Most selective colleges in Ohio
Colleges that admit the smallest share of applicants.
Most selective colleges in Ohio32 schools
32 schools qualify, ranked by admission rate. 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 an admission rate from federal data (College Scorecard). Average SAT scores are shown where the college reports them.
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by admission rate, lowest first. Selectivity measures demand for places, not the quality of teaching.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
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Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#2 in Ohio
- Admits 37%
- Average SAT 1513
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Good Samaritan College of Nursing and Health Science
Cincinnati, OH · Private nonprofit#10 in Ohio
- Admits 46%
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Franciscan University of Steubenville
Steubenville, OH · Private nonprofit#13 in Ohio
- Admits 58%
- Average SAT 1220
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John Carroll University
University Heights, OH · Private nonprofitTop 12% for graduation
- Admits 81%
- Average SAT 1298
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Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Mount Vernon, OH · Private nonprofitTop 24% for graduation
- Admits 84%
- Average SAT 1131
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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% |
| Kenyon College | $38,512 | $18,527 | $71,830 | 82% |
| Oberlin College | $38,645 | $26,000 | $58,343 | 81% |
| Case Western Reserve University | $41,190 | $24,000 | $87,989 | 87% |
| Good Samaritan College of Nursing and Health Science | $19,622 | $20,625 | $66,111 | 73% |
| Cleveland Institute of Music | $28,226 | $24,968 | $32,641 | 72% |
| Ohio Wesleyan University | $20,897 | $27,000 | $55,624 | 59% |
| Franciscan University of Steubenville | $23,589 | $23,384 | $50,030 | 75% |
| The College of Wooster | $23,458 | $26,500 | $59,629 | 74% |
| Ohio State University | $17,339 | $19,976 | $60,409 | 88% |
| Cleveland Institute of Art | $29,208 | $27,000 | $42,509 | 58% |
| Cedarville University | $24,468 | $20,937 | $55,443 | 73% |
| University of Dayton | $29,533 | $23,250 | $75,537 | 80% |
| Columbus College of Art & Design | $29,439 | $27,000 | $40,664 | 56% |
| Capital University | $22,576 | $26,889 | $54,143 | 60% |
| Ohio Northern University | $24,478 | $27,000 | $80,928 | 75% |
| Ursuline College | $16,164 | $26,250 | $56,878 | 67% |
| Miami University-Oxford | $28,384 | $23,000 | $55,076 | 80% |
| Baldwin Wallace University | $27,603 | $27,000 | $54,122 | 67% |
| Kettering College | $21,650 | $23,500 | $67,492 | 65% |
| Marietta College | $21,083 | $27,000 | $57,180 | 61% |
| John Carroll University | $28,746 | $26,000 | $62,860 | 79% |
| The University of Findlay | $27,221 | $25,439 | $56,996 | 58% |
| Mount Vernon Nazarene University | $22,421 | $25,000 | $49,555 | 68% |
| Mount Carmel College of Nursing | $10,420 | $22,082 | $75,103 | 54% |
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 57
- Colorado 7
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 20
- Georgia 9
- Idaho 3
- Illinois 21
- Indiana 21
- Iowa 16
- Kansas 3
- Kentucky 7
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 9
- Maryland 16
- Massachusetts 46
- Michigan 21
- Minnesota 19
- Missouri 19
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 5
- New Jersey 17
- New York 79
- North Carolina 18
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 11
- Pennsylvania 60
- Rhode Island 9
- South Carolina 9
- Tennessee 10
- Texas 17
- Utah 4
- Vermont 6
- Virginia 22
- Washington 12
- Wisconsin 15