Westerville, Ohio Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Westerville, Ohio shows: median public in-state tuition $25,242 (+357.9% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $53,313 (-1.9% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 93.7% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $19,274 (+43.5% vs U.S.) 2,933 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 3 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 2,933 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $25,242 (+357.9% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $53,313 (-1.9% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 93.7% (+5.8 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $23,472 (+135.5% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $19,274 (+43.5% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $14,004
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 67.9%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 79.9%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Westerville, Ohio—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Ohio and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Westerville 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westerville, Ohio | $25,242 | $23,472 | $19,274 | 67.9% | 2,933 |
| 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: Westerville, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westerville, Ohio | $53,313 | 93.7% | 79.9% | 3.4% | — | 82.0% | 0.49 |
| 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westerville, Ohio | $25,242 | $23,472 | $19,274 | 67.9% | 2,933 | $53,313 | 93.7% |
| Columbus | $21,028 | $23,812 | $15,292 | 47.4% | 79,970 | $53,018 | 89.9% |
| Columbus | $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% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Westerville, 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, 67.9%, Otterbein University
Otterbein University
Top 10 colleges in Westerville, 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, 93.7%, Otterbein University
Otterbein University
Top 10 most selective colleges in Westerville, 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, 84.5%, Otterbein University
Otterbein University
Top 10 colleges in Westerville, 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, $69,287, Otterbein University
Otterbein University
Top 10 colleges in Westerville, 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, $80,188, Otterbein University
Otterbein University
Top 10 colleges in Westerville, 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, $44,539, Otterbein University
Otterbein University
Top 10 colleges in Westerville, 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, $50,652, Otterbein University
Otterbein University
Top 10 colleges in Westerville, 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, $53,313, Otterbein University
Otterbein University
Top 10 colleges in Westerville, 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, $137,382, Otterbein University
Otterbein University
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Westerville, 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, $19,237, Otterbein University
Otterbein University
Top 10 colleges in Westerville, 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, 79.9%, Otterbein University
Otterbein University
In-state tuition: Westerville, Ohio vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Westerville, Ohio median in-state tuition is $25,242, +357.9% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Westerville, Ohio vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Westerville, Ohio is $19,274 (+43.5% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $14,004.
Median earnings (10 years out): Westerville, Ohio vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Westerville, Ohio center around $53,313 (-1.9% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Westerville, Ohio vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 93.7% at the median Westerville, Ohio campus (+5.8 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
Westerville, Ohio median public in-state tuition is $25,242, about +357.9% vs the national median. Versus the Great Lakes region, tuition is +348.7%.
Median graduate debt is $19,274 (+43.5% 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 Westerville, Ohio are $53,313, about -1.9% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 93.7% 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% (+5.8 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 79.9% 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 3.4% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 82.0% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Otterbein University (93.7%)—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 Westerville, Ohio is 67.9% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Westerville?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 3 campuses in Westerville, Ohio with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Westerville?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Westerville is $25,242 and median net price is $23,472. For Ohio overall, medians are $7,491 and $12,090; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Westerville?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Westerville is $53,313 vs $52,581 for Ohio and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Westerville colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Westerville is $19,274 vs $14,004 for Ohio and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Westerville?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include Otterbein University (graduation) and Otterbein University (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Westerville?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 3 campuses in Westerville, Ohio, 1 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campus (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: United Methodist (1).
Sources & related
- Ohio college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON