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Most affordable public universities in Ohio

45 public universities in Ohio report net price data, ranging from $3,763 at the lowest to higher costs at more selective schools. The median net price across these is $10,977. Ohio's public universities cost about the same as the national average for the kind. The list below shows the most affordable options, ranked by net price.

Median net price in Ohio

$10,977

National median for public universities

$10,692

public universities reporting in Ohio

45

The most affordable public universities in Ohio, ranked by net price

1

North Central State College

OH

Net price

$3,763

Receive grant aid

94%

2

Ohio University-Eastern Campus

OH

Net price

$3,897

Receive grant aid

76%

3

Lorain County Community College

OH

Net price

$4,397

Receive grant aid

83%

4

Ohio University-Southern Campus

OH

Net price

$4,682

Receive grant aid

77%

5

Ohio University-Lancaster Campus

OH

Net price

$4,935

Receive grant aid

56%

6

Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus

OH

Net price

$5,304

Receive grant aid

67%

7

Ohio University-Zanesville Campus

OH

Net price

$5,715

Receive grant aid

77%

8

Sinclair Community College

OH

Net price

$5,824

Receive grant aid

73%

9

Cincinnati State Technical and Community College

OH

Net price

$6,489

Receive grant aid

62%

10

Zane State College

OH

Net price

$7,397

Receive grant aid

66%

11

Marion Technical College

OH

Net price

$7,625

Receive grant aid

97%

12

Washington State Community College

OH

Net price

$7,758

Receive grant aid

71%

13

Clark State College

OH

Net price

$8,329

Receive grant aid

68%

14

University of Cincinnati-Clermont College

OH

Net price

$8,892

Receive grant aid

80%

15

James A. Rhodes State College

OH

Net price

$8,979

Receive grant aid

67%

16

University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College

OH

Net price

$9,388

Receive grant aid

72%

17

Central Ohio Technical College

OH

Net price

$9,439

Receive grant aid

72%

18

Kent State University at East Liverpool

OH

Net price

$9,788

Receive grant aid

89%

19

Kent State University at Trumbull

OH

Net price

$10,075

Receive grant aid

83%

20

Kent State University at Ashtabula

OH

Net price

$10,502

Receive grant aid

85%

21

Kent State University at Geauga

OH

Net price

$10,524

Receive grant aid

65%

22

Kent State University at Salem

OH

Net price

$10,796

Receive grant aid

66%

23

Kent State University at Stark

OH

Net price

$10,977

Receive grant aid

74%

24

Kent State University at Tuscarawas

OH

Net price

$11,448

Receive grant aid

91%

25

Youngstown State University

OH

Net price

$11,740

Receive grant aid

92%

What makes a school affordable here

In Ohio, the most affordable public universities share two things in common. First, low published net prices reflect both reasonable sticker prices and meaningful institutional or state aid. Second, a high share of students receive grant aid. At North Central State College, the most affordable on this list, 94% of students receive grant aid. Net price reflects what a typical family actually pays, not the sticker price you see at first glance. A school with a $50,000 sticker price and a $10,000 net price is more affordable for most families than a school with a $20,000 sticker and a $19,000 net price.

Affordable colleges in Ohio, other types

Affordable public universities in other states

Find your personalized cost

National rankings use publicly available federal cost data. Plug in your actual aid offer and family situation for a Worth-It Score that reflects your specific picture.

Affordability rankings use publicly available federal higher-ed cost data. Net price reflects the average cost a family pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from total cost of attendance, for the 2022-23 reporting year. See full methodology →