The Hardest Colleges to Get Into in Ohio

The Buckeye State is home to more than 100 four-year public and private, not-for-profit colleges that award, at a minimum, bachelor’s degrees. Indeed, Ohio ranks among the states with the most colleges in the country. With so many colleges to choose from in Ohio, it can be very difficult to decide on which schools to apply to. 

While there are different criteria when researching colleges that you should consider, if you have a strong academic record in high school as well as other critical factors going for you, such as good SAT or ACT scores, participation in extracurricular activities, and demonstrated leadership skills, then you might want to apply to more selective colleges in Ohio. And out of Ohio’s vast number of schools, there are several colleges and universities that are very competitive in their acceptance rates due to their well-established academic rigor and programs.

Thus, in order to find out the hardest colleges to get into in Ohio, BrokeScholar analyzed all the schools in the state that are four-year institutions, including both public colleges and private, not for-profit colleges, that award bachelor’s degrees or higher. Sourcing the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) as well as from individual college websites, we analyzed and ranked all colleges in Ohio in terms of how difficult they are to gain acceptance to. (See the methodology section for more details).

Read on to find out the answer to what are the hardest colleges to get into in Ohio.

What Are the Hardest Colleges to Get into in Ohio?

The top-15 list of the hardest colleges to get into in Ohio is dominated by private, not-for-profit colleges, though there are two colleges that are public, state institutions. Perhaps not surprisingly, the hardest colleges to get into in Ohio also tend to have higher-than-average graduation rates. Taking together all 104 Ohio colleges analyzed in our study, the overall average graduation rate was 48%. The overall average acceptance rate for these same 104 colleges was 82%. Of the top-15 hardest colleges to get into in the Buckeye State, the one with the highest admission rate is still only 61%, well below the 82% average for the study as a whole.

Below you’ll find a list of the 15 hardest colleges to get into in Ohio, listed in order of lowest acceptance rate to highest acceptance rate. Also included in the breakdown below are costs of tuition and required fees (though required fees do not include room and board).

Therefore, the hardest college to get into in Ohio is Kettering College, a private Adventist college located in the city of Kettering, an inner suburb of Dayton, Ohio. The college is owned by the Kettering Medical Center and chartered by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The college was constructed in 1967 next to the Charles F. Kettering Memorial Hospital. The second hardest college to get into in Ohio is Denison University, a private liberal arts college in Granville, Ohio. Whereas Kettering College is focused on degree programs in health professions and related fields, Denison University is a more traditional college in that it offers a broad array of programs, ranging from biological and biomedical sciences to business majors to philosophy and to visual and performing arts.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the hardest colleges to get into in Ohio:

1. Kettering College

Total number of applicants: 423

Kettering College acceptance rate: 25%

Tuition and required fees: $14,699

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 84% Female - 16% Male

Kettering College offers several levels of degrees, all falling under the category of Health Professions and Related Programs. These degrees include: 1) Less than one year certificate; 2) Associate's degree; 3) Bachelor's degree; 4) Master's degree; and 5) Doctor's degree - professional practice. Because of its focus on programs related to health professions, Kettering College is fairly small in terms of its student population.

In terms of specific programs, Kettering College offers:

• Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences
• Bachelor of Science with a major in human biology
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing
• Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program
• Physician Assistant Program
• Radiologic Sciences & Imaging
• Respiratory Program
• Sonography Program

2. Denison University

Total number of applicants: 9,513

Denison University acceptance rate: 28%

Tuition and required fees: $64,000

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 52% Female - 48% Male

Denison University is a very selective private, liberal arts college and the most selective liberal arts college in the state. Unlike many other of the hardest colleges to get into in Ohio, Denison University is solely an undergraduate institution, with its entire student population consisting of undergraduates. Denison University has one of the highest graduation rates in Ohio at 81%, far superior to the 48% average for the study as a whole. However, Denison’s excellent academic credentials come at a high cost. The cost of tuition and required fees for both in-state and out-of-state students is approximately $64,000 per academic year.

3. Case Western Reserve University

Total number of applicants: 33,232

Case Western Reserve University acceptance rate: 30%

Tuition and required fees: $62,234

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 47% Female - 53% Male

Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio. Case Western Reserve was established in 1967, when the older Western Reserve University — founded in 1826 and named for its location in the Connecticut Western Reserve — and Case Institute of Technology, founded in 1880 through the endowment of Leonard Case Jr. — were formally federated. With an acceptance rate of 30%, Case Western Reserve is the third hardest college to get into in Ohio. 

The university boasts one of the highest graduation rates in Ohio at 84%, the third highest graduation rate out of the more than 100 colleges analyzed in the study. Case Western Reserve is also a major college for graduate studies. Its undergraduate population is approximately 5,792, while its total student population is over 12,100. Some notable and successful alumni include Craig Newmark, the founder of Craigslist; Edward Williams, co-founder of Sherwin-Williams Paints; and the film director/producer brothers Anthony and Joe Russo, who have helmed multiple box office-hit Marvel films.

4. Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences

Total number of applicants: 235

Aultman College acceptance rate: 32%

Tuition and required fees: $18,210

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 90% Female - 10% Male

The Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences is located in Canton, Ohio. It shares some characteristics with Kettering College, such as being academically focused on health professions and related programs, as well as degrees in social work. This accounts for its small size — approximately 259 total students, all undergraduates — and its competitive admission rate. According to NCES data, Aultman College awarded 13 undergraduate certificates, 31 associate’s degrees, and 39 bachelor’s degrees in health professions and related programs; the predominant bachelor’s degree program is in registered nursing.

5. Cleveland Institute of Music

Total number of applicants: 456

Cleveland Institute of Music acceptance rate: 33%

Tuition and required fees: $41,770

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 51% Female - 49% Male

Located in Cleveland, as its name would suggest, the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) is a small, private music conservatory. Its undergraduate population is roughly 208 students, while its total student population is approximately 343, according to NCES data. The Cleveland Institute of Music is highly selective with admissions, having an acceptance rate of only 33%. The school’s graduation rate is 71%, which is well above the study’s overall average of 48%. Graduates of the Cleveland Institute of Music have gone on to become members of significant orchestras throughout both the US and the world. Not only can students at CIM pursue degrees in music, they can also earn dual degrees by taking non-music courses in partnership with Case Western Reserve University.

6. Oberlin College

Total number of applicants: 10,597

Oberlin College acceptance rate: 34%

Tuition and required fees: $62,024

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 58% Female - 42% Male

Oberlin College holds the prestigious honor of being the oldest coed liberal arts college in the US. Not only being a highly-regarded liberal arts college, Oberlin is also a conservatory of music. With an admission rate of just 34%, Oberlin College is one of the most selective colleges in Ohio and behind only Denison University as being the most selective liberal arts college in the state. Oberlin’s graduation rate is an excellent 82%, which is the seventh highest rate in Ohio. When it comes to choosing a major at Oberlin, the school has a wide range of programs on offer, though Visual and Performing Arts boasts the most bachelor’s degrees awarded, according to NCES data.

7. Kenyon College

Total number of applicants: 7,601

Kenyon College acceptance rate: 37%

Tuition and required fees: $66,490

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 54% Female - 46% Male

Located in Gambier, Ohio, Kenyon College is a renowned private liberal arts college, ranking up with Oberlin College and Denison University as one of the most selective liberal arts colleges in the state. With an undergraduate acceptance rate of 37%, it just barely falls behind Oberlin in selectivity. However, Kenyon College does beat Oberlin College in terms of its graduation rate, at 87%, which is the second highest graduation rate of colleges in Ohio. Kenyon College only awards bachelor’s degrees, which means its entire student body is composed of undergraduate students. Kenyon College is also one of more than two dozen colleges with no application fee requirement.

8. Wilberforce University

Total number of applicants: 2,531

Wilberforce University acceptance rate: 39%

Tuition and required fees: $13,450

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 60% Female - 40% Male

Wilberforce University is one of two historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to make the top of our list of the hardest colleges to get into in Ohio. And it ranks among the best HBCU colleges in the nation in general. With an undergraduate admission rate of only 39%, Wilberforce University is much more selective than the 82% average admission rate for the study as a whole. Wilberforce is also one of the more affordable colleges to make our list, with an approximate cost of tuition and required fees of $13,450 for both in-state and out-of-state students.

9. Mercy College of Ohio

Total number of applicants: 288

Mercy College of Ohio acceptance rate: 41%

Tuition and required fees: $18,950

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 89% Female - 11% Male

With its main campus in Toledo, Ohio, Mercy College of Ohio is a private Roman Catholic nursing school, founded as the Mercy School of Nursing in 1918 by the Sisters of Mercy. Mercy College of Ohio offers degrees including certificates, associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and graduate programs. In terms of bachelor’s degrees, Mercy College of Ohio provides several programs, such as:

• Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN)
• Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology
• BSN Nursing Pre-licensure
• Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration
• Bachelor of Science in Medical Imaging
• Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) Degree
• RN–BSN Nursing Online Completion

10. Mount Carmel College of Nursing

Total number of applicants: 136

Mount Carmel College of Nursing acceptance rate: 52%

Tuition and required fees: $15,109

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 88% Female - 12% Male

Mount Carmel College of Nursing ranked as the 10th hardest college to get into in Ohio, with an undergraduate admission rate of 52%. Mount Carmel College also boasts one of the best graduation rates of colleges in Ohio, at 81%. Mount Carmel College of Nursing offers degrees ranging from postgraduate certificates to bachelor’s degrees to master’s degrees and, finally, to doctoral degrees for professional practice. The college offers versatile programs, such as an advanced placement program, second degree accelerated program, and online RN-BSN completion program, in addition to a traditional four-year program for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

11. Ohio Dominican University

Total number of applicants: 2,185

Ohio Dominican University acceptance rate: 54%

Tuition and required fees: $33,550

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 51% Female - 49% Male

At home in Ohio’s state capital of Columbus, Ohio Dominican University is a private Dominican liberal arts university, with a small student body. It has a little over 900 undergraduate students and a little over 1,300 students in total. With an undergraduate admission rate of 54%, Ohio Dominican is significantly more selective than the study’s overall average of 82%. The university’s graduation rate of 56% is better-than-average, though not as high as many of the other hardest colleges to get into in Ohio. Though it derives its name from the Catholic Dominican Order, the college is decidedly a liberal arts college. According to NCES data, 41 bachelor’s degrees were awarded for majors in Business Administration and Management, General; 49 master’s degrees were awarded in the same field. Meanwhile, master’s degrees in Educational Leadership and Administration, General, is another very popular field of study.

