State cost ranking · DOE College Scorecard

Cheapest Colleges in Ohio

Name: Ohio College Net Price Rankings
Creator: PlainCampus

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.

Compiled by PlainCampus , Independent campus-safety data publisher

$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

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

Ohio Business College-Dayton-Driving AcademyTrotwood, OH · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $1,889
Net price (<$30K income): $1,889
Median debt: $12,416
Median earnings, 6yr: $28,337
Enrollment: 170

Ohio University-Eastern CampusSaint 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

Lorain County Community CollegeElyria, 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

Cuyahoga Community College DistrictCleveland, 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

North Central State CollegeMansfield, 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

Hamrick SchoolMedina, 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

Cincinnati State Technical and Community CollegeCincinnati, OH · Public

Avg net price: $4,968
Net price (<$30K income): $2,823
Median debt: $14,715
Median earnings, 6yr: $35,314
Enrollment: 9,683

Allegheny Wesleyan CollegeSalem, OH · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $5,355
Net price (<$30K income): $4,614
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $21,079
Enrollment: 60

Rosedale Bible CollegeIrwin, OH · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $5,377
Net price (<$30K income): $4,689
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $36,248
Enrollment: 102

Wilberforce UniversityWilberforce, 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

Ohio University-Lancaster CampusLancaster, 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

Ohio University-Zanesville CampusZanesville, 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

Ohio University-Chillicothe CampusChillicothe, 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

Stark State CollegeNorth 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

Sinclair Community CollegeDayton, 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

Ohio University-Southern CampusIronton, 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

Ohio State Beauty AcademyLima, 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

University of Akron Wayne CollegeOrrville, 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

Northern Institute of CosmetologyLorain, OH · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $6,310
Net price (<$30K income): $6,310
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $12,256
Enrollment: 57

Buckeye Joint Vocational SchoolNew Philadelphia, OH · Public

Avg net price: $6,545
Net price (<$30K income): $6,545
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $33,866
Enrollment: 80

Belmont CollegeSt 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

Edison State Community CollegePiqua, 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

Marion Technical CollegeMarion, 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

Lakeland Community CollegeKirtland, 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

Washington State College of OhioMarietta, 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 price	Net price (<$30K income)	Median debt	Median earnings, 6yr	Enrollment
1	Ohio Business College-Dayton-Driving AcademyTrotwood, OH · Private for-profit	$1,889	$1,889	$12,416	$28,337	170
2	Ohio University-Eastern CampusSaint Clairsville, OH · Public	$3,925	$1,691	$21,056	$48,991	1,235
3	Lorain County Community CollegeElyria, OH · Public	$3,967	$3,099	$13,680	$33,660	9,350
4	Cuyahoga Community College DistrictCleveland, OH · Public	$4,266	$2,941	$8,150	$30,927	17,840
5	North Central State CollegeMansfield, OH · Public	$4,687	$3,344	$8,252	$34,892	2,553
6	Hamrick SchoolMedina, OH · Private for-profit	$4,956	$4,594	$5,481	$46,416	89
7	Cincinnati State Technical and Community CollegeCincinnati, OH · Public	$4,968	$2,823	$14,715	$35,314	9,683
8	Allegheny Wesleyan CollegeSalem, OH · Private nonprofit	$5,355	$4,614	-	$21,079	60
9	Rosedale Bible CollegeIrwin, OH · Private nonprofit	$5,377	$4,689	-	$36,248	102
10	Wilberforce UniversityWilberforce, OH · Private nonprofit	$5,567	$5,630	$26,468	$35,146	838
11	Ohio University-Lancaster CampusLancaster, OH · Public	$5,650	$3,375	$21,056	$48,991	2,127
12	Ohio University-Zanesville CampusZanesville, OH · Public	$5,746	$3,280	$21,056	$48,991	2,009
13	Ohio University-Chillicothe CampusChillicothe, OH · Public	$5,755	$3,118	$21,056	$48,991	2,170
14	Stark State CollegeNorth Canton, OH · Public	$5,986	$5,916	$13,786	$31,268	10,128
15	Sinclair Community CollegeDayton, OH · Public	$5,992	$4,592	$12,000	$33,821	19,415
16	Ohio University-Southern CampusIronton, OH · Public	$5,993	$4,649	$21,056	$48,991	1,716
17	Ohio State Beauty AcademyLima, OH · Private for-profit	$5,994	$4,993	$8,498	$21,888	91
18	University of Akron Wayne CollegeOrrville, OH · Public	$6,032	$3,982	$23,250	$42,269	1,411
19	Northern Institute of CosmetologyLorain, OH · Private for-profit	$6,310	$6,310	-	$12,256	57
20	Buckeye Joint Vocational SchoolNew Philadelphia, OH · Public	$6,545	$6,545	-	$33,866	80
21	Belmont CollegeSt Clairsville, OH · Public	$6,995	$5,903	$8,747	$34,145	2,020
22	Edison State Community CollegePiqua, OH · Public	$7,142	$6,708	$16,250	$34,785	4,624
23	Marion Technical CollegeMarion, OH · Public	$7,417	$6,554	$8,300	$40,017	3,346
24	Lakeland Community CollegeKirtland, OH · Public	$7,606	$5,977	$14,751	$35,071	4,358
25	Washington State College of OhioMarietta, OH · Public	$7,714	$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.

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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.

Ohio Business College-Dayton-Driving Academy reports the lowest average net price in Ohio, but "average" blends every income bracket, check your bracket's figure before assuming it applies to you. View Ohio Business College-Dayton-Driving
See your specific school's in-state cost rank and nearest-price peers. My School Profile
Compare campus safety alongside cost before deciding. Ohio safety

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.

Ohio's 25 cheapest colleges by real net price

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