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 | Kenyon College | 2249 | 31.03 | 1,380 – 1,490 | 46859 | 46627 |
#1
Kenyon College
|
| 2 | Case Western Reserve University | 6528 | 36.54 | 1,430 – 1,530 | 44000 | 75613 |
Case Western Reserve University
|
| 3 | Denison University | 2394 | 17.39 | 1,350 – 1,480 | 43721 | 51352 |
Denison University
|
| 4 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 46815 | 60.57 | 1,310 – 1,450 | 19783 | 51438 |
Ohio State University-Main Campus
|
| 5 | Oberlin College | 2896 | 34.18 | 1,380 – 1,520 | 51624 | 38871 |
Oberlin College
|
| 6 | Miami University-Oxford | 16816 | 75.4 | 1,220 – 1,380 | 28229 | 49773 |
#6
Miami University-Oxford
|
| 7 | University of Dayton | 7740 | 65.45 | 1,210 – 1,400 | 32794 | 62477 |
#7
University of Dayton
|
| 8 | John Carroll University | 2339 | 80.9 | 1,200 – 1,390 | 30030 | 53187 |
#8
John Carroll University
|
| 9 | The College of Wooster | 1738 | 59.53 | 1,250 – 1,460 | 28004 | 43895 |
#9
The College of Wooster
|
| 10 | Cedarville University | 5790 | 65.29 | 1,120 – 1,350 | 27150 | 47937 |
Cedarville University
|
| 11 | Franciscan University of Steubenville | 3219 | 58.36 | 1,110 – 1,350 | 23086 | 42037 |
Franciscan University of Steubenville
|
| 12 | Cleveland Institute of Art | 545 | 61.35 | 1,050 – 1,310 | 30837 | 33148 |
Cleveland Institute of Art
|
| 13 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 1525 | 55.6 | 1,180 – 1,390 | 23006 | 42495 |
Ohio Wesleyan University
|
| 14 | Xavier University | 4239 | 86.41 | 1,110 – 1,330 | 33623 | 54758 |
Xavier University
|
| 15 | Ohio Northern University | 2706 | 74.4 | 1,180 – 1,360 | 25941 | 62686 |
Ohio Northern University
|
| 16 | Otterbein University | 2211 | 84.53 | 1,110 – 1,310 | 20457 | 44539 |
#16
Otterbein University
|
| 17 | Baldwin Wallace University | 2862 | 75.7 | 1,090 – 1,320 | 27991 | 44972 |
#17
Baldwin Wallace University
|
| 18 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 33033 | 85.29 | 1,180 – 1,350 | 24696 | 48310 |
#18
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
|
| 19 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 20444 | 84.99 | 1,110 – 1,310 | 21907 | 48991 |
#19
Ohio University-Main Campus
|
| 20 | Mount Carmel College of Nursing | 534 | 84.29 | 930 – 1,080 | 10065 | 68161 |
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
|
| 21 | Mount Vernon Nazarene University | 1359 | 84.15 | 990 – 1,230 | 22961 | 43046 |
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
|
| 22 | Cleveland Institute of Music | 159 | 47.31 | -- | 29683 | 20170 |
Cleveland Institute of Music
|
| 23 | Capital University | 1609 | 70.22 | 960 – 1,210 | 22395 | 45767 |
Capital University
|
| 24 | University of Mount Union | 2207 | 78.2 | 960 – 1,220 | 23616 | 45919 |
University of Mount Union
|
| 25 | Columbus College of Art & Design | 884 | 67.66 | 970 – 1,190 | 31801 | 30590 |
Columbus College of Art & Design
|
| 26 | Kent State University at Kent | 20841 | 86.34 | 990 – 1,220 | 21278 | 40179 |
Kent State University at Kent
|
| 27 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 14783 | 80.96 | 1,010 – 1,240 | 24283 | 41281 |
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus
|
| 28 | The University of Findlay | 4062 | 83.37 | 1,010 – 1,240 | 27297 | 49757 |
The University of Findlay
|
| 29 | Ashland University | 2977 | 76.4 | 1,040 – 1,210 | 22610 | 47722 |
Ashland University
|
| 30 | Walsh University | 1523 | 70.74 | 1,040 – 1,280 | 23933 | 50090 |
Walsh University
|
| 31 | Kettering College | 575 | 76.54 | 1,010 – 1,180 | 22036 | 60692 |
Kettering College
|
| 32 | University of Toledo | 11013 | 92.02 | 1,130 – 1,330 | 17844 | 44162 |
University of Toledo
|
| 33 | Heidelberg University | 969 | 85.79 | 1,020 – 1,180 | 19447 | 41440 |
Heidelberg University
|
| 34 | Muskingum University | 1523 | 81.84 | 930 – 1,110 | 19695 | 40536 |
Muskingum University
|
| 35 | Wittenberg University | 1227 | 72.35 | 1,060 – 1,300 | 23537 | 42437 |
Wittenberg University
|
