Best colleges for nursing in Ohio

    Ohio University-Zanesville Campus ranks first in Ohio for nursing value (#167 nationally, value score 63.1): graduates earn $87,308 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $6,596 a year.

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 34 Ohio colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026

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    Best nursing colleges in Ohio

    Ohio University-Zanesville Campus ranks first in Ohio for nursing value (#167 nationally, value score 63.1): graduates earn $87,308 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $6,596 a year. 34 Ohio colleges qualify. At the median one, nursing graduates earn $78,035 and the average net price is $19,276 a year.

    Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025

    What the data shows

    Key findings

    • 34 Ohio colleges qualify. At the median one, nursing graduates earn $78,035 and the average net price is $19,276 a year.
    • The highest nursing earnings in the state are at Case Western Reserve University ($87,582), ranked #6 in the state once cost, debt and graduation rate count.
    • The lowest average net price among them is at University of Akron Wayne College: $6,549 a year.
    Median earnings
    $78,035
    National: $85,171
    Median net price
    $19,276
    National: $18,014
    Median federal debt
    $22,267
    nursing graduates
    Public colleges
    17 of 34
    in this list

    34 colleges

    The Ohio ranking

    Ordered by the national value score; the national rank is shown with each college. Earnings are medians 4 years after the bachelor's degree.

    1. Rank in Ohio 1

      Ohio University-Zanesville Campus

      Zanesville, OH · Public · #167 nationally

      63.1Value
      Earnings
      $87,308
      Net price
      $6,596
      Federal debt
      $15,475
      Graduation rate
      19%
    2. Rank in Ohio 2

      Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus

      Chillicothe, OH · Public · #168 nationally

      63.0Value
      Earnings
      $87,308
      Net price
      $6,719
      Federal debt
      $15,475
      Graduation rate
      9%
    3. Rank in Ohio 3

      Ohio University

      Athens, OH · Public · #206 nationally

      59.8Value
      Earnings
      $87,308
      Net price
      $20,666
      Federal debt
      $15,475
      Graduation rate
      65%
    4. Rank in Ohio 4

      Ohio State University

      Columbus, OH · Public · #213 nationally

      59.4Value
      Earnings
      $81,795
      Net price
      $17,269
      Federal debt
      $14,000
      Graduation rate
      87%
    5. Rank in Ohio 5

      University of Cincinnati

      Cincinnati, OH · Public · #315 nationally

      51.7Value
      Earnings
      $85,551
      Net price
      $24,917
      Federal debt
      $18,749
      Graduation rate
      75%
    6. Rank in Ohio 6

      Case Western Reserve University

      Cleveland, OH · Private nonprofit · #403 nationally

      45.6Value
      Earnings
      $87,582
      Net price
      $44,622
      Federal debt
      $23,446
      Graduation rate
      87%
    7. Rank in Ohio 7

      Youngstown State University

      Youngstown, OH · Public · #410 nationally

      44.8Value
      Earnings
      $77,576
      Net price
      $9,161
      Federal debt
      $19,500
      Graduation rate
      53%
    8. Rank in Ohio 8

      Cleveland State University

      Cleveland, OH · Public · #446 nationally

      42.5Value
      Earnings
      $82,201
      Net price
      $13,754
      Federal debt
      $25,000
      Graduation rate
      51%
    9. Rank in Ohio 9

      University of Mount Union

      Alliance, OH · Private nonprofit · #469 nationally

      40.8Value
      Earnings
      $85,186
      Net price
      $23,956
      Federal debt
      $25,675
      Graduation rate
      65%
    10. Rank in Ohio 10

      Kettering College-Ohio

      Kettering, OH · Private nonprofit · #493 nationally

      39.1Value
      Earnings
      $83,539
      Net price
      $20,896
      Federal debt
      $25,000
      Graduation rate
      57%
    11. Rank in Ohio 11

      University of Toledo

      Toledo, OH · Public · #500 nationally

      38.5Value
      Earnings
      $77,241
      Net price
      $16,406
      Federal debt
      $19,500
      Graduation rate
      58%
    12. Rank in Ohio 12

      Ursuline College

      Pepper Pike, OH · Private nonprofit · #515 nationally

      37.4Value
      Earnings
      $80,981
      Net price
      $17,186
      Federal debt
      $25,000
      Graduation rate
      55%
    13. Rank in Ohio 13

      Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences

      Canton, OH · Private nonprofit · #527 nationally

      36.4Value
      Earnings
      $83,232
      Net price
      $19,320
      Federal debt
      $25,500
      Graduation rate
      50%
    14. Rank in Ohio 14

      Wright State University-Lake Campus

      Celina, OH · Public · #529 nationally

      36.4Value
      Earnings
      $77,289
      Net price
      $9,533
      Federal debt
      $22,000
      Graduation rate
      44%
    15. Rank in Ohio 15

      Walsh University-Ohio

      North Canton, OH · Private nonprofit · #544 nationally

      34.8Value
      Earnings
      $81,510
      Net price
      $19,588
      Federal debt
      $27,000
      Graduation rate
      58%
    16. Rank in Ohio 16

      University of Akron

      Akron, OH · Public · #546 nationally

      34.7Value
      Earnings
      $76,089
      Net price
      $13,072
      Federal debt
      $22,267
      Graduation rate
      53%
    17. Rank in Ohio 17

