Paying for college · Ohio
What college really costs in Ohio
Average yearly net price after grants at 228 four-year colleges, lowest first. The figure for families earning under $30,000 shows how far need-based aid goes at each school.
Ohio state grants
- Ohio College Opportunity Grant (OCOG): 2026-27 full-time maximum: $4,000 a year at a public university main campus, $5,000 at a private nonprofit college, $2,000 at a private for-profit school. Community college students usually get no award unless they are former foster youth, veterans or attend a third term.
- Governor's Merit Scholarship: Up to $5,000 a year for up to four years (awards can be reduced if more students accept than funding allows)
- Federal Pell Grant: up to $7,395 a year (2026–27)
Working while you study
$11.00/hour minimum wage
rises to $11.40 on 1 January 2027; applies to employers with yearly gross receipts above $405,000 (smaller employers pay $7.25).
All four-year colleges in Ohio
| College | Avg net price | Income under $30k | Graduate | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career and Technology Education Centers of Licking CountyNewark · public | $676 | — | — | $5,500 |
| Ohio State Beauty AcademyLima · private | $1,977 | — | — | $8,500 |
| Cuyahoga Community College DistrictCleveland · public | $2,652 | $1,637 | 26% | $8,500 |
| Lorain County Community CollegeElyria · public | $2,992 | $2,221 | 37% | $13,225 |
| Lakeland Community CollegeKirtland · public | $3,765 | $2,499 | — | $14,375 |
| Northern Institute of CosmetologyLorain · private | $4,823 | — | — | — |
| Rosedale Bible CollegeIrwin · private | $4,861 | $2,227 | — | — |
| Hamrick SchoolMedina · private | $4,900 | — | — | $5,481 |
| Cincinnati State Technical and Community CollegeCincinnati · public | $5,184 | $3,581 | 17% | $16,721 |
| Sinclair Community CollegeDayton · public | $5,245 | $4,135 | 43% | $11,753 |
| Stark State CollegeNorth Canton · public | $5,670 | $4,542 | 20% | $14,122 |
| Buckeye Hills Career CenterRio Grande · public | $5,869 | — | — | $8,692 |
| North Central State CollegeMansfield · public | $5,896 | $5,520 | 27% | $12,000 |
| Belmont CollegeSt Clairsville · public | $5,909 | $4,658 | — | — |
| Ohio University-Eastern CampusSaint Clairsville · public | $5,949 | — | 20% | $20,475 |
| Ohio University-Southern CampusIronton · public | $6,189 | $5,470 | 12% | $20,475 |
| Buckeye Joint Vocational SchoolNew Philadelphia · public | $6,189 | — | — | — |
| Washington State College of OhioMarietta · public | $6,203 | $4,382 | 37% | $13,660 |
| University of Akron Wayne CollegeOrrville · public | $6,549 | $5,020 | 11% | $21,500 |
| Ohio University-Lancaster CampusLancaster · public | $6,593 | $5,272 | 14% | $20,475 |
| Ohio University-Zanesville CampusZanesville · public | $6,596 | $4,412 | 19% | $20,475 |
| Ohio University-Chillicothe CampusChillicothe · public | $6,719 | $5,744 | 9% | $20,475 |
| Marion Technical CollegeMarion · public | $6,851 | $5,586 | 30% | $8,286 |
| Edison State Community CollegePiqua · public | $6,923 | $5,814 | 25% | $11,970 |
| James A. Rhodes State CollegeLima · public | $7,312 | — | 27% | $11,500 |
| Columbus State Community CollegeColumbus · public | $7,667 | $6,001 | 26% | $9,750 |
| Allegheny Wesleyan CollegeSalem · private | $7,734 | — | 29% | — |
| Ashtabula County Technical and Career CampusJefferson · public | $8,024 | — | — | $9,855 |
| Zane State CollegeZanesville · public | $8,577 | $7,370 | 47% | $6,834 |
