2026 Best Value Software Engineering Schools in Ohio
[Software Engineering](/majors/engineering/ce-computer-engineering/software-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for software engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Software Engineering Schools in Ohio
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the software engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Software Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked Cleveland State University the best value for a degree in software engineering in Ohio. Cleveland State University is a large public school located in the city of Cleveland. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,982, compared with $18,502 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for software engineering graduates is $25,547. Early-career software engineering graduates make about $68,852. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 91%.
A rank of #2 makes Bowling Green State University Main Campus one of the best values for software engineering. Set in the town of Bowling Green, Bowling Green State University Main Campus is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $13,912 in tuition and fees, compared with $21,900 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the software engineering program here. Soon after graduation, software engineering degree recipients from Bowling Green State University Main Campus generally make around $67,949. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Bowling Green State University Main Campus admits about 81% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in software engineering will find it at University Of Cincinnati Main Campus, which ranked #3. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Cincinnati. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,363, compared with $28,697 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,875 to complete the software engineering program here. Software Engineering graduates of University Of Cincinnati Main Campus earn a median of $83,489 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.
A rank of #4 makes Miami University Oxford one of the best values for software engineering. Miami University Oxford is a large public school located in the town of Oxford. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,519, with out-of-state students paying around $38,965. Software Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career software engineering graduates make about $71,836. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
