Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in Ohio
Colleges that compete in NCAA Division III athletics, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in Ohio21 schools
21 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score.
How this list is made
- Schools in Ohio.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Competes in NCAA Division III (the school's athletics association, from federal and association data).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Denison University
Granville, OH · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Ohio
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 79% graduate
- 2Tie
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#2 in Ohio
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 87% graduate
- 2Tie
Kenyon College
Gambier, OH · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#2 in Ohio
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 82% graduate
- 4
Oberlin College
Oberlin, OH · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#4 in Ohio
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 81% graduate
- 5
The College of Wooster
Wooster, OH · Private nonprofit#7 in Ohio
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 74% graduate
- 6
Franciscan University of Steubenville
Steubenville, OH · Private nonprofit#13 in Ohio
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 75% graduate
- 7
John Carroll University
University Heights, OH · Private nonprofitTop 12% for graduation
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 79% graduate
- 8
Ohio Northern University
Ada, OH · Private nonprofitTop 8% for earnings
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 75% graduate
- 9
Otterbein University
Westerville, OH · Private nonprofit#18 in Ohio
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 68% graduate
- 10
Baldwin Wallace University
Berea, OH · Private nonprofit#22 in Ohio
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 67% graduate
- 11
Ohio Wesleyan University
Delaware, OH · Private nonprofit#26 in Ohio
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 59% graduate
- 12
Mount St. Joseph University
Cincinnati, OH · Private nonprofit#33 in Ohio
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 56% graduate
- 13
Capital University
Columbus, OH · Private nonprofit#41 in Ohio
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 60% graduate
- 14
- 15
University of Mount Union
Alliance, OH · Private nonprofit#47 in Ohio
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 59% graduate
- 16
Wittenberg University
Springfield, OH · Private nonprofit#51 in Ohio
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 53% graduate
- 17
- 18
Muskingum University
New Concord, OH · Private nonprofit#57 in Ohio
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 56% graduate
- 19
Heidelberg University
Tiffin, OH · Private nonprofit#60 in Ohio
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 52% graduate
- 20
Wilmington College
Wilmington, OH · Private nonprofit#72 in Ohio
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 47% graduate
- 21
Bluffton University
Bluffton, OH · Private nonprofit#77 in Ohio
- NCAA Division III athletics
- 53% graduate
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denison University | $40,007 | $26,000 | $67,753 | 79% |
| Case Western Reserve University | $41,190 | $24,000 | $87,989 | 87% |
| Kenyon College | $38,512 | $18,527 | $71,830 | 82% |
| Oberlin College | $38,645 | $26,000 | $58,343 | 81% |
| The College of Wooster | $23,458 | $26,500 | $59,629 | 74% |
| Franciscan University of Steubenville | $23,589 | $23,384 | $50,030 | 75% |
| John Carroll University | $28,746 | $26,000 | $62,860 | 79% |
| Ohio Northern University | $24,478 | $27,000 | $80,928 | 75% |
| Otterbein University | $19,237 | $26,000 | $53,313 | 68% |
| Baldwin Wallace University | $27,603 | $27,000 | $54,122 | 67% |
| Ohio Wesleyan University | $20,897 | $27,000 | $55,624 | 59% |
| Mount St. Joseph University | $16,530 | $26,827 | $51,509 | 56% |
| Capital University | $22,576 | $26,889 | $54,143 | 60% |
| Marietta College | $21,083 | $27,000 | $57,180 | 61% |
| University of Mount Union | $23,280 | $27,000 | $53,217 | 59% |
| Wittenberg University | $18,649 | $27,000 | $54,947 | 53% |
| Hiram College | $21,058 | $27,000 | $54,311 | 55% |
| Muskingum University | $19,532 | $25,369 | $48,440 | 56% |
| Heidelberg University | $20,556 | $27,000 | $48,466 | 52% |
| Wilmington College | $24,153 | $24,208 | $48,491 | 47% |
| Bluffton University | $19,943 | $27,000 | $49,547 | 53% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Arkansas 3
- California 13
- Connecticut 10
- District of Columbia 3
- Georgia 8
- Illinois 21
- Indiana 10
- Iowa 10
- Kentucky 5
- Maine 11
- Maryland 9
- Massachusetts 38
- Michigan 7
- Minnesota 19
- Mississippi 3
- Missouri 3
- New Hampshire 5
- New Jersey 14
- New York 60
- North Carolina 10
- Oregon 6
- Pennsylvania 60
- Rhode Island 4
- Tennessee 3
- Texas 15
- Vermont 3
- Virginia 19
- Washington 4
- Wisconsin 24