12. Lake Erie College

Total number of applicants: 1,164

Lake Erie College acceptance rate: 55%

Tuition and required fees: $35,024

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 46% Female - 54% Male

Located in Painesville, Ohio, Lake Erie College is a small, private liberal arts college. Its undergraduate population is roughly 726 students. Lake Erie College began originally as a female seminary, but eventually became coed in1985, and now has a very balanced mix of female and male undergraduate students. With an undergraduate admission rate of 55% makes it one of the hardest colleges to get into in Ohio, though its graduation rate is less impressive at 45%. Lake Erie College offers degrees including postgraduate certificates, bachelor’s degrees, and master’s degrees. According to NCES data, the most popular field to earn degrees in is Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, with 48 bachelor’s degrees and 58 master’s degrees awarded in the 2020-2021 academic year.

13. The Ohio State University

Total number of applicants: 58,180

Ohio State University acceptance rate: 57%

Tuition and required fees: $12,485 for in-state | $36,722 for out-of-state

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 50% Female - 50% Male

Home of the famous Buckeyes athletic teams, The Ohio State University is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. It’s a member of the University System of Ohio, and has been frequently ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public universities in the US. Though widely known throughout the country for its athletic programs, Ohio State also has very strong academic credentials. The university’s admission rate of 57% makes it far more competitive than most colleges in Ohio. What’s more, Ohio State University boasts a graduation rate of 88%, which is the highest graduation rate out of all the colleges analyzed in the study.

14. Central State University

Total number of applicants: 8,019

Central State University acceptance rate: 59%

Tuition and required fees: $7,596 for in-state | $9,596 for out-of-state

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 71% Female - 29% Male

Located in Wilberforce, Ohio, Central State University is not only one of the hardest colleges to get into in Ohio. It’s also one of the best HBCU colleges in the US and is a member=school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The university’s admission rate of 59% is very selective compared to the 82% average for the study overall. Central State University is also the most affordable compared to other colleges to make our top-15 list in terms of its in-state and out-of-state tuition and required fees. The main factor it has going against it is its low graduation rate of 23%. However, this doesn’t diminish the fact that Central State University offers a robust academic program, with bachelor’s degrees in Education fields being particularly prominent as are degrees in Business/Commerce, General, according to NCES data.

15. The College of Wooster

Total number of applicants: 6,611

College of Wooster acceptance rate: 61%

Tuition and required fees: $57,500

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 54% Female - 46% Male

The College of Wooster, which is aptly named since it’s located in Wooster, Ohio, is a private liberal arts college. Established in 1866 by the Presbyterian Church, it has since become a non-sectarian institution beginning in 1969. While the College of Wooster has an admission rate of 61%, which is the highest of the top-15 hardest colleges to get into in Ohio, the college’s acceptance rate is still far more selective than the 82% average for the study overall. All of the College of Wooster’s students are undergraduates, with a bachelor’s degree being the highest degree being awarded. According to NCES data, the most popular fields of study conferring bachelor’s degrees were in Social Sciences (with 88 total) and Biological and Biomedical Sciences (with 75 total).

The Bottom Line on the Hardest Colleges to Get Into in Ohio

When it comes to the hardest colleges to get into in the state of Ohio, the top institutions are a mix of private liberal arts colleges, healthcare-focused colleges, and private and public research institutions. Naturally, if you live in the state of Ohio, applying to a public university can save you some money on the cost of college. However, if you’re more inclined towards a smaller college and more intimate experience, then the private, not-for-profit colleges that made our list are the way to go. 

The main caveat with these excellent liberal arts colleges is their price tag: Oberlin College has tuition and required fees totaling more than $62,000 a year; Denison University has tuition and required fees costing $64,000 a year; and Kenyon College has tuition and required fees totaling more than $66,000 a year. Fortunately, BrokeScholar can help reduce those costs by offering its vast selection of college scholarships that prospective and current students can apply for. What’s more, BrokeScholar’s massive collection of student discounts can bring down the indirect costs of attending college — such as personal costs related to buying textbooks, food, clothes, and much more — that aren’t usually included in colleges’ schedules of fees.

Methodology

In order to identify the hardest colleges to get into in Ohio, we analyzed 104 colleges and universities in Ohio that fit the following criteria:

• Are four-year public or four-year private, not-for-profit institutions
• Offer bachelor's degree programs (at a minimum)

These 104 colleges and universities were sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), as was data on their respective undergraduate populations, undergraduate acceptance rates, total number of applicants, and undergraduate student gender breakdown. The costs of tuition and required fees were sourced from individual college websites and reflect costs for either the 2022-2023 academic year or 2023-2024 academic year if the latter was available.