Colleges where the most freshmen return in Ohio
Colleges ranked by first-year retention: the share of full-time freshmen who come back for a second year.
Colleges where the most freshmen return in Ohio31 schools
31 schools qualify, ranked by first-year retention. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Ohio.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
- Has a first-year retention rate from federal data (College Scorecard).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by retention rate, highest first.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Felbry College
Columbus, OH · Private for-profitTop 4% for graduation
- 100% of freshmen return
- 91% graduate
- 2
- 3
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#2 in Ohio
- 92% of freshmen return
- 87% graduate
- 4
- 5
Oberlin College
Oberlin, OH · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#4 in Ohio
- 91% of freshmen return
- 81% graduate
- 6
Cleveland Institute of Music
Cleveland, OH · Private nonprofit#12 in Ohio
- 90% of freshmen return
- 72% graduate
- 7
- 8
Cedarville University
Cedarville, OH · Private nonprofit#11 in Ohio
- 90% of freshmen return
- 73% graduate
- 9
- 10
Denison University
Granville, OH · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Ohio
- 89% of freshmen return
- 79% graduate
- 11
Cleveland Institute of Art
Cleveland, OH · Private nonprofit#25 in Ohio
- 88% of freshmen return
- 58% graduate
- 12
Franciscan University of Steubenville
Steubenville, OH · Private nonprofit#13 in Ohio
- 87% of freshmen return
- 75% graduate
- 13
Mercy College of Ohio
Toledo, OH · Private nonprofitTop 19% for earnings
- 87% of freshmen return
- 56% graduate
- 14
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH · PublicTop 15% for graduation
- 85% of freshmen return
- 75% graduate
- 15
Ohio Wesleyan University
Delaware, OH · Private nonprofit#26 in Ohio
- 85% of freshmen return
- 59% graduate
- 16
Ohio Northern University
Ada, OH · Private nonprofitTop 8% for earnings
- 84% of freshmen return
- 75% graduate
- 17
- 18
Baldwin Wallace University
Berea, OH · Private nonprofit#22 in Ohio
- 84% of freshmen return
- 67% graduate
- 19
Galen College of Nursing-Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH · Private for-profit#17 in Ohio
- 83% of freshmen return
- 57% graduate
- 20
John Carroll University
University Heights, OH · Private nonprofitTop 12% for graduation
- 83% of freshmen return
- 79% graduate
- 21
- 22
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
Columbus, OH · Private nonprofitTop 11% for earnings
- 81% of freshmen return
- 54% graduate
- 23
Columbus College of Art & Design
Columbus, OH · Private nonprofit#47 in Ohio
- 80% of freshmen return
- 56% graduate
- 24
Otterbein University
Westerville, OH · Private nonprofit#18 in Ohio
- 80% of freshmen return
- 68% graduate
- 25
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Mount Vernon, OH · Private nonprofitTop 24% for graduation
- 79% of freshmen return
- 68% graduate
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Felbry College | $57,632 | $17,000 | — | 91% |
| Ohio State University | $17,339 | $19,976 | $60,409 | 88% |
| 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% |
| Cleveland Institute of Music | $28,226 | $24,968 | $32,641 | 72% |
| Miami University-Oxford | $28,384 | $23,000 | $55,076 | 80% |
| Cedarville University | $24,468 | $20,937 | $55,443 | 73% |
| University of Dayton | $29,533 | $23,250 | $75,537 | 80% |
| Denison University | $40,007 | $26,000 | $67,753 | 79% |
| Cleveland Institute of Art | $29,208 | $27,000 | $42,509 | 58% |
| Franciscan University of Steubenville | $23,589 | $23,384 | $50,030 | 75% |
| Mercy College of Ohio | $17,989 | $20,834 | $65,409 | 56% |
| University of Cincinnati | $25,648 | $21,250 | $54,810 | 75% |
| Ohio Wesleyan University | $20,897 | $27,000 | $55,624 | 59% |
| Ohio Northern University | $24,478 | $27,000 | $80,928 | 75% |
| Ohio University | $21,637 | $21,056 | $52,581 | 65% |
| Baldwin Wallace University | $27,603 | $27,000 | $54,122 | 67% |
| Galen College of Nursing-Cincinnati | $28,785 | $24,166 | $61,480 | 57% |
| John Carroll University | $28,746 | $26,000 | $62,860 | 79% |
| The College of Wooster | $23,458 | $26,500 | $59,629 | 74% |
| Mount Carmel College of Nursing | $10,420 | $22,082 | $75,103 | 54% |
| Columbus College of Art & Design | $29,439 | $27,000 | $40,664 | 56% |
| Otterbein University | $19,237 | $26,000 | $53,313 | 68% |
| Mount Vernon Nazarene University | $22,421 | $25,000 | $49,555 | 68% |
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 5
- Arizona 4
- Arkansas 5
- California 63
- Colorado 7
- Connecticut 14
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 21
- Georgia 9
- Idaho 3
- Illinois 21
- Indiana 21
- Iowa 15
- Kansas 4
- Kentucky 7
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 8
- Maryland 16
- Massachusetts 46
- Michigan 21
- Minnesota 19
- Missouri 18
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 5
- New Jersey 17
- New York 80
- North Carolina 17
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 11
- Pennsylvania 62
- Rhode Island 9
- South Carolina 10
- Tennessee 10
- Texas 20
- Utah 4
- Vermont 6
- Virginia 20
- Washington 13
- Wisconsin 15