Best Computer Programmer programs in Ohio, ranked by enrollment
Create, modify, and test the code and scripts that allow computer applications to run. Work from specifications drawn up by software and web developers or other individuals.
60 schools in Ohio run programs that feed this job, graduating 3,240 people a year. The job pays a median of $85,270 in Ohio across about 2,100 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Ohio that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
11 programs in Ohio that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Ohio (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Ohio page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 11.0701In Ohio → | 1,803 | 55.6% | 37 | $70,374 | $23,250 |
| 2 | Computer Programming/Programmer, Generalmain feeder CIP 11.0201In Ohio → | 530 | 16.4% | 17 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 3 | Computer Programming, Specific Applicationsmain feeder CIP 11.0202In Ohio → | 269 | 8.3% | 7 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 4 | CIP 52.1201In Ohio → | 255 | 7.9% | 12 | $59,352 | $24,618 |
| 5 | CIP 30.7101In Ohio → | 155 | 4.8% | 9 | — | — |
| 6 | CIP 15.1204In Ohio → | 75 | 2.3% | 4 | $48,829 | $21,696 |
| 7 | CIP 11.0804In Ohio → | 43 | 1.3% | 2 | $33,504 | $27,000 |
| 8 | CIP 11.0803In Ohio → | 39 | 1.2% | 3 | $33,504 | $27,000 |
| 9 | Computer Game Programmingmain feeder CIP 11.0204In Ohio → | 36 | 1.1% | 1 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 10 | CIP 11.0203In Ohio → | 29 | 0.9% | 1 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 11 | CIP 30.7199In Ohio → | 6 | 0.2% | 1 | — | — |
Top 25 schools in Ohio
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 18 of the 60 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Dayton Dayton, OH Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 372 | Computer Science | $74,052 | 80% | $28,560 | 65% |
| 2 | Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH Public · 1 feeder programs | 304 | Computer Science | $60,051 | 64% | — | 86% |
| 3 | Miami University - Oxford Oxford, OH Public · 3 feeder programs | 268 | Computer Science | — | 80% | — | 75% |
| 4 | Youngstown State University Youngstown, OH Public · 3 feeder programs | 260 | Computer Programming/Programmer, General | — | 50% | — | 84% |
| 5 | Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 251 | Computer Science | $95,688 | 87% | $27,976 | 37% |
| 6 | Cleveland State University Cleveland, OH Public · 1 feeder programs | 216 | Computer Science | $68,280 | 51% | — | 91% |
| 7 | Stark State College North Canton, OH Public · 3 feeder programs | 153 | Computer Programming, Specific Applications | — | 23% | — | — |
| 8 | Sinclair Community College Dayton, OH Public · 3 feeder programs | 137 | Computer Software Technology/Technician | $60,462 | 41% | — | — |
| 9 | Ohio University - Main Campus Athens, OH Public · 3 feeder programs | 129 | Computer Science | $73,932 | 65% | — | 85% |
| 10 | Columbus State Community College Columbus, OH Public · 2 feeder programs | 112 | Computer Programming, Specific Applications | — | 28% | — | — |
| 11 | Franklin University Columbus, OH Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 104 | Computer Science | $76,264 | 11% | $22,280 | — |
| 12 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH Public · 1 feeder programs | 100 | Management Information Systems, General | $72,017 | 88% | — | 61% |
| 13 | Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management Wright-Patterson AFB, OH Public · 2 feeder programs | 82 | Data Analytics, General | — | — | — | — |
| 14 | University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OH Public · 3 feeder programs | 76 | Computer Programming/Programmer, General | — | 75% | — | 85% |
| 15 | Cuyahoga Community College District Cleveland, OH Public · 1 feeder programs | 63 | Computer Programming/Programmer, General | $33,937 | 31% | — | — |
| 16 | Terra State Community College Fremont, OH Public · 1 feeder programs | 56 | Computer Programming/Programmer, General | — | 39% | — | — |
| 17 | Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Cincinnati, OH Public · 3 feeder programs | 48 | Computer Programming, Specific Applications | $55,996 | 16% | — | — |
| 18 | Cedarville University Cedarville, OH Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 44 | Computer Science | $76,615 | 73% | $22,701 | 65% |
| 19 | The College of Wooster Wooster, OH Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 40 | Computer Science | — | 74% | $22,491 | 60% |