| Southern State Community CollegeHillsboro · public | $8,691 | $7,066 | — | $14,762 |
| Brown & Clermont Adult Career CampusesBethel · public | $9,080 | — | — | — |
| Youngstown State UniversityYoungstown · public | $9,161 | $5,441 | 53% | $20,568 |
| Madison Adult Career CenterMansfield · public | $9,210 | — | — | $4,874 |
| Toledo Public Schools Adult and Continuing EducationToledo · public | $9,345 | — | — | — |
| Wright State University-Lake CampusCelina · public | $9,533 | $6,567 | 44% | $21,057 |
| Tiffin Academy of Hair DesignTiffin · private | $9,819 | — | — | $9,833 |
| Central Ohio Technical CollegeNewark · public | $9,826 | $8,696 | 24% | $12,509 |
| Kent State University at StarkNorth Canton · public | $9,980 | $8,263 | 35% | $23,000 |
| Kent State University at East LiverpoolEast Liverpool · public | $10,025 | $8,629 | 16% | $23,000 |
| Moler Hollywood Beauty AcademyCincinnati · private | $10,060 | — | — | $6,333 |
| Clark State CollegeSpringfield · public | $10,176 | $8,370 | 27% | $16,250 |
| Auburn Career CenterConcord Twp · public | $10,237 | — | — | $6,365 |
| Kent State University at AshtabulaAshtabula · public | $10,310 | $8,815 | 41% | $23,000 |
| Miami University-MiddletownMiddletown · public | $10,410 | $8,994 | 27% | $20,500 |
| Apex Academy Hair Skin Nails School of CosmetologyOntario · private | $10,443 | — | — | — |
| Meryma'at Barber CollegeCleveland · private | $10,573 | — | — | — |
| Great Oaks Career CampusesCincinnati · public | $10,592 | $7,114 | — | $5,500 |
| Kent State University at GeaugaBurton · public | $10,594 | $8,656 | 26% | $23,000 |
| Antioch CollegeYellow Springs · private | $10,751 | — | 33% | $21,134 |
| Owens Community CollegePerrysburg · public | $10,862 | $8,842 | — | $17,250 |
| Rabbinical College TelsheWickliffe · private | $10,924 | — | 33% | — |
| Allstate Hairstyling & Barber CollegeCleveland · private | $10,936 | — | — | — |
| Kent State University at SalemSalem · public | $11,097 | $9,645 | 34% | $23,000 |
| Kent State University at TuscarawasNew Philadelphia · public | $11,122 | $9,256 | 42% | $23,000 |
| Northwest State Community CollegeArchbold · public | $11,313 | $10,419 | — | $7,875 |
| University of Cincinnati-Clermont CollegeBatavia · public | $11,449 | $8,984 | 23% | $20,500 |
| Hair AcademyChillicothe · private | $11,464 | — | — | $12,125 |
| Miami University-HamiltonHamilton · public | $11,513 | $9,060 | 26% | $20,500 |
| Kent State University at TrumbullWarren · public | $11,622 | $10,283 | 29% | $23,000 |
| Northern Career InstituteEastlake · public | $11,819 | $11,133 | — | $9,500 |
| Gods Bible School and CollegeCincinnati · private | $11,848 | — | 35% | — |
| LaBarberia Institute of HairMayfield Hts · private | $11,866 | — | — | $20,000 |
| Ohio State University-Marion CampusMarion · public | $11,934 | $10,016 | 17% | $19,500 |
| Columbiana County Career and Technical CenterLisbon · public | $11,946 | — | — | $12,190 |
| Ohio State University-Lima CampusLima · public | $12,326 | $9,952 | 24% | $19,500 |
| Lorain County Joint Vocational School DistrictOberlin · public | $12,512 | — | — | — |
| Malone UniversityCanton · private | $12,621 | $13,261 | 56% | $25,000 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-ParmaParma · private | $12,704 | — | 18% | $19,816 |
| Elite Academy of Hair DesignBridgeport · private | $12,719 | — | — | $7,540 |
| Collins Career Technical CenterChesapeake · public | $12,919 | $11,982 | — | $14,166 |
