Ohio has some of the country's highest tuition rates.
For potential students, the cost of college is a significant concern. Researching costs in advance, and assessing the available scholarships, grants and other financial aid, is an important part of choosing a school. Fortunately, there are excellent resources available to students in Ohio.
Board of Regents
In Ohio, the Board of Regents is responsible for matters of higher education. Its website is filled with useful information about Ohio colleges and universities, and it makes an excellent starting place for any review. According to the board, the average annual tuition for state-supported four-year schools was $6,811 for the 2004/2005 academic year; state-supported two-year colleges averaged $2,965; and four-year private schools averaged $18,658. The board maintains a directory of schools with complete and up-to-date information for the current academic year, broken down by school with specific figures.
National Center for Educational Statistics
Another resource that allows easy comparison of tuition fees is the College Navigator database at the NCES website. The site allows users to pick their state and desired program, then select suitable schools for a head-to-head comparison of criteria, including tuition fees. The search results can be filtered with a high-low range of tuition costs, as well as total student enrollment, admissions selectivity and other detailed information.
Direct Contact
Direct contact is an old-fashioned but still effective technique for comparing costs. Colleges and universities are always prepared to send information packages to potential students. Most college websites have a form for requesting information kits, and some make the details freely available for download. Telephone calls to the registrar's office also work and have the advantage of allowing for real-time interaction with a staffer. Writing to suitable schools is still a viable alternative as well.
General Information
In general, tuition in Ohio is at the high end of the national scale, according to studies quoted on the Board of Regents' website. This is because of a significant decline in state support in recent years, which in turn has been driven by large-scale economic factors. With state support dwindling, schools have been forced to make up a higher percentage of their operating costs from tuition.
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