POPULATION (2021): 11.8 million
CAPITAL: Columbus
LARGEST PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN OHIO: Ohio State University
LARGEST PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN OHIO: University of Dayton
Ohio has had college students for more than 200 years, as the University of Ohio opened it doors in 1809. Since, the state’s dedication to providing quality options for higher education has continued to grow. Located in a highly traveled part of the country, Ohio is a midwestern state with several large cities for those aspiring students who want the city life, but also many classic college towns with a more relaxed feel.
In the summer, lakes and rivers are are some of the top destinations for students to relax and have a good time, but in the winter it does get quite cold, so dorm hangs or other kinds of indoor fun are popular in the winter.
Universities in Ohio- 4-Year Colleges and Online
Ohio is a populous state, and as such there are several opportunities for an education. The public colleges and universities attract students from all over the country, as do several of the private colleges, though they are much smaller and generally more difficult for out-of-state students to get into. Here is a look at the rest of the college landscape in Ohio.
Public Universities in Ohio
Ohio University was the first college, but Ohio State University has certainly taken the limelight away over the years. OSU students in Columbus (and at the satellite campuses) are proud people, but there are several other 4-year public colleges in Ohio. Here they are:
- University of Cincinnati
- Kent State University
- University of Akron
- University of Toledo
- Miami University
- Bowling Green State University
- Cleveland State University
- Wright State University
- Youngstown State University
Private Universities in Ohio
Private colleges are in no short supply in Ohio, with several holding high prestige and attracting national and international students. Here they are:
- Case Western Reserve University
- University of Dayton
- Xavier University
- Franklin University
- Ashland University
- University of Findlay
- Cedarville University
- University of Northwestern Ohio
- Tiffin University
- Ohio Christian University
- Ohio North University
- Oberlin College
- Otterbein College
- Denison University
- University of Mount Union
Community Colleges in Ohio
The state also provides funding to several community colleges across Ohio, with some of the associate’s colleges having more students than several of the universities. Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Sinclair Community College in Dayton, and Columbus State Community College all have more than 20,000 students taking classes, and many courses and credits will transfer to public 4-year universities if students choose to continue their education.
Prominent Online Colleges in Ohio
The public universities and colleges use something called OhioLINK that offers students many classes online and also allows them to transfer credits easier if they decide to move to one of the campuses with more online college offerings such as Ohio State or Wright State University.
Universities in Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati is a big city in the southern part of the state that shares a border with Kentucky. There is a bit more of a southern feel than midwestern at these 4-year colleges in Ohio:
- Mount Saint Joseph University
- Art Academy of Cincinnati
- Cincinnati Christian
- Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science
- Galen College of Nursing
- Good Samaritan College of Nursing and Health Science
- University of Cincinnati
- Xavier University
Universities in Cleveland, OH
Here are the colleges and universities that offer 4-year degrees in the northern city of Cleveland:
- Case Western Reserve University
- Cleveland Institute of Art
- Cleveland Institute of Music
- Cleveland State University
- Notre Dame College
Universities in Columbus, OH
Columbus is the biggest city and most populous, meaning a lot of options for college!
- Capital University
- Chamberlain University
- Columbus College of Art and Design
- Franklin University
- Mount Carmel College of Nursing
- Ohio Dominican University
- Ohio State University
Universities in Dayton, OH
There are 3 major universities in the city of Dayton. The University of Dayton, Wright State University, and Sinclair Community College all offer 4-year degrees.
Get to Know Ohio
Ohio gets to claim a little midwest, a little southern state, and a little northeast, and as such it does have a unique aura. It’s a very populous state, so people tend to be more proud of their city and you might have to start doing the same if you go to college in Cleveland or Cincinnati… but no matter where you attend college in Ohio, you can rest assured you’re getting a quality education and that you will have several employment opportunities in this growing state.