| University of AkronAkron · public | $13,072 | $9,514 | 53% | $21,500 |
| Casal Aveda InstituteNiles · private | $13,113 | $11,227 | — | $6,333 |
| Central State UniversityWilberforce · public | $13,307 | $11,428 | 21% | $18,250 |
| Lake Erie CollegePainesville · private | $13,324 | $11,400 | 44% | $23,250 |
| Paramount Beauty AcademyPortsmouth · private | $13,466 | — | — | $9,833 |
| Polaris Career CenterMiddleburg Heights · public | $13,623 | — | — | $6,365 |
| Gerbers Akron Beauty SchoolAkron · private | $13,710 | — | — | — |
| Wright State UniversityDayton · public | $13,715 | $10,538 | 42% | $21,057 |
| Cleveland State UniversityCleveland · public | $13,754 | $10,230 | 51% | $22,000 |
| Ohio State College of Barber StylingColumbus · private | $13,795 | — | — | $11,500 |
| University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash CollegeBlue Ash · public | $13,910 | $11,611 | 15% | $20,500 |
| Ohio State University-Newark CampusNewark · public | $14,068 | $11,543 | 27% | $19,500 |
| Cincinnati School of Barbering & Hair DesignCincinnati · private | $14,088 | — | — | — |
| ETI Technical College of NilesNiles · private | $14,198 | — | — | $16,340 |
| Brown Aveda Institute-MentorMentor · private | $14,261 | $12,187 | — | $6,333 |
| Raphael's School of Beauty Culture Inc-BrunswickBrunswick · private | $14,264 | — | — | $11,250 |
| Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical SchoolsGroveport · public | $14,301 | — | — | $7,177 |
| Butler Technology and Career Development SchoolsMonroe · public | $14,510 | — | — | $6,364 |
| Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology-North DaytonDayton · private | $14,790 | $13,866 | — | $8,922 |
| Mercy College of OhioToledo · private | $15,273 | $17,219 | 48% | $20,615 |
| Ohio State University-Mansfield CampusMansfield · public | $15,307 | $13,104 | 16% | $19,500 |
| Moler-Pickens Beauty AcademyFairfield · private | $15,336 | — | — | $6,333 |
| Mahoning County Career and Technical CenterCanfield · public | $16,018 | — | — | — |
| Wilberforce UniversityWilberforce · private | $16,221 | — | 7% | $20,500 |
| Brown Aveda Institute-StrongsvilleStrongsville · private | $16,280 | $13,942 | — | $6,333 |
| University of ToledoToledo · public | $16,406 | $14,041 | 58% | $20,000 |
| Bowling Green State University-FirelandsHuron · public | $16,406 | $15,332 | 10% | $23,250 |
| Adult and Community Education-HudsonColumbus · public | $16,609 | $15,890 | — | $12,060 |
| Dayton Barber CollegeMiamisburg · private | $16,626 | — | — | — |
| Hocking CollegeNelsonville · public | $16,748 | $16,664 | — | $11,000 |
| Good Samaritan College of Nursing and Health ScienceCincinnati · private | $17,041 | — | 60% | $17,750 |
| Ohio State University Agricultural Technical InstituteWooster · public | $17,148 | $14,610 | — | $19,500 |
| Ursuline CollegePepper Pike · private | $17,186 | $12,047 | 55% | $25,000 |
| Ohio State UniversityColumbus · public | $17,269 | $6,061 | 87% | $19,500 |
| East Ohio CollegeEast Liverpool · private | $17,553 | — | — | $14,289 |
| Ohio State School of Cosmetology-Canal WinchesterCANAL WINCHESTER · private | $17,560 | $18,077 | — | $9,833 |
| The Christ College of Nursing and Health SciencesCincinnati · private | $17,566 | $12,618 | 60% | $18,992 |
| Shawnee State UniversityPortsmouth · public | $17,766 | $16,267 | 29% | $19,660 |
| Ohio Dominican UniversityColumbus · private | $17,780 | $15,694 | 51% | $24,250 |
