16 Best Online Schools in Ohio: Affordable, Prestigious, Flexible

When you can’t attend college in person, you need to know about the best online schools in Ohio. These online colleges and universities offer a wide array of education opportunities for many types of professionals. However, the best online school in Ohio for you will depend on things like budget, programs, and accreditation. Let’s take a closer look.

Article Navigation: Why Online Schools in Ohio? | Most Affordable Ohio Online Schools Under $12k | The Best Online Colleges in Ohio Under $40k | Most Prestigious Online College in Ohio | Most Flexible Ohio Colleges Online | Regionally Accredited Online Colleges Ohio | Top 10 Best Careers with Online Bachelor Degrees Ohio | Find the Best Online School in Ohio with GetEducated

Why Online Colleges Ohio?

Students of online schools in Ohio have great benefits. This includes one massive advantage: the Ohio in-state tuition guarantee. In a nutshell, this sets the rates for tuition and any other mandatory fees for first-year students, freezing those rates for four years. So if you attend school in Ohio as a resident, your tuition fees will be the same for four years afterward (assuming you don’t lose your residency status).

Furthermore, graduates of online bachelor’s programs in Ohio tend to earn more over time compared to students who don’t complete bachelor’s degrees. If attending school online is the best way to earn your degree, don’t hesitate. Your lifetime earnings will more than compensate you for any student loans you may need to take out.

Lastly, the best online schools in Ohio enable adult learners to pursue education with freedom and convenience.

Most Affordable Ohio Online Schools Under $12,000

Plenty of top online schools in Ohio are also very affordable. In fact, these programs are stellar choices for both in-state and out-of-state students, thanks to their affordability.

Top 3 Online Community Colleges in Ohio

Community colleges are very accessible. They’re perfect for new college students pursuing associate degrees or certificates. Community college is also a great pathway for transferring to a four-year university. For example, consider the associate of applied science (AAS) or business (AAB). The AAS or AAB is the perfect degree pathway to advance a career and apply credits toward a bachelor’s degree.

Even better, we’ve broken down the cheapest Ohio accredited online schools for under $10,000 in tuition! Let’s dive deep into these Ohio online colleges.

1. Edison State Community College

   Tuition (In-State): $4,251
   Tuition (Out-of-State): $7,851

   Edison State Community College offers two full online associate programs. In addition, ESCC provides many standalone online courses. The standalone courses are ideal for future full-time college students or those looking to try out different academic pathways before settling on a major.

   The two online associate programs are:

   – General Associate of Science/Associate of Arts programs
   – Associate of Applied Business (AAB)

   The AAB program is noteworthy because it includes specialization in topics like cyber security, banking, and business systems.

   In addition to the above offerings, ESCC’s short-term technical certificate programs are popular. These Ohio online certificates are ideal for blue-collar workers or those who want to get hired ASAP. Online certificates are available in topics like tax consultancy, real estate, programming, and much more.

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   Edison State Community College

    

2. Sinclair Community College

   Tuition (In-State): $4,569
   Tuition (Out-of-State): $8,316

   Sinclair Community College has over 300 online courses and a variety of online academic degrees and certificates you can complete. These can replace the traditional on-campus experience due to their quality. All online programs are associate programs or technical certificates, however.

   For example, you can earn an online associate degree in computer information systems, history, legal studies, and more. The online one-year technical certificates are perfect for working specialists who wish to improve their resumes. These are available in topics like leadership skills, computer support technician, and business transfers. Short-term technical certificates are even faster and take just weeks or months.

   All students here can benefit from FlexPace Competency-Based Education courses. If you prefer hybrid learning, SCC has over 200 hybrid online and face-to-face courses available.

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   Sinclair Community College

    

3. Lorain County Community College

   Tuition (In-State): $4,660
   Tuition (Out-of-State): $8,601

   LCCC offers standard and accelerated-pace associate degrees for entirely online students. The standard pace associate degrees cover majors such as:

   – Real estate
   – Human resources management
   – Data analytics

   The accelerated associate degrees allow you to earn your degree in 15 months. They are available in majors like management and entrepreneurship. Meanwhile, Lorain County’s one-year technical certificates and general certificates are available in topics such as Spanish, HR management, and business management. These are short-term and 100% online, and they can be completed with a part-time schedule even if you have to work simultaneously.