| 36 | Malone University | 992 | 75.86 | 970 – 1,180 | 22390 | 43056 |
Malone University
|
| 37 | Shawnee State University | 2994 | 68.91 | 980 – 1,190 | 13996 | 35080 |
Shawnee State University
|
| 38 | Hiram College | 1026 | 93.53 | 890 – 1,170 | 21868 | 40270 |
Hiram College
|
| 39 | Gods Bible School and College | 409 | 75.32 | 960 – 1,170 | 13252 | 29555 |
Gods Bible School and College
|
| 40 | Wilmington College | 1006 | 92.4 | 890 – 1,150 | 26548 | 41889 |
#40
Wilmington College
|
| 41 | Mount St. Joseph University | 1545 | 59.12 | 1,020 – 1,270 | 17094 | 43595 |
Mount St. Joseph University
|
| 42 | Marietta College | 1023 | 79.31 | 960 – 1,190 | 22007 | 51252 |
Marietta College
|
| 43 | Youngstown State University | 9400 | 84.45 | 1,010 – 1,220 | 12757 | 37590 |
Youngstown State University
|
| 44 | Ohio Dominican University | 843 | 94.23 | 1,040 – 1,310 | 21032 | 43933 |
Ohio Dominican University
|
| 45 | University of Akron Main Campus | 11160 | 59.67 | 930 – 1,210 | 14693 | 42269 |
University of Akron Main Campus
|
| 46 | Ursuline College | 677 | 74.93 | 1,030 – 1,200 | 16350 | 45646 |
Ursuline College
|
| 47 | Cleveland State University | 9482 | 91.3 | 930 – 1,210 | 16230 | 44625 |
Cleveland State University
|
| 48 | The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences | 717 | 58.94 | 850 – 1,210 | 18892 | 64942 |
The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences
|
| 49 | Tiffin University | 2842 | 80.05 | 870 – 1,090 | 26068 | 42475 |
Tiffin University
|
| 50 | Bluffton University | 583 | 67.23 | 890 – 1,120 | 20429 | 41940 |
Bluffton University
|
| 51 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 7505 | 96.33 | 930 – 1,220 | 15254 | 42229 |
Wright State University-Main Campus
|
| 52 | Wilberforce University | 822 | 40.5 | 850 – 1,080 | 5533 | 35146 |
Wilberforce University
|
| 53 | Antioch College | 121 | 89.13 | 1,010 – 1,240 | 15964 | 32114 |
#53
Antioch College
|
| 54 | Ohio Christian University | 1288 | 37.97 | 850 – 930 | 20290 | 34457 |
Ohio Christian University
|
| 55 | Art Academy of Cincinnati | 206 | 34.49 | 740 – 1,170 | 33491 | 27483 |
#55
Art Academy of Cincinnati
|
| 56 | Lake Erie College | 941 | 70.36 | 970 – 1,180 | 22892 | 43959 |
Lake Erie College
|
| 57 | Defiance College | 529 | 47.55 | 970 – 1,080 | 26298 | 39303 |
Defiance College
|
| 58 | University of Northwestern Ohio | 2495 | 0 | -- | 21853 | 45639 | |
| 59 | Central State University | 2665 | 98.61 | 800 – 970 | 11398 | 27173 |
Central State University
|
| 60 | Mercy College of Ohio | 984 | 93.22 | 840 – 1,040 | 15311 | 61877 |
Mercy College of Ohio
|
| 61 | Franklin University | 6188 | 0 | -- | 25576 | 49189 | |
| 62 | Miami University-Middletown | 1190 | 0 | -- | 10574 | 49773 | |
| 63 | Ohio University-Zanesville Campus | 2009 | 0 | -- | 5957 | 48991 | |
| 64 | Ohio University-Eastern Campus | 1235 | 0 | -- | 4730 | 48991 | |
| 65 | Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus | 2170 | 0 | -- | 6032 | 48991 | |
| 66 | University of Rio Grande | 2037 | 0 | -- | 24061 | 34323 | |
| 67 | Ohio University-Southern Campus | 1716 | 0 | -- | 6014 | 48991 | |
| 68 | Miami University-Hamilton | 2438 | 0 | -- | 9786 | 49773 | |
| 69 | Ohio University-Lancaster Campus | 2127 | 0 | -- | 5854 | 48991 | |
| 70 | Herzing University-Akron | 393 | 94.57 | -- | 18434 | 35295 |
#70
Herzing University-Akron
|
| 71 | Kent State University at Tuscarawas | 2099 | 0 | -- | 12576 | 40179 | |
| 72 | Ohio State University-Lima Campus | 720 | 0 | -- | 12862 | 51438 | |
| 73 | Chamberlain University-Ohio | 257 | 87.5 | -- | 31544 | 84533 |
#73
Chamberlain University-Ohio
|
| 74 | Kent State University at Salem | 1633 | 0 | -- | 13301 | 40179 | |
| 75 | Ohio State University-Marion Campus | 849 | 0 | -- | 13191 | 51438 | |
| 76 | Ohio State University-Mansfield Campus | 849 | 0 | -- | 15634 | 51438 | |
| 77 | Ohio State University-Newark Campus | 2543 | 0 | -- | 14144 | 51438 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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