| Ohio Medical Career CollegeDayton · private | $17,824 | — | — | $16,250 |
| Empire Beauty School-CincinnatiCincinnati · private | $17,992 | — | — | $16,500 |
| Canton City Schools Adult Career and Technical EducationCanton · public | $18,180 | $13,244 | — | $9,500 |
| Greene County Career CenterXenia · public | $18,180 | — | — | — |
| Raphael's School of Beauty Culture Inc-NilesNiles · private | $18,428 | — | — | $11,250 |
| The Spa SchoolColumbus · private | $18,688 | — | — | $7,916 |
| Central School of Practical NursingIndependence · private | $18,712 | — | — | $9,500 |
| Upper Valley Career CenterPiqua · public | $18,728 | $17,046 | — | $14,003 |
| Raphael's School of Beauty Culture Inc-BoardmanBoardman · private | $19,020 | $18,170 | — | $7,917 |
| Cuyahoga Valley Career CenterBrecksville · public | $19,080 | — | — | $9,974 |
| Muskingum UniversityNew Concord · private | $19,145 | $16,060 | 53% | $25,000 |
| Terra State Community CollegeFremont · public | $19,194 | — | — | $11,725 |
| Ohio Christian UniversityCircleville · private | $19,197 | $20,016 | 40% | $27,554 |
| Mount St. Joseph UniversityCincinnati · private | $19,231 | $12,793 | 54% | $27,000 |
| Aultman College of Nursing and Health SciencesCanton · private | $19,320 | $17,758 | 50% | $16,668 |
| Salon Institute-Toledo CampusToledo · private | $19,420 | — | — | $12,000 |
| Ohio State School of Cosmetology-HeathHeath · private | $19,505 | $18,772 | — | $9,550 |
| Elite Welding Academy South PointSouth Point · private | $19,557 | — | — | $5,500 |
| Aveda Fredric's Institute-CincinnatiWest Chester · private | $19,561 | — | — | $7,917 |
| Walsh UniversityNorth Canton · private | $19,588 | $16,250 | 58% | $24,300 |
| Otterbein UniversityWesterville · private | $20,189 | $14,480 | 61% | $25,000 |
| Scioto County Career Technical CenterLucasville · public | $20,194 | — | — | — |
| Ohio Wesleyan UniversityDelaware · private | $20,196 | $13,801 | 64% | $27,000 |
| Kent State University at KentKent · public | $20,294 | $15,853 | 51% | $23,000 |
| Aveda Institute-ColumbusColumbus · private | $20,392 | $20,286 | — | $6,333 |
| Capital UniversityColumbus · private | $20,550 | $16,988 | 57% | $25,000 |
| Summit Salon Academy-PerrysburgPerrysburg · private | $20,569 | — | — | $7,207 |
| Herzing University-AkronAkron · private | $20,633 | $20,875 | 19% | $17,676 |
| Ohio UniversityAthens · public | $20,666 | $15,142 | 65% | $20,475 |
| Hiram CollegeHiram · private | $20,753 | $18,005 | 56% | $26,542 |
| Warren County Career CenterLebanon · public | $20,840 | — | — | $5,500 |
| Kettering CollegeKettering · private | $20,896 | $19,197 | 57% | $24,250 |
| Raphael's School of Beauty Culture Inc-AllianceAlliance · private | $20,982 | $20,230 | — | $7,917 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-OntarioOntario · private | $21,025 | — | — | $8,996 |
| Mount Vernon Nazarene UniversityMount Vernon · private | $21,193 | $19,670 | 63% | $23,625 |
| Lourdes UniversitySylvania · private | $21,245 | $19,859 | 39% | $25,000 |
| Bluffton UniversityBluffton · private | $21,315 | $19,463 | 53% | $27,000 |
| Davis CollegeToledo · private | $21,377 | — | — | $21,333 |
| Bowling Green State UniversityBowling Green · public | $21,453 | $17,881 | 66% | $23,250 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-CincinnatiCincinnati · private | $21,492 | — | — | $8,996 |
| University of Northwestern OhioLima · private | $21,862 | $17,107 | 49% | $20,667 |