   Some of the certificates of completion available online do have work-based learning requirements. These can be completed in person at any site convenient to the student. LCCC works hard to make learning as flexible and manageable for part-time students as possible.

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   Lorain County Community College

    

Cheapest Online Colleges Ohio

There are also plenty of online colleges in Ohio known for their affordability. Affordable Ohio schools online are perfect for adult learners. Especially those who have to juggle family or work while completing school. Plus, these accredited degrees are from some of the best universities in the system – so you don’t need to worry about the quality of your online bachelor’s degree in Ohio.

Below, we’ve broken down affordable four-year accredited online colleges in Ohio. These are perfect for those who don’t already have associate degrees. Tuition ranges from as low as $4,000 per year to up to $11,000 per year.

1. Stark State College

   Tuition (In-State): $4,548
   Tuition (Out-of-State): $7,644

   Stark State College’s eStarkState online learning portal offers a host of online degrees and certificates. For example, students can transfer degrees from other schools to complete associates of the arts or science degrees in education in English. More technical online degrees in topics like business management, finance, and accounting are available as well. However, some courses in these programs also enable students to log into synchronous or live sessions. In this way, students can benefit from a simulation of a real-world classroom environment if they so choose. But they are not required to do so.

   Additional online certificates can take one and a half years or less. These are available for specific skills, like grant writing, Java programming, and tax preparation. Note that out-of-state students are only approved from states including:

   – California
   – Florida
   – New Jersey
   – North Carolina
   – Pennsylvania
   – South Carolina
   – Tennessee

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   Stark State College

    

2. Clark State College

   Tuition (In-State): $4,152
   Tuition (Out-of-State): $7,568

   At Clark State College, students can take online associate of arts and science degrees. In total, there are nearly 200 majors that students can learn about online, available from the schools of:

   – Arts and Sciences
   – Business and applied technologies
   – Health, human, and public services

   All online students may experience a blend of synchronous and asynchronous classes depending on their chosen programs. Clark State College also offers hybrid classes that blend online and in-person education.

   Regardless, students can take advantage of many support resources, including tutoring aid, financial aid, co-op and internship opportunities, and the honors program. Clark State College is a stellar choice for those attending college straight from high school, given its focus on student support and benefits.

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   Clark State College

    

3. North Central State College

   Tuition (In-State): $4,624
   Tuition (Out-of-State): $9,102

   North Central State College offers several excellent online degrees you can attend. These include associate of arts online degrees in majors like psychology and education. Also, associates of applied science degrees with a focus on criminal justice and several focus tracks.

   Furthermore, students can attend online certificates in topics like business analytics, bookkeeping, and more. But the standout factor at North Central State College is its plethora of online student services. These include:

   – Testing services
   – Student records assistance
   – Financial aid opportunities like scholarships and grants

   On top of that, online students benefit from advising and tech support. Even career development services. Post-graduation, you’ll find that North Central State College helps you find a new school to transfer to for a bachelor’s degree or helps you find employment if you pursued a certificate previously. This is one of the best online schools in Ohio overall.

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   North Central State College

    

4. Central Ohio Technical College

   Tuition (In-State): $5,061
   Tuition (Out-of-State): $7,776

   Central Ohio Technical focuses on providing useful technical education to students in a small concentration of subjects. These include certificates in:

   – Management
   – Office Administration
   – Human resources
   – Case management for the health care and gerontology professional
   – Bookkeeping
   – Addiction studies
   – Behavioral and mental health technician

   In terms of full degrees, there are only two options. An Associate of Applied Business and a Social Work Assistant program (an Associate of Applied Science). Each of these online offerings is asynchronous and extremely flexible, making them perfect for working students.

   More importantly, central Ohio Technical offers extensive financial aid plus student employment openings. Overall, it’s a great choice for online students focused on practical, applicable skills.

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   Central Ohio Technical College

    

5. Zane State College

   Tuition (In-State): $5,706
   Tuition (Out-of-State): $11,166

   Zane State College provides access to fully online programs in majors like entrepreneurship, cyber security, and business management. Each of these programs is totally asynchronous and takes just two years. There are no accelerated programs here. However, most of the programs can be switched to in-person in the middle of your program if you choose.

   All the credits in these programs transfer to colleges throughout Ohio and other US institutions. Thus, this is an effective transfer school if you wish to complete your bachelor’s degree somewhere else later on.

