Best Online Colleges in Ohio of 2025

University Headquarters (HQ) is an industry-leading, independent educational organization that provides independent college rankings using a proprietary formula to create first class, unbiased rankings. The team at University HQ strives to provide accurate and trustworthy rankings that highlight the best programs in Ohio.

Featured Online Programs

Are you interested in enrolling in an online degree program in Ohio? Distance learning allows students to complete classes remotely, making it easier than ever to reach academic goals and professional requirements. Colleges and universities throughout the state now offer credible online degrees at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. While some subject areas are better suited for distance learning than others, students are able to choose from a wide variety of majors, minors, and professional certificates available.

There are many benefits associated with opting for an online education in Ohio. A key advantage is more flexible class scheduling options, which is particularly relevant for prospective students working full-time or who have other responsibilities preventing them from attending courses in person. Online curriculums also help students gain the knowledge and skills necessary to obtain better employment. Possessing degrees generally makes candidates more competitive, with employers often giving preference to applicants with more education. Because graduates are perceived as better qualified and prepared to succeed in the workplace, they also tend to earn higher wages.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of February 2022, the civilian labor force in Ohio was 5,749,599. Of these employable individuals, 5,507,821 had jobs and 241,778 did not. The resulting unemployment rate for the state was 4.2%, down significantly from the high of 16.4% in April 2020. The state’s lowest unemployment rate since 2012 was 3.9%, which was sustained for a single month in May 2019.

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Online Higher Education in Ohio

During the 2021-2022 academic year, there were a total of 669,840 students enrolled in Ohio colleges and universities. This includes 583,347 undergraduate and 86,452 graduate school students. While the majority attended classes full-time, 263,518 were enrolled part-time.

Distance learning is relatively popular in Ohio, with a significant portion of students opting for online enrollment. A total of 227,534 students attended remote courses exclusively, in addition to 225,988 students who registered for some online classes. Only 216,318 students were not enrolled in any online classes. This means that over 67% of undergraduate and graduate students in the state took at least one online class during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Find Your Online Ohio Program

In 2022, the average cost of undergraduate tuition and fees for Ohio residents is $6,957 per academic year, while students from other states paid an average of $13,836 per year. Those enrolled in graduate programs paid more. The average tuition and fees for Ohio residents seeking master’s degrees was $11,624 in 2022. Non-residents paid $23,374. Notably, these tuition and fees rose 100.59% since 2021.

Prospective students should also anticipate paying for general living expenses, books, and supplies. In 2022, the average living costs of Ohio colleges and universities is $14,057 for students staying on campus and $13,499 for students staying off campus. The average cost of books and supplies was $1,613. This is a significant increase from the year before when the average was only $1,318.

Many colleges and universities charge lower tuition and fee rates for distance learners. Students also rarely have to pay for fees related to parking and on-campus activities. Additionally, online learners can still apply for financial aid. Most academic institutions encourage all enrollees to complete and submit Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms for the most affordable education options.

Our School Rankings Methodology

College and university rankings can help prospective students decide which academic programs align best with their personal and professional goals. The information provided is particularly relevant when comparing two or more degree programs offered by different academic institutions. At the very least, ranking data can assist in narrowing down potential selections.

In order to provide the most helpful and relevant information for students pursuing online degrees in Ohio, our rankings team uses a proprietary ratings system to rank the distance learning programs available. This ensures higher accuracy while simultaneously making the results more applicable to all student types.

Some of the data categories utilized to generate our rankings include:

Average Graduate Salary
Graduation Rate
Net Price
Reputation
Retention Rate
Student-to-Faculty Ratio

Prospective students can depend on us for reliable investigations and assessments. We carefully consider the overall the quality and affordability of each institution before adding it to the list. Additionally, the only colleges and universities included in our rankings reports possess academic accreditation from credible sources. We always strive to make it easier for students to pick top online degree programs in Ohio.