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $32,569 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on Eastern Gateway Community College
Kent State University at Kent ranked #14 on this year’s Best Colleges in Ohio list. Located in Kent, Ohio, the large public school awarded 7,013 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Kent State make an average of $42,837 a year.
Read full report on Kent State University at Kent
Kent State University at Stark did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Ohio ranking, coming in at #15. Located in North Canton, Ohio, the small public school awarded 793 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Kent State University at Stark make an average of $42,837 a year.
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The University of Findlay landed the #16 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Ohio ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Findlay, Ohio, and it awarded 955 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. During the early years of their career, graduates from Findlay make an average of $51,703 a year.
Full The University of Findlay Report
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Colleges in Ohio list. This medium-sized public school is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it awarded 1,257 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Cincinnati State is $35,579 during the early years of their career.
Full Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Report
John Carroll University did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Ohio ranking, coming in at #18. John Carroll is a small private not-for-profit school situated in University Heights, Ohio. It awarded 940 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from John Carroll make an average of $60,293 per year during the early years of their career.
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University of Toledo ranked #19 on this year’s Best Colleges in Ohio list. University of Toledo is a public institution located in Toledo, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4,929 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, graduates from University of Toledo make an average of $48,039 a year.
Read full report on University of Toledo
Ashland University landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Ohio ranking. Ashland is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Ashland, Ohio. It awarded 1,402 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Ashland go into careers with an average salary of $48,165 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Ashland University
With a ranking of #21, The College of Wooster did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Ohio list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Wooster, Ohio, and it awarded 476 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. During the early years of their career, graduates from Wooster College make an average of $51,866 a year.
Read full report on The College of Wooster
Ohio Northern University landed the #22 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Ohio ranking. Ohio Northern University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Ada, Ohio that handed out 606 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from ONU is $72,235 during the early years of their career.
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Bowling Green State University - Main Campus came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Ohio ranking.Bowling Green, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 4,492 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from BGSU go into careers with an average salary of $45,560 during the early years of their career.
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Otterbein University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Ohio ranking. Otterbein University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Westerville, Ohio that handed out 756 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from Otterbein make an average of $49,811 a year.
Full Otterbein University Report
Baldwin Wallace University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Ohio ranking.Berea, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,077 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Baldwin Wallace College go into careers with an average salary of $49,644 during the early years of their career.
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