| Heidelberg UniversityTiffin · private | $22,046 | $19,885 | 61% | $27,000 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-NilesNiles · private | $22,093 | — | — | $8,994 |
| Fortis College-Cuyahoga FallsCuyahoga Falls · private | $22,112 | $21,186 | — | $16,500 |
| Trinity Health System School of NursingSteubenville · private | $22,342 | — | — | — |
| Ross Medical Education Center-DaytonFairborn · private | $22,402 | — | — | $8,996 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-ElyriaElyria · private | $22,425 | — | — | $8,996 |
| Stautzenberger College-MaumeeMaumee · private | $22,549 | $21,976 | — | $13,875 |
| Marietta CollegeMarietta · private | $22,890 | $18,496 | 61% | $27,000 |
| Wittenberg UniversitySpringfield · private | $23,310 | $16,231 | 61% | $25,000 |
| Cedarville UniversityCedarville · private | $23,335 | $18,295 | 74% | $20,375 |
| Ross College-SylvaniaSylvania · private | $23,473 | — | — | $8,996 |
| Remington College-Cleveland CampusCleveland · private | $23,495 | — | — | $9,500 |
| Ashland UniversityAshland · private | $23,678 | $21,187 | 57% | $24,058 |
| Medina County Career CenterMedina · public | $23,888 | — | — | — |
| University of Mount UnionAlliance · private | $23,956 | $20,299 | 65% | $26,511 |
| Ohio Northern UniversityAda · private | $23,969 | $17,269 | 71% | $27,000 |
| Mount Carmel College of NursingColumbus · private | $23,987 | — | 59% | $21,500 |
| Portage Lakes Career CenterUniontown · public | $23,991 | — | — | $6,333 |
| Athena Career AcademyToledo · private | $24,216 | — | — | $14,120 |
| Franciscan University of SteubenvilleSteubenville · private | $24,629 | $18,725 | 76% | $24,250 |
| Ohio Media School-Valley ViewValley View · private | $24,641 | — | — | $9,500 |
| Ohio Media School-ColumbusColumbus · private | $24,659 | — | — | $9,500 |
| Arizona College of Nursing-ClevelandBeachwood · private | $24,815 | — | — | $28,791 |
| Wayne County Schools Career CenterSmithville · public | $24,822 | $27,192 | — | $5,500 |
| University of CincinnatiCincinnati · public | $24,917 | $16,848 | 75% | $20,500 |
| Ohio Media School-CincinnatiNorwood · private | $25,132 | — | — | $9,500 |
| University of Rio GrandeRio Grande · private | $25,227 | $24,076 | 42% | $17,054 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-ClevelandTwinsburg · private | $25,514 | — | — | $9,833 |
| Choffin Career and Technical CenterYoungstown · public | $25,650 | — | — | $9,500 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-ToledoSylvania · private | $25,703 | $24,818 | — | $11,127 |
| Tiffin UniversityTiffin · private | $26,131 | $22,907 | 42% | $24,375 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-ColumbusColumbus · private | $26,237 | — | — | $9,833 |
| The University of FindlayFindlay · private | $26,406 | $20,496 | 62% | $22,500 |
| The College of WoosterWooster · private | $26,433 | $15,180 | 71% | $26,530 |
| Fortis College-CentervilleCenterville · private | $27,019 | $26,388 | — | $17,292 |
| John Carroll UniversityUniversity Heights · private | $27,167 | $19,479 | 74% | $25,000 |
| Baldwin Wallace UniversityBerea · private | $27,222 | $22,177 | 68% | $26,000 |
| Hondros College of NursingColumbus · private | $27,281 | $27,083 | — | $13,000 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-CincinnatiCincinnati · private | $27,346 | — | — | $11,127 |
| ATA College-CincinnatiCincinnati · private | $27,508 | — | — | $23,861 |
| Valley College-ClevelandCleveland · private | $27,653 | $27,420 | — | $9,500 |
