Portsmouth, Ohio Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in Portsmouth, Ohio: median public in-state tuition $10,626 (+92.8% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $39,596 (-27.2% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 87.8% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $16,416 (+23.7% vs U.S.) 2,298 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 2 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 2,298 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $10,626 (+92.8% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $39,596 (-27.2% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 87.8% (-0.2 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $12,109 (+21.5% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $16,416 (+23.7% vs U.S. $13,271); regional median $14,211
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 48.1%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 72.0%
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Overview
Colleges and universities in Portsmouth serve students across Ohio with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 2 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 2,298 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $10,626. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Portsmouth, Ohio and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Portsmouth 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth, Ohio | $10,626 | $12,109 | $16,416 | 48.1% | 2,298 |
| Ohio (state median) | $7,491 | $12,090 | $14,211 | 46.0% | 429,089 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Portsmouth, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth, Ohio | $39,596 | 87.8% | 72.0% | 16.4% | — | 63.1% | 0.58 |
| Ohio (state median) | $52,581 | 90.9% | 74.1% | 5.6% | — | 73.0% | 0.47 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth, Ohio | $10,626 | $12,109 | $16,416 | 48.1% | 2,298 | $39,596 | 87.8% |
| Columbus | $21,028 | $23,812 | $14,750 | 47.4% | 79,719 | $53,018 | 89.9% |
| Columbus | $21,028 | $23,812 | $14,750 | 47.4% | 79,719 | $53,018 | 89.9% |
| Columbus | $21,028 | $23,812 | $14,750 | 47.4% | 79,719 | $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% |
| Dayton | $14,822 | $15,415 | $12,403 | 41.7% | 28,536 | $62,518 | 92.4% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Top college in Portsmouth, 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, 48.1%, Shawnee State University
Shawnee State University
Top college in Portsmouth, 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, 87.8%, Shawnee State University
Shawnee State University
Top college in Portsmouth, 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, $67,126, Shawnee State University
Shawnee State University
Top college in Portsmouth, 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, $84,015, Shawnee State University
Shawnee State University
Top college in Portsmouth, 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, $35,080, Shawnee State University
Shawnee State University
Top college in Portsmouth, 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, $37,101, Shawnee State University
Shawnee State University
Top college in Portsmouth, 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, $39,596, Shawnee State University
Shawnee State University
Top college in Portsmouth, 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, $114,311, Shawnee State University
Shawnee State University
Most affordable college in Portsmouth, 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, $14,381, Shawnee State University
Shawnee State University
Top college in Portsmouth, 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, 72.0%, Shawnee State University
Shawnee State University
In-state tuition: Portsmouth, Ohio vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Portsmouth, Ohio median in-state tuition is $10,626, +92.8% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Portsmouth, Ohio vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Portsmouth, Ohio is $16,416 (+23.7% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $14,211.
Median earnings (10 years out): Portsmouth, Ohio vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Portsmouth, Ohio center around $39,596 (-27.2% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Portsmouth, Ohio vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 87.8% at the median Portsmouth, Ohio campus (-0.2 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
Portsmouth, Ohio median public in-state tuition is $10,626, about +92.8% vs the national median. Versus the Great Lakes region, tuition is +88.9%.
Median graduate debt is $16,416 (+23.7% above the U.S. median of $13,271). 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 Portsmouth, Ohio are $39,596, about -27.2% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 87.8% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 88.0% (-0.2 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 72.0% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 16.4% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 63.1% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Shawnee State University (87.8%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Portsmouth, Ohio is 48.1% (national institution average about 50.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Portsmouth?
This city profile covers 2 campuses in Portsmouth, Ohio with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Portsmouth?
Median in-state tuition in Portsmouth is $10,626 and median net price is $12,109. For Ohio overall, medians are $7,491 and $12,090; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Portsmouth?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Portsmouth is $39,596 vs $52,581 for Ohio and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Portsmouth colleges?
Median completer debt in Portsmouth is $16,416 vs $14,211 for Ohio and $13,271 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Portsmouth?
Top campuses on this page include Shawnee State University (graduation) and Shawnee State University (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Portsmouth?
Among 2 College Scorecard campuses in Portsmouth, Ohio, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, and none meet our 25% Hispanic-enrollment HSI proxy or report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- Ohio college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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