by our College Data Analytics Team
Looking for the best colleges for the money in Ohio? This list ranks 220 schools by value — the balance of cost and student outcomes, using our 2027 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 220 schools to build this 2027 best-value ranking, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
In This Year’s Value Report:
After analyzing 220 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:
For return on investment, no school beat Ohio University Eastern Campus this year in Ohio. 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. Students borrow a median of $25,006 to complete their program here. Graduates go on to earn a median of $52,581 ten years after entry. Set against $25,006 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Cincinnati State Technical And Community College one of the best values in Ohio. 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.
Out of the 220 schools in Ohio in this year's value ranking, Cuyahoga Community College District landed the #3 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.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Lorain County Community College earned it the #4 place in Ohio. 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.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at North Central State College earned it the #5 place 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.
Sinclair Community College came in at #6 in this year's value ranking. 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.
Ohio University Lancaster Campus came in at #7 in this year's value ranking. 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 $24,541 to complete their program here. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $52,581. Set against $24,541 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Columbus State Community College ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best colleges for the money. 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 Zanesville Campus offered strong value this year, earning the #9 position. 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 $25,206 in debt. Median earnings reach $52,581 ten years out. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Marion Technical College came in at #10 in this year's value ranking. 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.
Ohio University Chillicothe Campus came in at #11 in this year's value ranking. 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. Ohio University Chillicothe Campus students take on a median of $24,533 in debt. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $52,581. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Mount Carmel College Of Nursing ranked #12 on our 2027 list of the best colleges for the money. Based in Columbus, OH, Mount Carmel College Of Nursing is a private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $27,600. Typical student debt is $27,000. Median earnings reach $75,103 ten years out. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Mount Carmel College Of Nursing has an acceptance rate of 84%.
Stark State College landed the #13 spot for value in Ohio this year. 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.
Ohio University Southern Campus offered strong value this year, earning the #14 position. 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. Graduates carry a median of $24,533 in student loans. Ohio University Southern Campus alumni report median earnings of $52,581 a decade after entry. Set against $24,533 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Edison State Community College ranked #15 on our 2027 list of the best colleges for the money. 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.
James A Rhodes State College placed #16 among the best values in Ohio. 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.
Lakeland Community College placed #17 among the best values in Ohio. 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.
University Of Akron Wayne College landed the #18 spot for value in Ohio this year. This public school is set in Orrville, OH. In-state tuition and fees average $7,723, while out-of-state students pay about $15,403. University Of Akron Wayne College alumni report median earnings of $46,600 a decade after entry. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Washington State Community College ranked #19 on our 2027 list of the best colleges for the money. This public school is set in Marietta, OH. Students from in state pay about $4,128 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $4,152. Washington State Community College students take on a median of $16,291 in debt. Median earnings reach $37,988 ten years out. Set against $16,291 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Owens Community College placed #20 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.
Belmont College landed the #21 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.
Central Ohio Technical College came in at #22 in this year's value ranking. 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.
Wilberforce University offered strong value this year, earning the #23 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Wilberforce, OH. Students from in state pay about $16,448 in tuition and fees. Graduates carry a median of $35,674 in student loans. Wilberforce University alumni report median earnings of $38,298 a decade after entry. That is a strong return on a $35,674 median debt. Roughly 40% of applicants are accepted.
Kent State University At Stark came in at #24 in this year's value ranking. Located in North Canton, OH, Kent State University At Stark is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,211, while out-of-state students pay about $17,969. Typical student debt is $25,301. Graduates go on to earn a median of $45,388 ten years after entry. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Zane State College came in at #25 in this year's value ranking. 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.
Not far behind, these schools also delivered strong value this year:
*Averages shown above reflect the top 220 ranked schools only.
These rankings are produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 220 schools evaluated. References
See our data sources and methodologies.