   Scholarships are available for many in-state students from Ohio. But all students benefit from accessible admission requirements, such as:

   – A high school diploma/GED
   – Few to no GPA requirements over 2.5

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   Zane State College

    

The Best Online Colleges in Ohio Under $40,000

What if you’re looking for a complete four-year education online for under $40k? The best four-year online colleges in Ohio are great for a variety of reasons. For example, they’re usually more affordable. Scholarships, grants, and other financial aid are plentiful. Online students can also take advantage of student support resources like online libraries, tutoring, and job placement assistance.

Furthermore, the best online schools in Ohio with four-year programs include associate degrees through doctoral programs. In this case, you can progress through your academic path as far as you like. If you’re after an online bachelor’s degree in Ohio, that’s fine – but you can also pursue a graduate or master’s degree later on, too.

Let’s take a look at some of the best Ohio online schools with four-year degrees and additional opportunities.

1. Ohio State University

   Tuition (In-State): $12,485
   Tuition (Out-of-State): $36,722

   OSU includes a primary campus and five satellite campuses for in-person and online learners alike. The school offers distance education options with the Canvas platform. However, most of the undergrad online programs are bachelor’s degrees in healthcare majors like dental hygiene and health sciences.

   In terms of remote graduate education, there are 15 master’s degrees and one doctoral degree available. These are available in majors like art education, social work, and business analytics. One of the most popular online offerings here is the BSN-to-DNP program. The online BSN-to-DPN is perfect for focused nurses who wish to pursue a doctoral-level degree.

   All online programs are accessible and mostly asynchronous. However, this is also a fairly competitive school, with average student GPAs hovering around 3.0 or higher. Ohio State University has a high graduation rate of 83%, in part because of excellent faculty and student support resources.

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   Ohio State University

    

2. Ohio University

   Tuition (In-State): $13,352
   Tuition (Out-of-State): $23,720

   Ohio University is a public research college in Athens, Ohio. It offers hundreds of distinct undergrad and graduate programs. The school serves about 6,000 online undergraduate students every year across five online associate degrees and ten online bachelor’s degrees.

   Some of the most popular online bachelor’s here are in majors like applied management or integrated healthcare studies. However, there are also degrees available in majors such as law, event management, equine business management, and other more specialized topics. Regardless, all programs are available in flexible, asynchronous formats.

   In terms of graduate degrees, Ohio University offers over 100% online and hybrid degree options. There are majors like business administration, finance economics, and more. Most of these programs don’t require GMAT scores. However, this is a very competitive school to get into. Most students have a high school GPA of 3.5 as well as high ACT scores.

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   Ohio University

    

3. University of Cincinnati

   Tuition (In-State): $13,176
   Tuition (Out-of-State): $28,540

   The University of Cincinnati is the oldest college in the state overall, teaching 44,000 students per year. There are over 325 undergraduate and graduate programs available at Cincinnati across 14 distinct schools. There are 15 different online associate and bachelor’s degrees in subjects including but not limited to:

   – Substance abuse counseling
   – Respiratory therapy
   – Fire science technology, and more

   The University of Cincinnati offers multiple start dates for its online programs in the spring, summer, and fall. Furthermore, most of the online offerings here are asynchronous. That means students are not required to log in or attend virtual lectures at specific times.

   There are over 25 online graduate options in majors like education, speech, nursing, and more. Even better, online students seeking out graduate education programs don’t generally have to worry about GRE or GMAT scores. UC further allows many of its business students to take advantage of financial aid opportunities to pay for computers and other technological tools.

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   University of Cincinnati

    

4. Miami University-Oxford

   Tuition (In-State): $15,555
   Tuition (Out-of-State): $35,667

   Miami University offers several online courses for undergraduate students, graduate students, and working professionals alike. Certificate programs complement these courses and programs, all of which can be completed 100% online. The undergraduate and graduate programs are nearly identical to their in-person counterparts. Furthermore, these can be pursued part-time or full-time, depending on your needs. The school provides excellent technical support and tuition assistance for online and military students. There are plenty of majors to choose from, including education, business, nursing, biology, and more.

   Students learning online can expect acute attention from revered faculty and staff. Also, this is an excellent school for career-advancing credentials, so check out its online professional development courses.  If you want a more truncated or focused academic experience, online and hybrid certificates are available. Some of the certificates do not result in any credits, however. Be sure to read through each class carefully before signing up.

