There are 291 colleges in Ohio - 109 public and 182 private schools. At Ohio colleges, over the past decade, the Cost of Attendance (COA)—covering tuition, fees, textbooks, room and board, and living expenses—has sharply increased, making higher education less affordable for many students and families.
Ohio Colleges Key COA Trends (2016-2025)
The total Cost of Attendance has increased substantially at Ohio colleges:
- On-Campus: The COA has risen by 17.33%.
- Off-Campus: The COA has risen by 19.21%.
- 2024-2025 Total COA: the average total COA is $35,178 when living on campus and $35,597 when living off campus.
Ohio Colleges Tuition & Fees Changes
Tuition and fees saw dramatic increases across institution types:
| Institution Type |
10-Year Increase (2016-2025) |
2025 Average Tuition & Fees |
| Public, In-State |
11.42% (from $7,624 to $8,495) |
$8,495 |
| Public, Out-of-State |
7.23% (from $16,408 to $17,595) |
$17,595 |
| Private Colleges |
23.65% (from $25,071 to $31,000) |
$31,000 |
Note on Degrees: Undergraduate tuition & fees increased by 7.23%, while graduate program tuition & fees increased by 28.13% over the same period.
Living and Other Costs
Living Costs (Room & Board, Other Expenses):
- At Ohio colleges, living costs increased by 32.12% for on-campus and 36.88% for off-campus.
- The average living cost for 2024-2025 is $16,219 (on-campus) and $16,638 (off-campus).
Books & Supplies:
- Books and supplies costs have remained relatively stable (5.00%), with the average cost for 2024-2025 being $1,364.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends
Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased 17.33% when living on campus and 19.21% when living off campus at Ohio Colleges.
In private Ohio Colleges, the COA has increase by 25.71% (on-campus) and 27.20% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.
For the academic year 2024-2025, the total cost of attendance is $35,178 when a student lives on campus and $35,597 when living off campus at Ohio Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of COA for Ohio Colleges over the past 10 years.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends of Ohio Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$21,199 | $29,983 | $38,646 | $21,078 | $29,862 | $38,525 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$21,538
1.60% | $30,403
1.40% | $39,472
2.14% | $21,140
0.29% | $30,005
0.48% | $39,074
1.43% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$21,715
0.82% | $30,829
1.40% | $40,243
1.95% | $21,137
-0.01% | $30,251
0.82% | $39,665
1.51% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$22,545
3.82% | $31,793
3.13% | $40,869
1.56% | $21,736
2.83% | $30,984
2.42% | $40,060
1.00% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$23,000
2.02% | $32,437
2.03% | $42,261
3.41% | $22,164
1.97% | $31,601
1.99% | $41,425
3.41% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$23,448
1.95% | $33,095
2.03% | $43,164
2.14% | $22,736
2.58% | $32,383
2.47% | $42,452
2.48% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$24,051
2.57% | $33,707
1.85% | $43,945
1.81% | $23,041
1.34% | $32,697
0.97% | $42,935
1.14% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$24,527
1.98% | $34,550
2.50% | $44,572
1.43% | $23,430
1.69% | $33,453
2.31% | $43,475
1.26% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$25,056
2.16% | $34,535
-0.04% | $46,148
3.54% | $24,718
5.50% | $34,197
2.22% | $45,810
5.37% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$26,078
4.08% | $35,178
1.86% | $48,583
5.28% | $26,497
7.20% | $35,597
4.09% | $49,002
6.97% |
|---|
Tuition & Fees Changes
For the current year (2025), the average tuition & fees for Ohio Colleges is $9,202 for Ohio residents and $18,308 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $32,335.
For graduate programs, the 2025 average graduate tuition & fees is $14,625 for Ohio residents and $27,863 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $20,280.
The tuition & fees has increased 7.23% for undergraduate programs and 28.13% for graduate programs at Ohio Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.
Tuition & Fees Changes for Ohio Colleges
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$7,624 | $16,408 | $25,071 | $11,286 | $20,948 | $15,900 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$7,636
0.16% | $16,501
0.57% | $25,570
1.99% | $11,563
2.45% | $21,075
0.61% | $16,395
3.11% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$7,536
-1.31% | $16,650
0.90% | $26,064
1.93% | $11,678
0.99% | $21,749
3.20% | $16,367
-0.17% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$8,012
6.32% | $17,260
3.66% | $26,336
1.04% | $11,830
1.30% | $23,146
6.42% | $16,779
2.52% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$8,270
3.22% | $17,707
2.59% | $27,531
4.54% | $11,770
-0.51% | $23,205
0.25% | $17,097
1.90% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$8,491
2.67% | $18,138
2.43% | $28,207
2.46% | $11,770 | $23,477
1.17% | $17,661
3.30% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$8,744
2.98% | $18,400
1.44% | $28,638
1.53% | $12,286
4.38% | $23,626
0.63% | $17,876
1.22% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$8,860
1.33% | $18,883
2.63% | $28,905
0.93% | $12,474
1.53% | $25,601
8.36% | $18,197
1.80% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$8,504
-4.02% | $17,983
-4.77% | $29,596
2.39% | $12,810
2.69% | $26,507
3.54% | $18,555
1.97% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$8,495
-0.11% | $17,595
-2.16% | $31,000
4.74% | $13,603
6.19% | $26,841
1.26% | $19,546
5.34% |
|---|
Books & Supplies Costs Changes
For the current year (2025), the average book & supplies costs is $1,364 for Ohio Colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2016 to 2025.
Books & Supplies Costs Changes for Ohio Colleges
| Year | Books & Supplies |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $1,299 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $1,318
1.46% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $1,301
-1.29% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $1,303
0.15% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $1,261
-3.22% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $1,281
1.59% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $1,279
-0.16% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $1,281
0.16% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $1,326
3.51% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $1,364
2.87% |
|---|
Living Costs Changes
For Ohio Colleges, the living have increased 21.65% when a student lives on campus facilities and 21.12% when living off campus from year 2016 to 2025. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.
Living Costs Changes for Ohio Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $12,276 | $13,044 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $12,584
3.09% | $13,472
-1.15% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $12,878
2.43% | $13,779
0.56% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $13,230
2.91% | $14,074
1.40% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $13,469
1.80% | $14,271
2.31% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $13,676
1.94% | $14,624
2.05% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $14,028
3.03% | $14,968
0.41% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $14,386
2.66% | $15,255
3.05% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $15,226
3.86% | $16,258
10.93% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $16,219
4.98% | $17,513
10.33% |
|---|