by our College Data Analytics Team
Looking for the best colleges for the money in Ohio? This list ranks 91 schools by value — the balance of cost and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology. These are our No Aid ranking, which weighs each school’s published sticker price (tuition, fees, and room and board) before financial aid — see Customize Your Rankings below for aid-adjusted and by-degree views.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual reviewed 91 schools to build this 2026 best-value ranking, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
In This Year’s Value Report:
After analyzing 91 schools in Ohio to determine which deliver the best value. We focus on objective measures, not subjective opinion.
To determine a school’s value, we first add up average tuition, fees, and room and board — the list price before aid is applied (our No Aid ranking). Cost alone isn’t enough — overall quality matters too. So we weigh that cost against outcomes like degree completion, educational resources, student-body caliber, and post-graduation earnings.
That balance of cost and outcomes is what drives the ranking below. View our full ranking methodology.
Your ideal school depends on your goals and budget. Narrow your list by location and field of study, or explore related rankings below. Or choose a degree level:
Explore the best values below:
Our analysis ranked North Central State College the best college for the money in Ohio. Set in Mansfield, OH, North Central State College is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,786 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $11,374. Students borrow a median of $12,236 to complete their program here. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $38,158. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Out of the 91 schools in Ohio in this year's value ranking, Cuyahoga Community College District landed the #2 spot. Located in Cleveland, OH, Cuyahoga Community College District is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $3,249, with out-of-state students paying around $7,249. Cuyahoga Community College District students take on a median of $14,636 in debt. Cuyahoga Community College District alumni report median earnings of $35,654 a decade after entry. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
You'll get strong value at Ohio University Eastern Campus, which ranked #3 this year. This public school is set in Saint Clairsville, OH. In-state tuition and fees average $6,362, with out-of-state students paying around $9,444. Graduates carry a median of $25,223 in student loans. Graduates go on to earn a median of $52,581 ten years after entry. That is a strong return on a $25,223 median debt.
A rank of #4 makes Marion Technical College one of the best values in Ohio. This public school is set in Marion, OH. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,595, while out-of-state students pay about $11,225. Graduates carry a median of $11,828 in student loans. Marion Technical College alumni report median earnings of $41,495 a decade after entry. Set against $11,828 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Out of the 91 schools in Ohio in this year's value ranking, Lorain County Community College landed the #5 spot. Located in Elyria, OH, Lorain County Community College is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,265, while out-of-state students pay about $8,860. Students borrow a median of $17,611 to complete their program here. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $38,837. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Sinclair Community College placed #6 among the best values in Ohio. Based in Dayton, OH, Sinclair Community College is a public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,675, with out-of-state students paying around $8,556. Graduates carry a median of $12,525 in student loans. Sinclair Community College alumni report median earnings of $37,558 a decade after entry. That is a strong return on a $12,525 median debt.
Cincinnati State Technical And Community College came in at #7 in this year's value ranking. Set in Cincinnati, OH, Cincinnati State Technical And Community College is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,517 in tuition and fees, compared with $10,044 for out-of-state students. Graduates carry a median of $17,730 in student loans. Cincinnati State Technical And Community College alumni report median earnings of $40,137 a decade after entry. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Columbus State Community College placed #8 among the best values in Ohio. Located in Columbus, OH, Columbus State Community College is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,488, compared with $11,224 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt is $9,041. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $39,435. Set against $9,041 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Ohio University Southern Campus ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best colleges for the money. Ohio University Southern Campus is a public school based in Ironton, OH. In-state tuition and fees run about $6,362, with out-of-state students paying around $9,444. Students borrow a median of $24,542 to complete their program here. Ohio University Southern Campus alumni report median earnings of $52,581 a decade after entry. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Ohio University Zanesville Campus ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best colleges for the money. Located in Zanesville, OH, Ohio University Zanesville Campus is a public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,362, with out-of-state students paying around $9,444. Ohio University Zanesville Campus students take on a median of $25,203 in debt. Median earnings reach $52,581 ten years out. That is a strong return on a $25,203 median debt.
