Best Community Colleges in Ohio of 2023

Located in Elyria, Lorain County Community College was the first community college in Ohio to offer its own bachelor’s degree program. The public school is part of the University System of Ohio and has about 11,000 students. It awards associate and bachelor’s degrees, workforce training, and short-term certificates. It also has partnerships where students can earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree from 15 Ohio universities and colleges. These schools include the Ohio State University, Bowling Green State University, and the University of Cincinnati. Students who utilize one of these 15 partnerships save an average of $74,000 while attaining their bachelor’s degree. The U.S. Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency Center lists Lorain County Community College among the top 10% of most affordable schools in the nation.

Northwest State Community College serves over 77,000 students, mainly from Northwest Ohio. This two-year public school has 70 degree and certificate programs, including a Bachelor's Bound pathway that provides many transfer options. These options include Ohio Guaranteed Transfer Pathways, Associate of Arts and Associate of Science programs, and articulation agreements with several different colleges and universities. Among the articulation agreements offered are a Bachelor of Science in Electronic Engineering Technology from Eastern Michigan University, a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Herzing University, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Bowling Green State University. Northwest State Community College welcomes veterans, military service members, and their dependents and offers them a dedicated lounge on campus and enhanced academic and financial aid support services.

A biblically based community college in Columbus, Valor Christian College is the only private community college on this list. The school is associated with World Harvest Church and combines practical, hands-on training for the ministry combined with Christan-focused academics. Nine associate degree programs and five certificate programs are offered, including an Associate of Applied Science in Biblical Studies, Associate of Applied Science in Youth Ministries, and Associate of Applied Science in Pastoral Leadership. A Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry is also available. Valor Christian College is accredited by the Association of Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), and credits earned at the college will transfer to more than one hundred ABHE-accredited schools, such as Florida Christian University, Davis College, and Carolina Christian University. The school also has an articulation agreement with Ohio Christian University for easy entry into its bachelor’s degree programs.

Belmont College is a small public two-year community college that primarily serves residents of the Ohio Valley via associate degree programs and career and technical education. Less than 1,000 students attend the school, whose values are accessibility, affordability, and quality. It offers more than 28 degrees and 24 certificate programs at its campus in the rural community of St. Clairsville. The school has many well-established 2+2 programs in which students earn their Associate of Science or Associate of Arts at Belmont College in two years and then seamlessly transfer to a partner institution to earn their bachelor's. Notable 2+2 programs include the Emergency Medical Bachelor’s 2+2 with Bowling Green State University, Accounting 2+2 with Kent State University, and Business Management Administration 2+2 with the University of Akron.

Located in Lima, James A Rhodes State College is a small, public community college with about 3,300 students. The school offers over 100 associate degree programs, certificates, and pathways. Pathways are intended for students that wish to transfer to a four-year institution after completing two years at James A Rhodes State College. Available pathways include Business, Design, Public Safety, and Health Sciences. The school has awarded over $2 million in scholarships over the past 20 years. There are merit and need-based scholarships available, and scholarships for members of certain populations, including women, nursing students, and veterans. James A Rhodes State College is also a recipient of the Choose Ohio First Scholarship grant by the Ohio Department of Higher Education. This grant provides scholarships to students majoring in disciplines that bolster Ohio’s competitiveness in the science, technology, engineering, math, and medical industries.

Dayton-based Sinclair Community College offers over 300 degree and certificate programs. The public two-year school has over 100 university transfer agreements, and more than 3,500 students transfer every year to four-year institutions. Sinclair Community College has many excellent student supports in addition to standard resources like academic and career advising. One of these is the African American Male Initiative which provides enhanced academic, professional, social, and emotional support to men of color. There is also an Appalachian Outreach support program and an LGBTQ+ Support program for students who are members of those groups. For students with young children, the campus has lactation rooms available and a childcare center. Other student support services include a multifaith campus ministry, free 24/7 counseling services, student advocates (also known as ombuds), a Military Family Education Center, and an emergency computer repair center.

Columbus State Community College is one of the largest community colleges, by enrollment, in the state of Ohio. The public school has four regional learning centers and two campuses, with the main campus in Columbus. Despite the large overall population, the average class size at Columbus State Community College is 20. There are transfer agreements in place with more than 35 colleges for students who complete their Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degrees at Columbus State Community College. Agreements include those with the Ohio State University, Ohio Wesleyan University, and Columbus College of Art and Design. The student body consists of students from more than 130 countries, and nearly 40% are under the age of 20. Over 35 student organizations are active on campus, including the Black Student Union, Columbus State Pride, Girls Who Code, and the Sustainability Group.

Located in Marietta, Ohio, Washington State Community College is a small public school that offers more than 40 certificate and associate degree programs to about 2,300 students. The school’s name comes from Washington Elementary School, where the college’s first classes were held in 1971. At Washington State Community College, 100% of full-time faculty hold a master’s degree, and many have doctoral degrees. Due to the school’s small size, student-faculty interaction is very strong. Among the school’s notable programs is an Associate of Applied Science in Chemical Dependency Counseling, an Associate of Technical Studies in Cybersecurity, and an Associate of Liberal Arts-Transfer. The school is also one of the few in the state that offers the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission's certified Private Security Academy program that leads to certification as a peace officer from the state of Ohio.

Cuyahoga Community College District, also known as Tri-C, was the state of Ohio’s first community college and is also the largest. The public school’s students are spread out among four campuses and ten other locations. Tri-C offers more than 200 career and technical programs, including the Captioning and Court Reporting degree program, American Sign Language degree program, and Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies certificate program. Tri-C is a First-Gen Forward Institution. It is recognized as a higher education institution committed to success for its students, who are the first in their families to attend college. Tri-C has a very strong Career Center that provides many career services for students and alums, including webinars and virtual workshops, a summer internship program, a career library and counseling, and access to Handshake, an online job board.

All college students need support, but individuals who are the first in their families to attend a higher education institution often need specialized support. North Central State College fills the unique needs of first-generation and low-income students, as well as those with disabilities, through the TRIO Student Support Services program. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, this program is designed to help students of all backgrounds succeed and complete their programs. They provide students with resources including academic advising, tutoring, transfer assistance, grant aid, financial literacy, and more. Students enrolled at NCSC can earn certificates, associate degrees, and bachelor's degrees in criminal justice, business, healthcare, liberal arts, education, and more.

Owens Community College is a public school with campuses in Toledo and Findlay that offers over 70 associate degree and certificate programs. Several of these programs are dual admission programs with Bowling Green State University, the University of Toledo, Lourdes University, and the University of Findlay. Students interested in these programs apply to both colleges at once and, if accepted, complete their associate degree first and then their bachelor’s degree. The School of Nursing and Health Professions at Owens Community College is particularly notable, with programs in a variety of professions, including dental hygiene, nursing, and medical assisting available. The national exam pass rates for graduates from Owens Community College’s nursing program have surpassed the state and national pass rates since 2014. In 2019 100% of the school’s Health Information Technology program graduates passed their national certification exam.