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Most selective colleges in Ohio

Updated Federal and Common Data Set numbers, each with its year

The short answer

The most selective four-year colleges in Ohio are Denison University (20% admitted), Kenyon College (30% admitted) and Oberlin College (33% admitted), by acceptance rate.

Selective here means a low acceptance rate: the share of applicants the college admitted. A low rate says how many people a college turns away, not how good a fit it is for you. Each row also shows the average price after grants.

The list (25 of 54)

Four-year colleges in Ohio with 500 or more undergraduates, lowest acceptance rate first. The list shows 25 of the 54 colleges with an acceptance rate on file. Rates come from IPEDS (fall 2024) for 20 colleges and each college's own Common Data Set (fall 2025) for 5 colleges.

  1. Denison University 20% admitted Granville, OH · Average price after grants: $40,163 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  2. Kenyon College 30% admitted Gambier, OH · Average price after grants: $33,279 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  3. Oberlin College 33% admitted Oberlin, OH · Average price after grants: $41,987 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  4. Case Western Reserve University 35% admitted Cleveland, OH · Average price after grants: $44,622 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  5. Ohio Christian University 38% admitted Circleville, OH · Average price after grants: $19,197 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  6. Wilberforce University 41% admitted Wilberforce, OH · Average price after grants: $16,221 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  7. Good Samaritan College of Nursing and Health Science 46% admitted Cincinnati, OH · Average price after grants: $17,041 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  8. Ohio Wesleyan University 56% admitted Delaware, OH · Average price after grants: $20,196 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  9. Franciscan University of Steubenville 58% admitted Steubenville, OH · Average price after grants: $24,629 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  10. The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences 59% admitted Cincinnati, OH · Average price after grants: $17,566 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  11. Mount St. Joseph University 59% admitted Cincinnati, OH · Average price after grants: $19,231 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  12. University of Akron Main Campus 60% admitted Akron, OH · Average price after grants: $13,072 a year in-state, about $20,752 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  13. Ohio State University 61% admitted Columbus, OH · Average price after grants: $17,269 a year in-state, about $46,051 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  14. Cleveland Institute of Art 61% admitted Cleveland, OH · Average price after grants: $31,184 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  15. The College of Wooster 64% admitted Wooster, OH · Average price after grants: $26,433 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  16. Cedarville University 65% admitted Cedarville, OH · Average price after grants: $23,335 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  17. University of Dayton 65% admitted Dayton, OH · Average price after grants: $30,366 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  18. Bluffton University 67% admitted Bluffton, OH · Average price after grants: $21,315 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  19. Columbus College of Art & Design 68% admitted Columbus, OH · Average price after grants: $27,723 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  20. Capital University 70% admitted Columbus, OH · Average price after grants: $20,550 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  21. Lake Erie College 70% admitted Painesville, OH · Average price after grants: $13,324 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  22. Walsh University 71% admitted North Canton, OH · Average price after grants: $19,588 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  23. Wittenberg University 72% admitted Springfield, OH · Average price after grants: $23,310 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  24. Ohio Northern University 74% admitted Ada, OH · Average price after grants: $23,969 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  25. Ursuline College 75% admitted Pepper Pike, OH · Average price after grants: $17,186 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
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What are the most selective colleges in Ohio?

The most selective four-year colleges in Ohio are Denison University (20% admitted), Kenyon College (30% admitted) and Oberlin College (33% admitted), by acceptance rate.

How many colleges on this list admit fewer than half of applicants?

7 of the 25 colleges listed admitted fewer than half of their applicants.

How recent are these acceptance rates?

Each row shows its year. Rates come from IPEDS, the federal college survey, for students who applied for fall 2024, or from the college's own Common Data Set for fall 2025 where that is newer.

Numbers change each year when colleges and the Department of Education publish new data. Confirm costs and admission rules with the college before you apply.

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