Columbus, Ohio Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Columbus, Ohio shows: median public in-state tuition $21,028 (+281.5% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $53,018 (-2.4% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 89.9% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $15,292 (+13.8% vs U.S.) 79,970 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 23 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 79,970 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $21,028 (+281.5% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $53,018 (-2.4% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 89.9% (+1.9 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $23,812 (+138.9% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $15,292 (+13.8% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $14,004
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 47.4%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 69.8%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Columbus, Ohio—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Ohio and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Columbus vs Ohio & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, Ohio | $21,028 | $23,812 | $15,292 | 47.4% | 79,970 |
| Ohio (state median) | $7,491 | $12,090 | $14,004 | 46.4% | 429,559 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Columbus, Ohio vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, Ohio | $53,018 | 89.9% | 69.8% | 5.0% | — | 66.7% | 0.45 |
| Ohio (state median) | $52,581 | 91.0% | 73.7% | 5.6% | — | 71.4% | 0.47 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Ohio (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, Ohio | $21,028 | $23,812 | $15,292 | 47.4% | 79,970 | $53,018 | 89.9% |
| Cincinnati | $16,836 | $20,018 | $14,858 | 56.7% | 45,270 | $54,810 | 91.2% |
| Cleveland | $32,638 | $25,956 | $17,534 | 64.9% | 31,334 | $52,131 | 85.9% |
| Cleveland | $32,638 | $25,956 | $17,534 | 64.9% | 31,334 | $52,131 | 85.9% |
| Dayton | $14,822 | $15,415 | $12,403 | 41.7% | 28,536 | $62,518 | 92.4% |
| Toledo | $16,800 | $17,989 | $17,477 | 55.8% | 11,785 | $58,020 | 93.4% |
| North Canton | $7,492 | $10,897 | $24,500 | 47.6% | 9,831 | $59,764 | 95.7% |
| Akron | $13,292 | $13,946 | $22,375 | 35.4% | 9,482 | $46,600 | 89.7% |
| Lima | $11,682 | $10,848 | $12,716 | 47.0% | 5,370 | $60,409 | 91.5% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Outcomes by sector in Columbus, Ohio
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private nonprofit | 5 | $51,892 | 92.1% | 75.5% | 5.1% | — | 66.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Columbus, Ohio by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 87.7%, Ohio State University-Main Campus
Ohio State University-Main Campus
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 60.3%, Capital University
Capital University
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 55.6%, Columbus College of Art & Design
Columbus College of Art & Design
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Rank 4, Graduation Rate, 53.8%, Mount Carmel College of Nursing
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
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Rank 5, Graduation Rate, 41.0%, Ohio Dominican University
Ohio Dominican University
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Rank 6, Graduation Rate, 11.1%, Franklin University
Franklin University
Top 10 colleges in Columbus, Ohio by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 95.1%, Mount Carmel College of Nursing
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 92.5%, Capital University
Capital University
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 92.1%, Ohio Dominican University
Ohio Dominican University
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 91.5%, Ohio State University-Main Campus
Ohio State University-Main Campus
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 88.2%, Franklin University
Franklin University
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 86.9%, Columbus College of Art & Design
Columbus College of Art & Design
Top 10 most selective colleges in Columbus, Ohio (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 60.6%, Ohio State University-Main Campus
Ohio State University-Main Campus
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 67.7%, Columbus College of Art & Design
Columbus College of Art & Design
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Rank 3, Admission Rate, 70.2%, Capital University
Capital University
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Rank 4, Admission Rate, 84.3%, Mount Carmel College of Nursing
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
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Rank 5, Admission Rate, 94.2%, Ohio Dominican University
Ohio Dominican University
Top 10 colleges in Columbus, Ohio by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $83,342, Ohio State University-Main Campus
Ohio State University-Main Campus
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $76,264, Franklin University
Franklin University
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $70,365, Capital University
Capital University
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Rank 4, Entry-Level Earnings, $69,969, Mount Carmel College of Nursing
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
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Rank 5, Entry-Level Earnings, $49,163, Ohio Dominican University
Ohio Dominican University
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Rank 6, Entry-Level Earnings, $28,994, Columbus College of Art & Design
Columbus College of Art & Design
Top 10 colleges in Columbus, Ohio by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $123,731, Ohio State University-Main Campus
Ohio State University-Main Campus
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $111,131, Franklin University
Franklin University
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $90,431, Ohio Dominican University
Ohio Dominican University
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Rank 4, Early-Career Earnings, $84,669, Capital University
Capital University
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Rank 5, Early-Career Earnings, $77,510, Mount Carmel College of Nursing
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
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Rank 6, Early-Career Earnings, $48,204, Columbus College of Art & Design
Columbus College of Art & Design
Top 10 colleges in Columbus, Ohio by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $68,161, Mount Carmel College of Nursing
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $51,438, Ohio State University-Main Campus
Ohio State University-Main Campus
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $49,189, Franklin University
Franklin University
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $45,767, Capital University
Capital University
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $43,933, Ohio Dominican University
