State cost ranking · DOE College Scorecard

Cheapest Colleges in Ohio

Private campuses outnumber public ones on this Ohio list (145 vs 83); Ohio Business College-Dayton-Driving Academy still leads on average net price at $1,889.

$1,889
Cheapest net price
$17,989
Ohio median
228
Schools ranked

Ohio Business College-Dayton-Driving Academy has the lowest average net price in Ohio among Scorecard reporters

According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, Ohio Business College-Dayton-Driving Academy posts the lowest average net price in Ohio at $1,889 among 228 ranked schools, with the state median 5% above the $17,124 national median. Net price is what students paid after grant aid, not sticker tuition, and can reflect a narrow enrollment mix at specialty schools.

Data source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard

Cheapest net price
$1,889
Ohio median
$17,989
Schools ranked
228
National median
$17,124

Data updated August 2026 · IPEDS 2022–23 vintage

The list in one line

Ohio Business College-Dayton-Driving Academy has the lowest average net price in Ohio at $1,889/year, and the state's median net price is 5% above the $17,124 national median across 4,965 schools.

$1,889
cheapest ranked net price
$17,989
Ohio median net price
83 public / 145 private
schools in this ranking
$16,321
avg net price, <$30K income families

Average net price blends every income bracket; families under $30k average $16,321 here. Loans are excluded, open a school profile for the bracket table before treating one average as a personal cost.

Sticker tuition and real net price diverge most at The College of Wooster, where in-state published tuition of $61,640 falls to an average net price of $23,458 after aid, a $38,182 gap, the widest sticker-to-net gap among ranked Ohio schools.

Private campuses outnumber public ones here (145 vs 83). A low figure at a small religious or specialty school can reflect a narrow enrollment mix, check sector and enrollment beside the price.

The bar to make this top-25 list is $7,714. Here is where that cutoff sits among all 228 Scorecard-reporting Ohio schools:

The bar to make Ohio's top-25 cheapest list

Average net price after aid · 228 Scorecard-reporting schools

$7,714 Among the most affordable more affordable than 89% of 228 Ohio colleges

Show national distribution $0–$6,000: 17 Ohio colleges (7%). Below this entry. $6,000–$12,000: 40 Ohio colleges (18%). This entry sits in this band. $12,000–$18,000: 58 Ohio colleges (25%). Above this entry. $18,000–$24,000: 51 Ohio colleges (22%). Above this entry. $24,000–$30,000: 43 Ohio colleges (19%). Above this entry. $30,000–$36,000: 9 Ohio colleges (4%). Above this entry. $36,000–$42,000: 8 Ohio colleges (4%). Above this entry. $42,000–$48,000: 1 Ohio colleges (0%). Above this entry. $48,000–$54,000: 0 Ohio colleges (0%). Above this entry. $54,000–$60,000: 1 Ohio colleges (0%). Above this entry. #25 cutoff $0 $60,000 every ranked Ohio college, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $6K-wide band; taller bars hold more Ohio colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · 2022–23