      Xavier University-Ohio

      Cincinnati, OH · Private nonprofit · #554 nationally

      33.9Value
      Earnings
      $79,254
      Net price
      $31,905
      Federal debt
      $19,500
      Graduation rate
      71%
    18. Rank in Ohio 18

      Miami University-Middletown

      Middletown, OH · Public · #559 nationally

      33.6Value
      Earnings
      $77,451
      Net price
      $10,410
      Federal debt
      $22,000
      Graduation rate
      27%
    19. Rank in Ohio 19

      University of Akron Wayne College

      Orrville, OH · Public · #565 nationally

      33.0Value
      Earnings
      $76,089
      Net price
      $6,549
      Federal debt
      $22,267
      Graduation rate
      11%
    20. Rank in Ohio 20

      Miami University-Hamilton

      Hamilton, OH · Public · #571 nationally

      32.3Value
      Earnings
      $77,451
      Net price
      $11,513
      Federal debt
      $22,000
      Graduation rate
      26%
    21. Rank in Ohio 21

      Wright State University

      Dayton, OH · Public · #576 nationally

      31.7Value
      Earnings
      $77,289
      Net price
      $13,715
      Federal debt
      $22,000
      Graduation rate
      42%
    22. Rank in Ohio 22

      Bowling Green State University

      Bowling Green, OH · Public · #578 nationally

      31.6Value
      Earnings
      $78,798
      Net price
      $21,453
      Federal debt
      $24,623
      Graduation rate
      66%
    23. Rank in Ohio 23

      The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences

      Cincinnati, OH · Private nonprofit · #587 nationally

      30.9Value
      Earnings
      $74,797
      Net price
      $17,566
      Federal debt
      $21,474
      Graduation rate
      60%
    24. Rank in Ohio 24

      Muskingum University

      New Concord, OH · Private nonprofit · #607 nationally

      28.7Value
      Earnings
      $78,994
      Net price
      $19,145
      Federal debt
      $27,000
      Graduation rate
      53%
    25. Rank in Ohio 25

      Miami University-Oxford

      Oxford, OH · Public · #611 nationally

      28.1Value
      Earnings
      $77,451
      Net price
      $29,447
      Federal debt
      $22,000
      Graduation rate
      81%
    26. Rank in Ohio 26

      Mount Saint Joseph University

      Cincinnati, OH · Private nonprofit · #614 nationally

      27.8Value
      Earnings
      $78,664
      Net price
      $19,231
      Federal debt
      $27,000
      Graduation rate
      54%
    27. Rank in Ohio 27

      Cedarville University

      Cedarville, OH · Private nonprofit · #618 nationally

      27.4Value
      Earnings
      $73,789
      Net price
      $23,335
      Federal debt
      $21,000
      Graduation rate
      74%
    28. Rank in Ohio 28

      Capital University

      Columbus, OH · Private nonprofit · #620 nationally

      27.3Value
      Earnings
      $77,807
      Net price
      $20,550
      Federal debt
      $25,000
      Graduation rate
      57%
    29. Rank in Ohio 29

      Kent State University at Kent

      Kent, OH · Public · #622 nationally

      26.9Value
      Earnings
      $78,263
      Net price
      $20,294
      Federal debt
      $23,987
      Graduation rate
      51%
    30. Rank in Ohio 30

      Mount Carmel College of Nursing

      Columbus, OH · Private nonprofit · #626 nationally

      26.5Value
      Earnings
      $77,510
      Net price
      $23,987
      Federal debt
      $22,082
      Graduation rate
      59%
    31. Rank in Ohio 31

      Mercy College of Ohio

      Toledo, OH · Private nonprofit · #630 nationally

      26.1Value
      Earnings
      $75,648
      Net price
      $15,273
      Federal debt
      $25,274
      Graduation rate
      48%
    32. Rank in Ohio 32

      Franciscan University of Steubenville

      Steubenville, OH · Private nonprofit · #664 nationally

      19.6Value
      Earnings
      $68,809
      Net price
      $24,629
      Federal debt
      $25,000
      Graduation rate
      76%
    33. Rank in Ohio 33

      Ashland University

      Ashland, OH · Private nonprofit · #673 nationally

      17.1Value
      Earnings
      $73,222
      Net price
      $23,678
      Federal debt
      $27,000
      Graduation rate
      57%
    34. Rank in Ohio 34

      Lourdes University

      Sylvania, OH · Private nonprofit · #684 nationally

      11.9Value
      Earnings
      $70,971
      Net price
      $21,245
      Federal debt
      $27,000
      Graduation rate
      39%

    Method: the same value score as the national nursing ranking (earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate, each a national percentile). Data: College Scorecard, reporting year 2025; 2026–27 edition, verified Nov 2026.

    Questions about nursing colleges in Ohio

    What are the best colleges for nursing in Ohio?

    By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 Ohio colleges for nursing are Ohio University-Zanesville Campus (value score 63.1), Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus (value score 63) and Ohio University (value score 59.8). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.

    Which Ohio college has the highest earnings for nursing graduates?

    Case Western Reserve University: its nursing graduates have median earnings of $87,582 4 years after the bachelor's degree.

    What is the most affordable nursing college in Ohio on this list?

    University of Akron Wayne College has the lowest average net price of the ranked Ohio colleges, $6,549 a year after grants. A family's own price depends on income and aid.

    How many Ohio colleges are ranked for nursing?

    34 Ohio colleges have a nursing bachelor's program with enough graduates and reported earnings, plus a published net price and graduation rate. Ranks shown are national; the state rank is their order within Ohio.