| Columbus College of Art & DesignColumbus · private | $27,723 | $24,208 | 61% | $26,500 |
| Defiance CollegeDefiance · private | $27,873 | $22,644 | 36% | $27,000 |
| Fortis College-CincinnatiCincinnati · private | $28,407 | $27,953 | — | $12,667 |
| Franklin UniversityColumbus · private | $28,451 | — | 21% | $20,571 |
| Elite Welding Academy LLCCincinnati · private | $28,534 | — | — | $5,500 |
| Wilmington CollegeWilmington · private | $28,567 | $19,484 | 48% | $25,188 |
| Galen College of Nursing-CincinnatiCincinnati · private | $28,591 | — | 17% | $22,134 |
| MyComputerCareer at ColumbusColumbus · private | $28,871 | $28,548 | — | $9,500 |
| Academia Medical InstituteColumbus · private | $29,381 | — | — | $10,075 |
| Miami University-OxfordOxford · public | $29,447 | $16,121 | 81% | $20,500 |
| Hobart Institute of Welding TechnologyTroy · private | $30,093 | $25,811 | — | — |
| Cleveland Institute of MusicCleveland · private | $30,269 | — | 85% | $19,500 |
| University of DaytonDayton · private | $30,366 | $22,720 | 80% | $19,500 |
| Dayton School of Medical MassageDayton · private | $30,726 | $30,726 | — | $13,458 |
| Cleveland Institute of ArtCleveland · private | $31,184 | $26,220 | 62% | $27,000 |
| Xavier UniversityCincinnati · private | $31,905 | $26,294 | 71% | $25,000 |
| Ross College-CantonCanton · private | $32,516 | — | — | $8,996 |
| Fortis College-ColumbusWesterville · private | $33,067 | $32,364 | — | $12,667 |
| Kenyon CollegeGambier · private | $33,279 | $14,548 | 86% | $21,000 |
| Ohio Business College-Dayton-Driving AcademyTrotwood · private | $33,416 | — | — | $9,500 |
| DeVry University-OhioColumbus · private | $33,882 | — | 36% | $17,038 |
| Orion InstitutePerrysburg · private | $34,022 | — | — | $7,600 |
| Art Academy of CincinnatiCincinnati · private | $35,232 | $26,600 | 41% | $26,000 |
| Chamberlain University-OhioColumbus · private | $35,431 | — | 27% | $19,746 |
| Ohio Technical CollegeCleveland · private | $35,945 | $34,874 | — | $11,698 |
| The Modern College of DesignKettering · private | $36,313 | $32,748 | 70% | $16,688 |
| Valor Christian CollegeCanal Winchester · private | $37,267 | $35,486 | 38% | $24,750 |
| Arizona College of Nursing-CincinnatiCincinnati · private | $38,464 | — | — | $28,791 |
| Denison UniversityGranville · private | $40,163 | $15,189 | 78% | $26,932 |
| Professional Skills InstituteMaumee · private | $41,289 | $41,402 | 21% | $13,563 |
| Ohio Business College-SheffieldSheffield Village · private | $41,977 | — | — | $9,500 |
| Oberlin CollegeOberlin · private | $41,987 | $12,176 | 81% | $25,488 |
| Case Western Reserve UniversityCleveland · private | $44,622 | $14,046 | 87% | $21,500 |
| Pontifical College JosephinumColumbus · private | $47,298 | — | 57% | — |
| Ohio Institute of Allied HealthHuber Heights · private | $47,328 | — | — | $15,111 |
| Felbry CollegeColumbus · private | $51,771 | — | 29% | $23,812 |
| American Institute of Alternative MedicineColumbus · private | $76,493 | — | 50% | $9,611 |
Linked colleges have a full funding guide. More are added every week.
Short of what aid covers?
Students in Ohio use My Study Fund to collect monthly support from family, friends and mentors, and receive every dollar.
Sources
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; state program pages linked above, checked 2026-10-28. Four-year, campus-based public and private nonprofit colleges with complete net-price data.