Ohio's 25 cheapest colleges by real net price

2
Ohio University-Eastern Campus Saint Clairsville, OH · Public
Avg net price
$3,925
Net price (<$30K income)
$1,691
Median debt
$21,056
Median earnings, 6yr
$48,991
Enrollment
1,235
3
Lorain County Community College Elyria, OH · Public
Avg net price
$3,967
Net price (<$30K income)
$3,099
Median debt
$13,680
Median earnings, 6yr
$33,660
Enrollment
9,350
4
Cuyahoga Community College District Cleveland, OH · Public
Avg net price
$4,266
Net price (<$30K income)
$2,941
Median debt
$8,150
Median earnings, 6yr
$30,927
Enrollment
17,840
5
North Central State College Mansfield, OH · Public
Avg net price
$4,687
Net price (<$30K income)
$3,344
Median debt
$8,252
Median earnings, 6yr
$34,892
Enrollment
2,553
6
Hamrick School Medina, OH · Private for-profit
Avg net price
$4,956
Net price (<$30K income)
$4,594
Median debt
$5,481
Median earnings, 6yr
$46,416
Enrollment
89
8
Allegheny Wesleyan College Salem, OH · Private nonprofit
Avg net price
$5,355
Net price (<$30K income)
$4,614
Median debt
-
Median earnings, 6yr
$21,079
Enrollment
60
9
Rosedale Bible College Irwin, OH · Private nonprofit
Avg net price
$5,377
Net price (<$30K income)
$4,689
Median debt
-
Median earnings, 6yr
$36,248
Enrollment
102
10
Wilberforce University Wilberforce, OH · Private nonprofit
Avg net price
$5,567
Net price (<$30K income)
$5,630
Median debt
$26,468
Median earnings, 6yr
$35,146
Enrollment
838
11
Ohio University-Lancaster Campus Lancaster, OH · Public
Avg net price
$5,650
Net price (<$30K income)
$3,375
Median debt
$21,056
Median earnings, 6yr
$48,991
Enrollment
2,127
12
Ohio University-Zanesville Campus Zanesville, OH · Public
Avg net price
$5,746
Net price (<$30K income)
$3,280
Median debt
$21,056
Median earnings, 6yr
$48,991
Enrollment
2,009
13
Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus Chillicothe, OH · Public
Avg net price
$5,755
Net price (<$30K income)
$3,118
Median debt
$21,056
Median earnings, 6yr
$48,991
Enrollment
2,170
14
Stark State College North Canton, OH · Public
Avg net price
$5,986
Net price (<$30K income)
$5,916
Median debt
$13,786
Median earnings, 6yr
$31,268
Enrollment
10,128
15
Sinclair Community College Dayton, OH · Public
Avg net price
$5,992
Net price (<$30K income)
$4,592
Median debt
$12,000
Median earnings, 6yr
$33,821
Enrollment
19,415
16
Ohio University-Southern Campus Ironton, OH · Public
Avg net price
$5,993
Net price (<$30K income)
$4,649
Median debt
$21,056
Median earnings, 6yr
$48,991
Enrollment
1,716
17
Ohio State Beauty Academy Lima, OH · Private for-profit
Avg net price
$5,994
Net price (<$30K income)
$4,993
Median debt
$8,498
Median earnings, 6yr
$21,888
Enrollment
91
18
University of Akron Wayne College Orrville, OH · Public
Avg net price
$6,032
Net price (<$30K income)
$3,982
Median debt
$23,250
Median earnings, 6yr
$42,269
Enrollment
1,411
19
Northern Institute of Cosmetology Lorain, OH · Private for-profit
Avg net price
$6,310
Net price (<$30K income)
$6,310
Median debt
-
Median earnings, 6yr
$12,256
Enrollment
57
20
Buckeye Joint Vocational School New Philadelphia, OH · Public
Avg net price
$6,545
Net price (<$30K income)
$6,545
Median debt
-
Median earnings, 6yr
$33,866
Enrollment
80
21
Belmont College St Clairsville, OH · Public
Avg net price
$6,995
Net price (<$30K income)
$5,903
Median debt
$8,747
Median earnings, 6yr
$34,145
Enrollment
2,020
22
Edison State Community College Piqua, OH · Public
Avg net price
$7,142
Net price (<$30K income)
$6,708
Median debt
$16,250
Median earnings, 6yr
$34,785
Enrollment
4,624
23
Marion Technical College Marion, OH · Public
Avg net price
$7,417
Net price (<$30K income)
$6,554
Median debt
$8,300
Median earnings, 6yr
$40,017
Enrollment
3,346
24
Lakeland Community College Kirtland, OH · Public
Avg net price
$7,606
Net price (<$30K income)
$5,977
Median debt
$14,751
Median earnings, 6yr
$35,071
Enrollment
4,358
25
Washington State College of Ohio Marietta, OH · Public
Avg net price
$7,714
Net price (<$30K income)
$5,594
Median debt
$11,000
Median earnings, 6yr
$34,205
Enrollment
2,025
# College Avg net priceNet price (<$30K income)Median debtMedian earnings, 6yrEnrollment
1 Ohio Business College-Dayton-Driving Academy Trotwood, OH · Private for-profit $1,889 97% of the leader · rank #1 $1,889 $12,416 $28,337 170
