The state of Ohio is the home of a number of public and private institutions of higher learning. Chartered in 1787, Ohio University was the first institution of higher education chartered by an act of Congress in America (Northwest Ordinance), the second university in the former Northwest Territory in 1804, and is the ninth oldest public university in the United States.
The Ohio Board of Regents oversees the public institutions of higher education in Ohio. This system has come under some criticism in recent years as contributing greatly to overlap and redundancies in the higher education system. For example, Ohio's public university system supports nine doctoral programs in history and five law schools while four different public universities in Ohio operate airports and offer aviation programs. At the same time, the system has been lauded for creating powerful "utility" organizations, such as OhioLINK and the Ohio Supercomputer Center, which allow campuses to collaborate and achieve significant efficiencies. A new credit transfer program makes transferring among Ohio's public campuses much easier, and allows students to preview academic programs.
11 of the 13 public universities top the state's enrollment statistics. The remaining two public institutions—Shawnee State University and Central State University—are relatively small. The University of Dayton is the state's largest private university by enrollment, followed by Case Western Reserve, Ashland University, Franklin University, and Xavier University.
Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, near Dayton
Two-year community and technical colleges
Beckfield College, Cincinnati
Belmont College, St. Clairsville, and Cadiz
Central Ohio Technical College, Newark (operated jointly with Ohio State University, Newark Campus)
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Cincinnati
Clark State Community College, Springfield
Columbus State Community College, Columbus
Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland
Edison Community College, Piqua
Hocking College, Nelsonville
James A. Rhodes State College, Lima (formerly Lima Technical College)
Eastern Gateway Community College, Steubenville (formerly Jefferson Community College)
Lakeland Community College, Kirtland
Lorain County Community College, Elyria
Marion Technical College, Marion (co-located with OSU-Marion)
North Central State College, Mansfield (co-located with OSU-Mansfield)
Northwest State Community College, Archbold
Owens Community College, Toledo, and Findlay
Rio Grande Community College, Rio Grande (operated by the University of Rio Grande)
Sinclair Community College, Dayton
Southern State Community College, Hillsboro, Fincastle, Wilmington, and Washington Court House
Stark State College, Canton
Terra Community College, Fremont
Washington State Community College, Marietta (formerly Washington Technical College)
Zane State College, Zanesville
These five colleges have been affiliated as members of state, regional, and national educational and athletic organizations for some years. The Five Colleges of Ohio Consortium was started in 1995 to foster cooperation and understanding, while maintaining individuality.
Antioch College, Yellow Springs
Antioch University Midwest, Yellow Springs
Art Academy of Cincinnati, Cincinnati
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland
Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland
Cleveland Institute of Music, Cleveland
Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus
Franklin University, Columbus (founded by YMCA)
Hiram College, Hiram
Lake Erie College, Painesville
Marietta College, Marietta
Remington College, Cleveland
Tiffin University, Tiffin
Union Institute and University, Cincinnati
University of Northwestern Ohio, Lima
University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande
Urbana University, Urbana
Cedarville University, Cedarville (Baptist)
Non-Mainline Denominations
Ambassador Bible Center, Milford (from Ambassador University, Texas)
Ashland University, Ashland (The Brethren Church)
Cincinnati Christian University, Cincinnati (Christian churches and churches of Christ)
Kettering College of Medical Arts, Kettering (Seventh-day Adventist Church)
Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Mount Vernon (Church of the Nazarene)
Ohio Christian University, Circleville (Churches of Christ in Christian Union)
University of Findlay, Findlay (Churches of God)
Wilberforce University, Wilberforce (Historically black colleges) (African Methodist Episcopal Church)
Siegal College of Judaic Studies (formerly the Cleveland College of Jewish Studies)
Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
Capital University, Bexley
Wittenberg University, Springfield
Bluffton University, Bluffton
Baldwin Wallace University, Berea
University of Mount Union, Alliance
Ohio Northern University, Ada
Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware
Otterbein University, Westerville
Muskingum University, New Concord
Malone University, Canton (Evangelical Friends Church)
Wilmington College, Wilmington
Defiance College, Defiance
Heidelberg University, Tiffin
Public institutions in boldface:
University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning
University of Cincinnati School of Architecture and Interior Design
Kent State University College of Architecture and Environmental Design
Miami University Department of Architecture and Interior Design
Ohio State University Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture
University of Akron College of Business Administration
Ashland University School of Business
Baldwin Wallace University
Bowling Green State University College of Business Administration
Capital University School of Management
Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Management
Cedarville University Department of Business Administration
Central State University College of Business and Industry
University of Cincinnati Carl H. Lindner College of Business
Cleveland State University Monte Ahuja College of Business Administration
University of Dayton School of Business Administration
University of Gopal College of Business
Heidelberg University School of Business
Hocking College School of Business
John Carroll University Boler School of Business
Kent State University College of Business Administration
Miami University Farmer School of Business
Mount Vernon Nazarene University School of Business
University of Northwestern Ohio College of Business
Ohio Dominican University Division of Business
Ohio Northern University James F. Dicke College of Business Administration
Ohio State University Fisher College of Business
Ohio University College of Business
Ohio University Online MBA
Shawnee State University College of Professional Studies
Tiffin University School of Business
Trumbull Business College
University of Toledo College of Business Administration
Wittenberg University, Department of Business
Wright State University Raj Soin College of Business
Youngstown State University Williamson College of Business Administration
Ohio State University College of Dentistry
Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine
University of Akron College of Education
Ashland University College of Education
Capital University College of Education
Central State University College of Education
Bowling Green State University College of Education and Human Development
Baldwin Wallace College of Education
University of Cincinnati College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services
Cleveland State University College of Education and Human Services
University of Dayton School of Education and Allied Professions
Kent State University College and Graduate School of Education, Health and Human Services
Ohio State University College of Education and Human Ecology
Ohio University College of Education
University of Toledo Judith Herb College of Education
Wright State University College of Education and Human Services
Youngstown State University Beeghly College of Education
Ohio University E. W. Scripps School of Journalism
Kent State University School of Journalism and Mass Communication
University of Akron School of Law/C. Blake McDowell Law Center
Capital University Law School
Case Western Reserve University School of Law
University of Cincinnati College of Law
Cleveland State University Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
University of Dayton School of Law
Ohio Northern University, Pettit College of Law
Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law
University of Toledo College of Law
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine
Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine
Northeast Ohio Medical University College of Medicine '(University of Akron, Cleveland State University, Kent State University, and Youngstown State University consortium)
Ohio State University College of Medicine
Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
University of Toledo College of Medicine
Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine
Cleveland Institute of Music
Beckfield College
Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University
Capital University School of Nursing
Cleveland State School of Nursing
Cedarville University School of Nursing
University of Akron School of Nursing
Ashland University College of Nursing
University of Cincinnati College of Nursing
Otterbein University
Kettering College of Medical Arts Division of Nursing
Mount Carmel College of Nursing"'
Ohio State University College of Nursing
University of Toledo College of Nursing
Wright State University-Miami Valley College of Nursing and Health
Ursuline College The Breen School of Nursing
Youngstown State University Bitonte College of Health and Human Services
Kent State University College of Nursing
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Ohio State University College of Optometry
""Cedarville University College of Pharmacy""
University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy
Ohio Northern University Rudolph H. Raabe College of Pharmacy
Ohio State University College of Pharmacy
University of Toledo College of Pharmacy
Northeastern Ohio Medical University College of Pharmacy
University of Findlay - College of Pharmacy
Wright State University School of Professional Psychology
Kent State University College of Public Health
Ohio State University College of Public Health
Ohio State University College of Social Work
University of Toledo Department of Social Work
Ohio University Department of Social Work
University of Cincinnati School of Social Work
Wright State University Department of Social Work
Cleveland State University School of Social Work
Youngstown State University Department of Social Work
Ohio Dominican University
Bowling Green State University Department of Social Work
Case Western Reserve University
Capital University
Miami University
Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Defunct colleges and universities
Many Ohio institutions of higher education have become defunct over the years.
Calvary Christian College, Paris, Ohio
Chancellor University, Cleveland (previously known as Dyke College and Myers University)
Edgecliff College, Cincinnati
Mary Manse College, Toledo
Miami Valley College, Springboro, Ohio
National Normal University
Smithville College, Smithville
Western College for Women, Oxford (merged with Miami University)
Public institutions in boldface. For-profit institutions in italic. Numbers reflect all-campus enrollments.
