Ranking

Best Design and Applied Arts Colleges in Ohio 2026

40 Ohio colleges offering Design and Applied Arts, ranked by EduGradify value grade.

Schools ranked: 25
Cheapest net price: $7,606
Top earnings 10y: $80,928
Public / Private: 12 / 13

Lakeland Community College

Kirtland, OH · Public

ROI score: 13.02
Net price: $7,606
Earnings 10y: $39,612
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Wright State University-Lake Campus

Celina, OH · Public

ROI score: 11.17
Net price: $11,081
Earnings 10y: $49,500
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Zane State College

Zanesville, OH · Public

ROI score: 10.86
Net price: $8,062
Earnings 10y: $35,006
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH · Public

ROI score: 8.83
Net price: $14,764
Earnings 10y: $52,131
Acceptance: 91.3%

Ursuline College

Pepper Pike, OH · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 8.80
Net price: $16,164
Earnings 10y: $56,878
Acceptance: 74.9%

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Columbus, OH · Public

ROI score: 8.71
Net price: $17,339
Earnings 10y: $60,409
Acceptance: 60.6%

University of Akron Main Campus

Akron, OH · Public

ROI score: 8.35
Net price: $13,946
Earnings 10y: $46,600
Acceptance: 59.7%

University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College

Blue Ash, OH · Public

ROI score: 8.30
Net price: $16,508
Earnings 10y: $54,810
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Ohio Northern University

Ada, OH · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 8.27
Net price: $24,478
Earnings 10y: $80,928
Acceptance: 74.4%

#10

Mount St. Joseph University

Cincinnati, OH · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 7.79
Net price: $16,530
Earnings 10y: $51,509
Acceptance: 59.1%

#11

Northwest State Community College

Archbold, OH · Public

ROI score: 7.38
Net price: $13,555
Earnings 10y: $40,004
Acceptance: Open / not reported

#12

University of Toledo

Toledo, OH · Public

ROI score: 7.34
Net price: $17,249
Earnings 10y: $50,632
Acceptance: 92%

#13

Walsh University

North Canton, OH · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 7.29
Net price: $20,493
Earnings 10y: $59,764
Acceptance: 70.7%

#14

Otterbein University

Westerville, OH · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 6.93
Net price: $19,237
Earnings 10y: $53,313
Acceptance: 84.5%

#15

Hocking College

Nelsonville, OH · Public

ROI score: 6.89
Net price: $13,704
Earnings 10y: $37,791
Acceptance: Open / not reported

#16

Shawnee State University

Portsmouth, OH · Public

ROI score: 6.88
Net price: $14,381
Earnings 10y: $39,596
Acceptance: Open / not reported

#17

Marietta College

Marietta, OH · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 6.78
Net price: $21,083
Earnings 10y: $57,180
Acceptance: 79.3%

#18

Hiram College

Hiram, OH · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 6.45
Net price: $21,058
Earnings 10y: $54,311
Acceptance: 93.5%

#19

Ohio Dominican University

Columbus, OH · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 6.44
Net price: $20,079
Earnings 10y: $51,748
Acceptance: 94.2%

#20

University of Dayton

Dayton, OH · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 6.39
Net price: $29,533
Earnings 10y: $75,537
Acceptance: 65.5%

#21

Bluffton University

Bluffton, OH · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 6.21
Net price: $19,943
Earnings 10y: $49,547
Acceptance: 67.2%

#22

Ohio University-Main Campus

Athens, OH · Public

ROI score: 6.08
Net price: $21,637
Earnings 10y: $52,581
Acceptance: 85%

#23

Ashland University

Ashland, OH · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 6.02
Net price: $21,988
Earnings 10y: $52,928
Acceptance: 76.4%

#24

Heidelberg University

Tiffin, OH · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 5.89
Net price: $20,556
Earnings 10y: $48,466
Acceptance: 85.8%

#25

Cedarville University

Cedarville, OH · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 5.66
Net price: $24,468
Earnings 10y: $55,443
Acceptance: 65.3%

How we picked this list

This list starts with Ohio schools with positive Design and Applied Arts program-share evidence, then sorts by EduGradify's school-wide ROI proxy: ten-year median earnings weighed against average net price. The set's average EduGradify ROI score is 7.71 (12 public, 13 private).

Every figure comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. See our full methodology for the formulas.

FAQ

Who leads this ranking?

Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, OH tops this ranking. EduGradify value grade is A.

How does EduGradify pick this list?

We rank this set by roi score using the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard — see our methodology for the full formula. No paid placements, no surveys.

How many Ohio colleges are in this list?

40 Ohio colleges qualified for this ranking based on available federal data.

What does net price mean here?

Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — not the sticker price. It is reported by each college to the U.S. Department of Education.