2 Ohio University-Eastern Campus Saint Clairsville, OH · Public $3,925 93% of the leader · rank #2 $1,691 $21,056 $48,991 1,235
3 Lorain County Community College Elyria, OH · Public $3,967 93% of the leader · rank #3 $3,099 $13,680 $33,660 9,350
4 Cuyahoga Community College District Cleveland, OH · Public $4,266 93% of the leader · rank #4 $2,941 $8,150 $30,927 17,840
5 North Central State College Mansfield, OH · Public $4,687 92% of the leader · rank #5 $3,344 $8,252 $34,892 2,553
6 Hamrick School Medina, OH · Private for-profit $4,956 91% of the leader · rank #6 $4,594 $5,481 $46,416 89
7 Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Cincinnati, OH · Public $4,968 91% of the leader · rank #7 $2,823 $14,715 $35,314 9,683
8 Allegheny Wesleyan College Salem, OH · Private nonprofit $5,355 91% of the leader · rank #8 $4,614 - $21,079 60
9 Rosedale Bible College Irwin, OH · Private nonprofit $5,377 91% of the leader · rank #9 $4,689 - $36,248 102
10 Wilberforce University Wilberforce, OH · Private nonprofit $5,567 90% of the leader · rank #10 $5,630 $26,468 $35,146 838
11 Ohio University-Lancaster Campus Lancaster, OH · Public $5,650 90% of the leader · rank #11 $3,375 $21,056 $48,991 2,127
12 Ohio University-Zanesville Campus Zanesville, OH · Public $5,746 90% of the leader · rank #12 $3,280 $21,056 $48,991 2,009
13 Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus Chillicothe, OH · Public $5,755 90% of the leader · rank #13 $3,118 $21,056 $48,991 2,170
14 Stark State College North Canton, OH · Public $5,986 90% of the leader · rank #14 $5,916 $13,786 $31,268 10,128
15 Sinclair Community College Dayton, OH · Public $5,992 90% of the leader · rank #15 $4,592 $12,000 $33,821 19,415
16 Ohio University-Southern Campus Ironton, OH · Public $5,993 90% of the leader · rank #16 $4,649 $21,056 $48,991 1,716
17 Ohio State Beauty Academy Lima, OH · Private for-profit $5,994 90% of the leader · rank #17 $4,993 $8,498 $21,888 91
18 University of Akron Wayne College Orrville, OH · Public $6,032 90% of the leader · rank #18 $3,982 $23,250 $42,269 1,411
19 Northern Institute of Cosmetology Lorain, OH · Private for-profit $6,310 89% of the leader · rank #19 $6,310 - $12,256 57
20 Buckeye Joint Vocational School New Philadelphia, OH · Public $6,545 89% of the leader · rank #20 $6,545 - $33,866 80
21 Belmont College St Clairsville, OH · Public $6,995 88% of the leader · rank #21 $5,903 $8,747 $34,145 2,020
22 Edison State Community College Piqua, OH · Public $7,142 88% of the leader · rank #22 $6,708 $16,250 $34,785 4,624
23 Marion Technical College Marion, OH · Public $7,417 87% of the leader · rank #23 $6,554 $8,300 $40,017 3,346
24 Lakeland Community College Kirtland, OH · Public $7,606 87% of the leader · rank #24 $5,977 $14,751 $35,071 4,358
25 Washington State College of Ohio Marietta, OH · Public $7,714 87% of the leader · rank #25 $5,594 $11,000 $34,205 2,025

Showing the 25 cheapest of 228 Scorecard-reporting Ohio schools. The remaining 203 are ranked in the same net-price order but omitted from this HTML table so the page stays crawlable.

Look up any institution's exact rank via My School Profile, or open its school page for income-bracket net price, debt, and earnings.

Related

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What this means for you

Use Ohio's ranking as a starting point, real net price depends on your specific financial-aid package.

Figures reflect the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23 release.

Average net price = the institution-reported average amount students actually paid after all grant and scholarship aid, excluding loans. Only schools with a reported average net price in the DOE College Scorecard dataset are ranked. This page lists the 25 cheapest; the title count is the full Scorecard-reporting cohort for Ohio. Schools with fewer than 10 net-price-reporting institutions in a state or territory are not given a dedicated ranking page.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Every ranked figure on this page is queried directly from the DOE College Scorecard dataset at request time; no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.