| 20 | University of Akron Main Campus Akron, OH Public · 2 feeder programs | 38 | Computer Programming/Programmer, General | $64,311 | 52% | — | 60% |
| 21 | Denison University Granville, OH Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 35 | Computer Science | — | 79% | $23,864 | 17% |
| 22 | Xavier University Cincinnati, OH Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 31 | Computer Science | $73,546 | 69% | $31,119 | 86% |
| 23 | Shawnee State University Portsmouth, OH Public · 2 feeder programs | 24 | Computer Programming/Programmer, General | — | 48% | — | — |
| 24 | John Carroll University University Heights, OH Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 20 | Computer Science | $65,716 | 79% | $25,705 | 81% |
| 25 | Baldwin Wallace University Berea, OH Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 19 | Computer Science | — | 67% | $25,104 | 76% |
All 60 schools in Ohio
Every school in Ohio with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Dayton | Dayton | Private not-for-profit | 372 | 3 |
| Kent State University at Kent | Kent | Public | 304 | 1 |
| Miami University - Oxford | Oxford | Public | 268 | 3 |
| Youngstown State University | Youngstown | Public | 260 | 3 |
| Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland | Private not-for-profit | 251 | 2 |
| Cleveland State University | Cleveland | Public | 216 | 1 |
| Stark State College | North Canton | Public | 153 | 3 |
| Sinclair Community College | Dayton | Public | 137 | 3 |
| Ohio University - Main Campus | Athens | Public | 129 | 3 |
| Columbus State Community College | Columbus | Public | 112 | 2 |
| Franklin University | Columbus | Private not-for-profit | 104 | 2 |
| Ohio State University - Main Campus | Columbus | Public | 100 | 1 |
| Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management | Wright-Patterson AFB | Public | 82 | 2 |
| University of Cincinnati - Main Campus | Cincinnati | Public | 76 | 3 |
| Cuyahoga Community College District | Cleveland | Public | 63 | 1 |
What computer programmers earn in Ohio
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $100,390. Ohio pays below the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in Ohio
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Computer Programmers page.
How to become a Computer Programmer
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Ohio
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 17 majors mapped to Computer Programmers17 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 11.0201Computer Programming/Programmer, General
- 11.0202Computer Programming, Specific Applications
- 11.0203Computer Programming, Vendor/Product Certification
- 11.0204Computer Game Programming
- 11.0205Computer Programming, Specific Platforms
- 11.0299Computer Programming, Other
- 11.0701Computer Science
- 11.0803Computer Graphics
- 11.0804Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation
- 11.0902Cloud Computing
- 15.1204Computer Software Technology/Technician
- 30.3001Computational Science
- 30.7101Data Analytics, General
- 30.7103Data Visualization
- 30.7199Data Analytics, Other
- 51.0709Medical Office Computer Specialist/Assistant
- 52.1201Management Information Systems, General
Common questions
Answers for people weighing computer programmers programs in Ohio.
What degree do you need to become a Computer Programmer?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Computer Science, which awarded 1,803 degrees in Ohio in 2024-25, 55.6% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Computer Programmer?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 11 programs to this occupation. The largest are Computer Science, Computer Programming, Management Information Systems and Services, Data Analytics, plus 2 more. Together they graduate about 3,240 people a year in Ohio.
How much do computer programmers earn in Ohio?+
The median is $85,270 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 15.1% below the U.S. median of $100,390. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for computer programmers growing?+
BLS projects a -6.0% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, decline, with roughly 5,500 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Ohio?+
60 institutions in Ohio reported graduates from at least one of the 11 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do computer programmers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Programmer, Analyst Programmer, Programmer Analyst, Computer Programmer among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 15-1251.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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