The Top 50 Best Colleges in the US is College Raptor’s most prestigious rankings list. Updated annually, these schools are celebrated for their rich histories, stunning campuses, excellent academics, and vibrant student life. The institutions on this list are known for both academic excellence and impressive extracurricular opportunities, making them “dream schools” for students around the world. Use these rankings as a jumping-off point for you to create your own personalized rankings using our college match tool.
Each of these rankings is based on an analysis of data about the school’s selectivity, financial health, graduation rates, student success, and more. We’ve outlined our full methodology here.
| Rank | Institution | Undergraduates | Acceptance Rate | SAT Score | Your Est. Net Price Avg. Net Price | Median Starting Salary | Save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Case Western Reserve University | 6657 | 37.78 | 1,430 – 1,530 | 44000 | 62500 |
Case Western Reserve University
|
| 2 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 46627 | 49.2 | 1,310 – 1,450 | 19783 | 60000 |
Ohio State University-Main Campus
|
| 3 | Kenyon College | 2052 | 30.15 | 1,380 – 1,490 | 46859 | 45900 |
#3
Kenyon College
|
| 4 | Denison University | 2458 | 19.55 | 1,350 – 1,480 | 43721 | 55100 |
Denison University
|
| 5 | Oberlin College | 2896 | 34.16 | 1,380 – 1,520 | 51624 | 45800 |
Oberlin College
|
| 6 | Miami University-Oxford | 16405 | 74 | 1,220 – 1,380 | 28229 | 57700 |
#6
Miami University-Oxford
|
| 7 | University of Dayton | 7252 | 66.59 | 1,210 – 1,400 | 32794 | 58700 |
#7
University of Dayton
|
| 8 | John Carroll University | 2408 | 77.32 | 1,200 – 1,390 | 30030 | 57600 |
#8
John Carroll University
|
| 9 | The College of Wooster | 1515 | 64.38 | 1,250 – 1,460 | 28004 | 50100 |
#9
The College of Wooster
|
| 10 | Cedarville University | 5794 | 65.29 | 1,120 – 1,350 | 27150 | 55200 |
#10
Cedarville University
|
| 11 | Xavier University | 3744 | 84.8 | 1,110 – 1,330 | 33623 | 56100 |
Xavier University
|
| 12 | Ohio Northern University | 2706 | 73.84 | 1,180 – 1,360 | 25941 | 57400 |
#12
Ohio Northern University
|
| 13 | Franciscan University of Steubenville | 3219 | 58.36 | 1,110 – 1,350 | 23086 | 49600 |
Franciscan University of Steubenville
|
| 14 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 34447 | 88.04 | 1,180 – 1,350 | 24696 | 61900 |
#14
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
|
| 15 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 1652 | 64.41 | 1,180 – 1,390 | 23006 | 54400 |
#15
Ohio Wesleyan University
|
| 16 | Cleveland Institute of Music | 160 | 47.31 | -- | 29683 | 33900 |
Cleveland Institute of Music
|
| 17 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 20786 | 86.89 | 1,110 – 1,310 | 21907 | 62700 |
Ohio University-Main Campus
|
| 18 | Baldwin Wallace University | 2532 | 77.39 | 1,090 – 1,320 | 27991 | 59200 |
Baldwin Wallace University
|
| 19 | Cleveland Institute of Art | 545 | 61.35 | 1,050 – 1,310 | 30837 | 50100 |
Cleveland Institute of Art
|
| 20 | Otterbein University | 2292 | 83.88 | 1,110 – 1,310 | 20457 | 56600 |
Otterbein University
|
| 21 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 15273 | 80.89 | 1,010 – 1,240 | 24283 | 56100 |
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus
|
| 22 | Kent State University at Kent | 21144 | 76.03 | 990 – 1,220 | 21278 | 58800 |
Kent State University at Kent
|
| 23 | Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences | 286 | 45.88 | 850 – 1,210 | 19523 | 60000 |
Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences
|
| 24 | Mount Vernon Nazarene University | 1592 | 84.15 | 990 – 1,230 | 22961 | 58600 |
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
|
| 25 | The University of Findlay | 4132 | 67.48 | 1,010 – 1,240 | 27297 | 60500 |
The University of Findlay
|
| 26 | University of Toledo | 10726 | 88.89 | 1,130 – 1,330 | 17844 | 61200 |
University of Toledo
|
| 27 | Kettering College | 575 | 76.54 | 1,010 – 1,180 | 22036 | 63400 |
#27
Kettering College
|
| 28 | Ashland University | 2977 | 76.4 | 1,040 – 1,210 | 22610 | 61900 |
Ashland University
|
| 29 | Marietta College | 882 | 78.2 | 960 – 1,190 | 22007 | 60100 |
Marietta College
|
| 30 | University of Mount Union | 2207 | 78.2 | 960 – 1,220 | 23616 | 55500 |
University of Mount Union
|
| 31 | Heidelberg University | 1002 | 82 | 1,020 – 1,180 | 19447 | 57800 |
Heidelberg University
|