Ohio Dominican University
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $30,590, Columbus College of Art & Design
Columbus College of Art & Design
Top 10 colleges in Columbus, Ohio by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $71,810, Mount Carmel College of Nursing
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $56,186, Ohio State University-Main Campus
Ohio State University-Main Campus
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $49,999, Franklin University
Franklin University
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $49,433, Capital University
Capital University
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $46,413, Ohio Dominican University
Ohio Dominican University
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $37,503, Columbus College of Art & Design
Columbus College of Art & Design
Top 10 colleges in Columbus, Ohio by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $75,103, Mount Carmel College of Nursing
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $60,409, Ohio State University-Main Campus
Ohio State University-Main Campus
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $54,143, Capital University
Capital University
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $51,892, Franklin University
Franklin University
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $51,748, Ohio Dominican University
Ohio Dominican University
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $40,664, Columbus College of Art & Design
Columbus College of Art & Design
Top 10 colleges in Columbus, Ohio by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $293,821, Mount Carmel College of Nursing
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $281,759, Chamberlain University-Ohio
Chamberlain University-Ohio
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $188,682, Ohio State University-Main Campus
Ohio State University-Main Campus
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $138,968, Ohio Dominican University
Ohio Dominican University
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $138,594, Franklin University
Franklin University
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Rank 6, 10-Yr ROI, $130,806, Capital University
Capital University
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Rank 7, 10-Yr ROI, $31,192, Columbus College of Art & Design
Columbus College of Art & Design
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Columbus, Ohio (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $17,339, Ohio State University-Main Campus
Ohio State University-Main Campus
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Rank 2, Net Price, $10,420, Mount Carmel College of Nursing
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
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Rank 3, Net Price, $20,079, Ohio Dominican University
Ohio Dominican University
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Rank 4, Net Price, $22,576, Capital University
Capital University
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Rank 5, Net Price, $25,243, Franklin University
Franklin University
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Rank 6, Net Price, $29,439, Columbus College of Art & Design
Columbus College of Art & Design
Top 10 colleges in Columbus, Ohio by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 94.2%, Ohio State University-Main Campus
Ohio State University-Main Campus
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 80.8%, Mount Carmel College of Nursing
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 80.3%, Columbus College of Art & Design
Columbus College of Art & Design
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Rank 4, First-Year Retention, 75.5%, Capital University
Capital University
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Rank 5, First-Year Retention, 64.0%, Ohio Dominican University
Ohio Dominican University
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Rank 6, First-Year Retention, 35.9%, Franklin University
Franklin University
In-state tuition: Columbus, Ohio vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Columbus, Ohio median in-state tuition is $21,028, +281.5% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Columbus, Ohio vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Columbus, Ohio is $15,292 (+13.8% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $14,004.
Median earnings (10 years out): Columbus, Ohio vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Columbus, Ohio center around $53,018 (-2.4% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Columbus, Ohio vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 89.9% at the median Columbus, Ohio campus (+1.9 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Columbus, Ohio median public in-state tuition is $21,028, about +281.5% vs the national median. Versus the Great Lakes region, tuition is +273.8%.
Median graduate debt is $15,292 (+13.8% above the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Columbus, Ohio are $53,018, about -2.4% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 89.9% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (+1.9 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 69.8% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 5.0% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 66.7% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Mount Carmel College of Nursing (95.1%), Capital University (92.5%), Ohio Dominican University (92.1%), Ohio State University-Main Campus (91.5%), Franklin University (88.2%), Columbus College of Art & Design (86.9%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Columbus, Ohio, sector medians diverge: Private nonprofit median 10-yr earnings $51,892 (5 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Columbus, Ohio is 47.4% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Columbus?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 23 campuses in Columbus, Ohio with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Columbus?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Columbus is $21,028 and median net price is $23,812. For Ohio overall, medians are $7,491 and $12,090; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Columbus?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Columbus is $53,018 vs $52,581 for Ohio and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Columbus colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Columbus is $15,292 vs $14,004 for Ohio and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Columbus?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include Ohio State University-Main Campus (graduation) and Mount Carmel College of Nursing (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Columbus?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 23 campuses in Columbus, Ohio, 4 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Roman Catholic (3), Evangelical Lutheran Church (1).
Sources & related
- Ohio college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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