Best small colleges in Ohio
Colleges with fewer than 2,000 undergraduates, ranked by Compass Score.
Best small colleges in Ohio58 schools
58 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Ohio.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Fewer than 2,000 undergraduate students (federal enrollment).
- 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
- 2
- 3
Good Samaritan College of Nursing and Health Science
Cincinnati, OH · Private nonprofit#10 in Ohio
- 457 undergraduates
- 73% graduate
- 4
Cleveland Institute of Music
Cleveland, OH · Private nonprofit#12 in Ohio
- 194 undergraduates
- 72% graduate
- 5
Galen College of Nursing-Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH · Private for-profit#17 in Ohio
- 670 undergraduates
- 57% graduate
- 6
The Modern College of Design
Kettering, OH · Private for-profitTop 11% for low debt
- 189 undergraduates
- 69% graduate
- 7
Cleveland Institute of Art
Cleveland, OH · Private nonprofit#25 in Ohio
- 566 undergraduates
- 58% graduate
- 8
- 9
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Mount Vernon, OH · Private nonprofitTop 24% for graduation
- 1,631 undergraduates
- 68% graduate
- 10
- 11
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
Columbus, OH · Private nonprofitTop 11% for earnings
- 575 undergraduates
- 54% graduate
- 12
Kettering College
Kettering, OH · Private nonprofitTop 17% for earnings
- 639 undergraduates
- 65% graduate
- 13
Mount St. Joseph University
Cincinnati, OH · Private nonprofit#33 in Ohio
- 1,446 undergraduates
- 56% graduate
- 14
- 15
American Institute of Alternative Medicine
Columbus, OH · Private for-profitTop 6% for low debt
- 374 undergraduates
- 60% graduate
- 16
Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Canton, OH · Private nonprofitTop 21% for earnings
- 241 undergraduates
- 53% graduate
- 17
The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Cincinnati, OH · Private nonprofitTop 16% for earnings
- 765 undergraduates
- 56% graduate
- 18
- 19
Mercy College of Ohio
Toledo, OH · Private nonprofitTop 19% for earnings
- 999 undergraduates
- 56% graduate
- 20
Gods Bible School and College
Cincinnati, OH · Private nonprofitTop 1% for low debt
- 417 undergraduates
- 40% graduate
- 21
- 22Tie
Columbus College of Art & Design
Columbus, OH · Private nonprofit#47 in Ohio
- 893 undergraduates
- 56% graduate
- 22Tie
University of Mount Union
Alliance, OH · Private nonprofit#47 in Ohio
- 1,927 undergraduates
- 59% graduate
- 24
- 25
Wilberforce University
Wilberforce, OH · Private nonprofitTop 5% for low net price
- 602 undergraduates
- 12% graduate
Compare cost and outcomes
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 10
- Arizona 8
- Arkansas 13
- California 63
- Colorado 5
- Connecticut 10
- Florida 27
- Georgia 24
- Idaho 3
- Illinois 25
- Indiana 20
- Iowa 23
- Kansas 18
- Kentucky 18
- Louisiana 8
- Maine 11
- Maryland 13
- Massachusetts 31
- Michigan 23
- Minnesota 19
- Mississippi 8
- Missouri 31
- Montana 7
- Nebraska 12
- New Hampshire 7
- New Jersey 18
- New Mexico 7
- New York 55
- North Carolina 34
- North Dakota 4
- Oklahoma 11
- Oregon 11
- Pennsylvania 69
- Puerto Rico 31
- South Carolina 19
- South Dakota 5
- Tennessee 24
- Texas 31
- Utah 7
- Vermont 4
- Virginia 30
- Washington 12
- West Virginia 12
- Wisconsin 15