With all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take when you want to pursue a grad degree. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Best Master's Degree Colleges in Ohio ranking.
Our analysis looked at 42 grad schools in Ohio to determine which ones have the best master's degree programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best grad schools. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
Better Early-Career Average Salaries
The average early-career salary of those graduating with a master's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. A master's degree holder from a school in Ohio makes an average starting salary of $56,359, but the students who attended schools in the top 24 of our list make an average of $61,211.
Starting Salary ( 39835 to 72122 )
Student Loan Borrowing
Another factor that we look at to determine a school's ranking is the average debt load that graduate students take on while they are working on their master's degree.
The average amount taken out in student loans for graduates at a particular school may be crippling for those who earn less than average wages after graduation.
Additional Ranking Factors We Use
Our Best Master's Degree Schools considers other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt.
These factors include things like the educational resources, the demand associated with the school, whether or not the school offers online classes, and the student body caliber - just to name a few.
Are you more interested in the top master's degree schools in your area? Try narrowing this list by location. Also, you may want to check out our other college rankings.
Our analysis found Case Western Reserve University to be the best grad school for master’s degrees in Ohio in this year’s ranking. Case Western is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cleveland, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,598 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $69,677 during the early years of their career.
The excellent master’s degree programs at Ohio State University - Main Campus helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Ohio. Located in Columbus, Ohio, the large public school awarded 2,828 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Ohio State is $69,776 during the early years of their career.
The excellent master’s degree programs at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Ohio. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is a large public school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 3,108 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from UC make an average of $57,384 a year.
Out of the 42 master’s degree schools in Ohio that were part of this year’s ranking, Miami University - Oxford landed the #4 spot on the list. Miami University - Oxford is a fairly large public school situated in Oxford, Ohio. It awarded 881 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $51,970 during the early years of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Dayton. It ranked #5 on our 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio list. Located in Dayton, Ohio, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 1,034 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from UDayton make an average of $64,665 a year.
Ohio University - Athens Campus landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio ranking. Athens, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out master’s degrees to 2,031 students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $56,483 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #7, Ashland University did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio list. Ashland, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out master’s degrees to 548 students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $49,464 during the early years of their career.
The University of Findlay ranked #8 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio list. The University of Findlay is a small private not-for-profit school located in Findlay, Ohio that handed out 288 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Findlay is $67,727 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #9, Xavier University did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio list. Xavier is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Cincinnati, Ohio. It awarded 712 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Xavier make an average of $59,418 per year during the early years of their career.
Baldwin Wallace University landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio ranking. Baldwin Wallace College is located in Berea, Ohio and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 244 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Baldwin Wallace College make an average of $61,937 per year during the early years of their career.
Bowling Green State University - Main Campus came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio ranking. Located in Bowling Green, Ohio, the fairly large public school awarded 963 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $46,468 during the early years of their career.
Marietta College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Marietta, Ohio, and it awarded 37 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Marietta make an average of $101,101 a year.
Kent State University at Kent landed the #13 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio ranking. Kent State is a public institution located in Kent, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,468 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from Kent State go into careers with an average salary of $48,576 during the early years of their career.
University of Toledo did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Toledo, Ohio, the fairly large public school awarded 1,007 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from University of Toledo make an average of $52,833 a year.
Cedarville University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio list. Located in Cedarville, Ohio, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 91 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Cedarville make an average of $91,553 a year.
Otterbein University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio ranking. Westerville, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out master’s degrees to 130 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from Otterbein go into careers with an average salary of $102,659 during the early years of their career.
John Carroll University did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio ranking, coming in at #17. Located in University Heights, Ohio, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 186 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from John Carroll make an average of $50,341 a year.
Franciscan University of Steubenville ranked #18 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio list. Located in Steubenville, Ohio, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 217 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Franciscan U make an average of $51,891 per year during the early years of their career.
University of Akron Main Campus landed the #19 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio ranking. Located in Akron, Ohio, the fairly large public school handed out 678 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from University of Akron Main Campus make an average of $48,439 a year.
Walsh University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio ranking. Walsh is a private not-for-profit institution located in North Canton, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 232 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from Walsh go into careers with an average salary of $55,475 during the early years of their career.
Tiffin University did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio ranking, coming in at #21. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Tiffin, Ohio, and it awarded 325 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Tiffin University is $48,425 during the early years of their career.
Muskingum University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in New Concord, Ohio, and it awarded 96 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Ursuline College landed the #23 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio ranking. Ursuline College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pepper Pike, Ohio. It awarded 105 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Ursuline College is $63,118 during the early years of their career.
Wright State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio ranking, coming in at #24. Wright State University - Main Campus is a medium-sized public school located in Dayton, Ohio that handed out 785 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Wright State University - Main Campus is $53,518 during the early years of their career.
Ohio Christian University landed the #25 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Ohio ranking. OCU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Circleville, Ohio. It awarded 130 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from OCU make an average of $46,177 a year.
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).
Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
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