| 32 | Capital University | 1642 | 65.01 | 960 – 1,210 | 22395 | 59400 |
Capital University
|
| 33 | Mount Carmel College of Nursing | 534 | 84.29 | 930 – 1,080 | 10065 | 60400 |
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
|
| 34 | Walsh University | 1523 | 70.74 | 1,040 – 1,280 | 23933 | 57700 |
Walsh University
|
| 35 | Columbus College of Art & Design | 885 | 67.66 | 970 – 1,190 | 31801 | 49900 |
Columbus College of Art & Design
|
| 36 | Wittenberg University | 1012 | 80.46 | 1,060 – 1,300 | 23537 | 55700 |
Wittenberg University
|
| 37 | Ursuline College | 677 | 74.79 | 1,030 – 1,200 | 16350 | 61800 |
Ursuline College
|
| 38 | Mount St. Joseph University | 1268 | 91.28 | 1,020 – 1,270 | 17094 | 61200 |
Mount St. Joseph University
|
| 39 | Malone University | 946 | 76.23 | 970 – 1,180 | 22390 | 58600 |
Malone University
|
| 40 | Gods Bible School and College | 409 | 75.32 | 960 – 1,170 | 13252 | 52900 |
#40
Gods Bible School and College
|
| 41 | Muskingum University | 1428 | 81.01 | 930 – 1,110 | 19695 | 58200 |
Muskingum University
|
| 42 | Mercy College of Ohio | 984 | 93.22 | 840 – 1,040 | 15311 | 60600 |
Mercy College of Ohio
|
| 43 | Hiram College | 991 | 97.48 | 970 – 1,180 | 21868 | 58900 |
Hiram College
|
| 44 | University of Akron Main Campus | 11691 | 77.22 | 930 – 1,210 | 14693 | 59200 |
University of Akron Main Campus
|
| 45 | Youngstown State University | 9687 | 91.45 | 1,010 – 1,220 | 12757 | 57400 |
Youngstown State University
|
| 46 | Antioch College | 115 | 45.68 | 1,010 – 1,240 | 15964 | 49500 |
Antioch College
|
| 47 | Cleveland State University | 9418 | 91.3 | 930 – 1,210 | 16230 | 62500 |
Cleveland State University
|
| 48 | Wilmington College | 1006 | 92.4 | 890 – 1,150 | 26548 | 60500 |
Wilmington College
|
| 49 | Ohio Dominican University | 787 | 93.87 | 1,040 – 1,310 | 21032 | 62200 |
#49
Ohio Dominican University
|
| 50 | The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences | 717 | 58.94 | 850 – 1,210 | 18892 | 59600 |
The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences
|
| 51 | Bluffton University | 584 | 67.23 | 890 – 1,120 | 20429 | 56900 |
Bluffton University
|
| 52 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 7747 | 96.17 | 930 – 1,220 | 15254 | 62700 |
#52
Wright State University-Main Campus
|
| 53 | Tiffin University | 2842 | 80.07 | 870 – 1,090 | 26068 | 63500 |
#53
Tiffin University
|
| 54 | Ohio Christian University | 1288 | 37.97 | 850 – 930 | 20290 | 62100 |
Ohio Christian University
|
| 55 | Kent State University at Stark | 3628 | 87.85 | 880 – 1,050 | 10861 | 60100 |
Kent State University at Stark
|
| 56 | Lake Erie College | 941 | 70.36 | 970 – 1,180 | 22892 | 61800 |
Lake Erie College
|
| 57 | University of Rio Grande | 2037 | 0 | -- | 24061 | 59100 | |
| 58 | Defiance College | 529 | 50 | 970 – 1,080 | 26298 | 57400 |
Defiance College
|
| 59 | Art Academy of Cincinnati | 206 | 32.22 | 740 – 1,170 | 33491 | 49800 |
Art Academy of Cincinnati
|
| 60 | Kent State University at Salem | 1939 | 77.33 | -- | 13301 | 59700 |
Kent State University at Salem
|
| 61 | Kent State University at Tuscarawas | 2273 | 78.2 | 750 – 990 | 12576 | 59800 |
Kent State University at Tuscarawas
|
| 62 | Kent State University at Trumbull | 1907 | 68.3 | 850 – 1,080 | 11562 | 59600 |
Kent State University at Trumbull
|
| 63 | Wilberforce University | 822 | 40.5 | 850 – 1,080 | 5533 | 62600 |
#63
Wilberforce University
|
| 64 | Ohio State University-Lima Campus | 727 | 99.43 | -- | 12862 | 59500 |
Ohio State University-Lima Campus
|
| 65 | Kent State University at Geauga | 2440 | 90.11 | 800 – 1,030 | 11886 | 60100 |
Kent State University at Geauga
|
| 66 | Kent State University at East Liverpool | 1133 | 64.19 | 850 – 1,040 | 14377 | 59600 |
#66
Kent State University at East Liverpool
|
| 67 | Central State University | 2151 | 84.51 | 800 – 970 | 11398 | 63900 |
#67
Central State University
|
| 68 | Ohio State University-Marion Campus | 926 | 99.44 | -- | 13191 | 59700 |
Ohio State University-Marion Campus
|
| 69 | Ohio State University-Mansfield Campus | 911 | 99.56 | -- | 15634 | 59600 |
#69
Ohio State University-Mansfield Campus
|
| 70 | Franklin University | 6188 | 86.33 | -- | 25576 | 60000 |
Franklin University
|
| 71 | Ohio State University-Newark Campus | 2877 | 99.48 | -- | 14144 | 59800 |
#71
Ohio State University-Newark Campus
|
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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