Ohio University Lancaster Campus ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best colleges for the money. This public school is set in Lancaster, OH. In-state tuition and fees run about $6,362, while out-of-state students pay about $9,444. Students borrow a median of $24,550 to complete their program here. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $52,581. That is a strong return on a $24,550 median debt.
University Of Cincinnati Blue Ash College placed #12 among the best values in Ohio. Located in Blue Ash, OH, University Of Cincinnati Blue Ash College is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $7,106 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $15,904. Graduates carry a median of $19,408 in student loans. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $54,810. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of Cincinnati Clermont College placed #13 among the best values in Ohio. Set in Batavia, OH, University Of Cincinnati Clermont College is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,639 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $13,871. Graduates carry a median of $19,525 in student loans. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $54,810. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Ohio University Chillicothe Campus placed #14 among the best values in Ohio. This public school is set in Chillicothe, OH. Students from in state pay about $6,362 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $9,444. The median program debt is $24,542. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $52,581. That is a strong return on a $24,542 median debt.
Stark State College placed #15 among the best values in Ohio. Stark State College is a public school based in North Canton, OH. In-state tuition and fees average $4,790, while out-of-state students pay about $7,886. The median program debt is $17,349. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $34,661. Set against $17,349 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Lakeland Community College offered strong value this year, earning the #16 position. Lakeland Community College is a public school based in Kirtland, OH. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,872, with out-of-state students paying around $9,235. Students borrow a median of $19,857 to complete their program here. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $39,612. Set against $19,857 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Edison State Community College offered strong value this year, earning the #17 position. This public school is set in Piqua, OH. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,499, with out-of-state students paying around $8,346. Typical student debt is $15,406. Graduates go on to earn a median of $41,360 ten years after entry. Set against $15,406 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Gods Bible School And College came in at #18 in this year's value ranking. Gods Bible School And College is a private not-for-profit school based in Cincinnati, OH. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,710. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $37,722. The acceptance rate is 75%.
James A Rhodes State College ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the best colleges for the money. Located in Lima, OH, James A Rhodes State College is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,560 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $9,120. Typical student debt is $17,070. Graduates go on to earn a median of $41,855 ten years after entry. Set against $17,070 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Belmont College landed the #20 spot for value in Ohio this year. Based in St Clairsville, OH, Belmont College is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $4,698, with out-of-state students paying around $7,200. Students borrow a median of $20,524 to complete their program here. Belmont College alumni report median earnings of $35,329 a decade after entry. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Antioch College landed the #21 spot for value in Ohio this year. Antioch College is a private not-for-profit school based in Yellow Springs, OH. In-state tuition and fees run about $37,043. Antioch College has an acceptance rate of 89%.
Clark State Community College offered strong value this year, earning the #22 position. Clark State Community College is a public school based in Springfield, OH. In-state tuition and fees average $4,393, with out-of-state students paying around $8,049. Students borrow a median of $20,740 to complete their program here. Median earnings reach $39,584 ten years out. Set against $20,740 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Owens Community College placed #23 among the best values in Ohio. This public school is set in Perrysburg, OH. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,870, with out-of-state students paying around $10,502. Students borrow a median of $19,383 to complete their program here. Median earnings reach $37,275 ten years out. Set against $19,383 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Zane State College landed the #24 spot for value in Ohio this year. Located in Zanesville, OH, Zane State College is a public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,006, compared with $11,766 for out-of-state students. The median program debt is $9,405. Median earnings reach $35,006 ten years out. Set against $9,405 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Central Ohio Technical College offered strong value this year, earning the #25 position. This public school is set in Newark, OH. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,256, with out-of-state students paying around $8,016. Central Ohio Technical College students take on a median of $16,779 in debt. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $39,168. That is a strong return on a $16,779 median debt.
Not far behind, these schools also delivered strong value this year:
*Averages shown above reflect the top 91 ranked schools only.
These rankings are produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Rankings consider 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 Best Colleges For Money · Scope: State · 91 schools evaluated. References
See our data sources and methodologies.