Why This Matters

  • 83 TWO-YEAR ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS AVAILABLE IN OHIO

    Data from College Navigator reveals that there are 83 two-year institutions in Ohio that offer associate degree programs.

  • $5,569 AVERAGE TUITION AND FEES

    College Board estimates that the average student paid a total of $5,569 in tuition and fees at in-district Ohio community colleges during the 2022-23 school year.

  • 80.6% OF STUDENTS ENROLLED IN TWO-YEAR INSTITUTIONS RELIED ON FINANCIAL AID

    According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 452,493 students attending two-year institutions in the U.S. received some type of financial aid during the 2019-20 school year.

Our Research

This list features some of the best community colleges in Ohio. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary institutions. We included small, midsize, and large colleges as well as trade, technical, and vocational programs. Next, we compared this comprehensive list to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like the U.S. News & World Report among others to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.

The colleges on our list are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), a reputable organization that examines objectives, quality and overall effectiveness of education programs throughout the United States.

We evaluated each school on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the student resources provided for students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

The Top 50 Community Colleges in Ohio

Best Community Colleges In Ohio Badge 2023
01
Intelligent Pick
Lorain County Community College
01
Northwest State Community College
Northwest State Community College
01
Best Private School
Valor Christian College
01
Best 2 + 2 Programs
Belmont College
01
Best Scholarships
James A Rhodes State College
01
Best Student Support Services
Sinclair Community College
01
Best Public School
Columbus State Community College
01
Best Faculty
Washington State Community College
01
Best Career Services
Cuyahoga Community College District
01
Best for First-Gen Students
North Central State College
01

O C Collins Career Center
01
Best Dual-Admission Programs
Lakeland Community College
01

Owens Community College
01

Marion Technical College
01

Terra State Community College
01

Hocking College
01

Eastern Gateway Community College
01

Bowling Green State University at Firelands
01

Southern State Community College
01

Cincinnati State Technical & Community College
01

Zane State College

What You Should Know About Graduating From Community College in Ohio

While you prepare for community college, you should consider your career and salary aspirations. As of May 2021, the top five careers with the highest median wages for associate degree holders in Ohio were air traffic controllers, radiation therapists, nuclear technicians, nuclear medicine technologists, and dental hygienists.

Job seekers with associate degrees may have better luck finding employment if they focus on careers that typically have high job availability. The occupations expected to have the most annual job openings for the next decade in Ohio are preschool teachers (excluding special education), paralegals and legal assistants, physical therapist assistants, occupational therapy assistants, and radiologic technicians.

As you review different career options, you should also take into account which jobs are projected to decline over the next ten years. Occupations that require associate degrees and are expected to undergo a large drop in employment in Ohio are desktop publishers, nuclear technicians, mechanical drafters, and human resources assistants (excluding payroll and timekeeping).

What’s Next?

As you prepare for community college, it’s important to review the different financial aid opportunities available to you. We’ve put together a list of federal and state resources to facilitate access to scholarships, grants, and financial aid opportunities for associate degree students in Ohio.

  • Ohio Department of Education. The Ohio Department of Education helps residents find financial aid by providing information about budgeting, scams, and resources at the local, state, and federal levels.
  • Federal Student Aid. The U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid provides over $120 billion in annual scholarships, grants, work-study opportunities, and loans. Students interested in applying can check their eligibility at the FAFSA4caster. To apply, complete the online FAFSA form.
  • CareerOneStop. This resource, sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, connects students with useful information about scholarships. After filtering their search by degree level and state, users gain access to details about award amounts, qualifications, and deadlines.