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   Miami University - Oxford

    

Most Prestigious Online College in Ohio

Some colleges have extra accolades or public recognition thanks to their quality. That’s where the most prestigious online universities might draw your attention.

• Case Western Reserve University

  Tuition (In-State & Out-of-State): $61,584

  Case Western Reserve University is well known for its online and hybrid academic programs. CWRU serves over 12,000 undergrad and graduate students each year, led by a staff of over 1,100 full-time faculty members. There are over 300 undergraduate, graduate, and dual degree programs. Plus over 100 interdisciplinary academic and research centers to visit.

  All the online courses here are available via the Weatherhead Executive Education program, which delivers 100% online learning materials. It’s flexible, asynchronous, and perfect for collaborating with peers and mentors.

  Furthermore, students can take a unique Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) taught by world-renowned faculty. It teaches graduates the essential elements of leadership and entrepreneurialism, making it a stellar choice for future business graduates or entrepreneurs.

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  Case Western Reserve University

   

Most Flexible Ohio Colleges Online

If you’re an online student looking for schedule flexibility, some online schools in Ohio have you covered.

1. Franklin University

   Tuition (In-State & Out-of-State): $9,577

   Franklin University is in Columbus, OH. It offers 100% online degrees in a variety of majors like social science, technology, business, and much more. Some of the most popular offerings here focus on business. For example, the BS in public relations online degree includes 124 semester hours of work. It allows students to concentrate on the degree in areas like client engagement and media research and writing.

   In addition to bachelor’s degrees, this school offers many online master’s degrees. Available majors include computer science, accounting, and public administration. Doctoral degrees in majors like healthcare administration, organizational leadership, and instructional design leadership round out the school’s excellent offerings.

   The Higher Learning Commission fully accredits this program. Most of the online programs are totally asynchronous. Thus, this could be the perfect choice for part-time online students in Ohio.

   Find Out More:
   Franklin University

    

2. Mount Carmel College of Nursing

   Tuition (In-State & Out-of-State): $13,290

   The Mount Carmel College of Nursing, founded in 1903, provides healthcare-focused education. Specifically from the bachelor’s level up to the doctoral level. It also offers a variety of online certificate programs. Among its most popular offerings is the online nurse educator program, a Master of Science in Nurse Education.

   Those with some college education can attend a post-master’s adult-gerontology certificate program and other certificate offerings. However, many of these programs have high admission expectations and requirements, such as completion of many prerequisite courses and high GPAs of over 3.0 on average.

   Still, this could be a good choice for aspiring nurses. The online RN-to-BSN program can take one and a half years at an accelerated pace. The CCNE for nursing schools and the HLC accredits Mount Carmel.

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   Mount Carmel College of Nursing

    

3. Bowling Green State University

   Tuition (In-State): $13,639
   Tuition (Out-of-State): $22,212

   Bowling Green State University was initially a teacher training school. Now it offers over 40 distance education programs that include fully online degrees and hybrid degrees. Specifically, students can attend up to six different bachelors of science degrees, many of which are available in accelerated formats.

   Furthermore, students can check out online master’s degrees that aren’t found at other online Ohio colleges. These include master’s degrees in education, learning design, assistive technology, and more. Bowling Green also provides online certificate programs. These include education endorsement programs, which can be finished in under a year. A good example is the noncredit cyber security program leading to Mile2 certification.

   Each distance degree has six different start dates throughout the year. Most courses take just 7 to 8 weeks. Note that some programs follow cohort formats, so you’ll complete those with the same students throughout the duration. The HLC accredits BGSU. Also, programmatic accrediting agencies like:

   – The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
   – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business

   Find Out More:
   Bowling Green State University

    

Regionally Accredited Online Colleges Ohio

As you search for a great online college in Ohio, make sure it is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The HLC is the regional accrediting body for Ohio and nearby states. Regional accreditation means a given school has been examined by an authoritative body and found to be high-quality in terms of course rigor, student support resources, and more. Furthermore, your online degree will be valuable only if it is from an accredited institution.

Find the Best Online School in Ohio with GetEducated

All in all, the above online schools in Ohio could be ideal for your academic needs and budget. If you’re still unsure which to attend, use GetEducated’s extensive resources and school catalog to find the perfect program in no time!