- Ohio State University: 65,184
- University of Cincinnati: 44,251
- Kent State University: 41,005
- Ohio University: 40,025
- University of Akron: 25,177
- Miami University: 23,983
- University of Toledo: 23,085
- Wright State University: 18,059
- Cleveland State University: 17,730
- Bowling Green State University: 17,706
- Youngstown State University: 14,584
- University of Dayton: 11,074
- Case Western Reserve University: 10,325
- Franklin University: 7,942
- Xavier University : 6,650
- Ashland University: 6,500
- Shawnee State University: 4,600
- Tiffin University: 4,282
- Baldwin Wallace University: 4,177
- John Carroll University: 3,709
- Cedarville University: 3,711
- University of Findlay: 3,700
- Capital University: 3,465
- Ohio Northern University: 3,238
- University of Northwestern Ohio: 2,971
- Oberlin College: 2,857
- Ohio Dominican University: 2,844
- Otterbein University: 2,791
- University of Rio Grande: 2,530
- Mount Vernon Nazarene University: 2,455
- Franciscan University of Steubenville: 2,374
- University of Mount Union: 2,333
- Malone University: 2,250
- Denison University: 2,211
- Wittenberg University: 2,182
- Muskingum College: 2,176
- College of Mount St. Joseph: 2,158
- Walsh University: 1,951
- College of Wooster: 1,827
- Central State University: 1,820
- Wilmington College: 1,755
- Ohio Wesleyan University: 1,675
- Kenyon College: 1,635
- Lourdes College: 1,562
- Columbus College of Art and Design: 1,559
- Urbana University: 1,557
- Heidelberg University: 1,483
- Marietta College: 1,480
- Ursuline College: 1,462
- Notre Dame College: 1,299
- Bluffton University: 1,191
- Hiram College: 1,125
- Lake Erie College: 1,043
- Defiance College: 1,035
- Myers University: 1,004
- Wilberforce University: 825
- University of Phoenix-Cleveland Campus: 824
- Antioch University McGregor: 737
- University of Phoenix-Cincinnati Campus: 489
- Cleveland Institute of Art: 484
- Ohio Business College - Sandusky Campus: 380
- Ohio Business College - Sheffield Campus: 350
- University of Phoenix-Columbus Campus: 310
- God's Bible School and College: 280
- Bryant and Stratton College, Cleveland: 254
- Bryant and Stratton College, Parma: 216
- Antioch College: 210
- Bryant and Stratton College, Eastlake: 152
Cincinnati cross-town rivalry between the University of Cincinnati (public) and Xavier University (private). The basketball rivalry between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Xavier Musketeers (Muskies) is known as the Crosstown Shootout.
Historically Black/Wilberforce cross-town rivalry between Ohio's two historically black universities, Central State University (public) and Wilberforce University (private), both located in the small town of Wilberforce, Ohio.
Dayton cross-town rivalry between Wright State University (public) and the University of Dayton (Catholic).
Battle of the Bricks rivalry between the Old Northwest's oldest universities, Miami University and Ohio University, both located in rural towns in southern Ohio.
Battle of I-75 rivalry between the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University, two large public universities in Northwest Ohio — winner gets the Peace Pipe
Battle for the Wagon Wheel rivalry between Kent State University and the University of Akron, two large public universities in Northeast Ohio.
Victory Bell rivalry between Miami University and the University of Cincinnati, two large public universities in Southwest Ohio - football rivals since 1888
Southwest Ohio Catholic Universities rivalry between the University of Dayton and Xavier University battle in basketball for the Blackburn/McCafferty Trophy
The Battle of the Columbus Suburbs is between cross-town rivals Otterbein University of Westerville and Capital University of Bexley.
Defiance College and Bluffton University, two small private colleges in Northwest Ohio.
Ohio Wesleyan University and Denison University (especially in Lacrosse), two private liberal arts colleges and members of the North Coast Athletic Conference. Both are located in exurban Columbus.
Wittenberg University and The College of Wooster, both Protestant liberal arts school in the North Coast Athletic Conference. Both are traditional powerhouses in football and men's and women's basketball while contest in field hockey, swimming and baseball are always closely contested.
