Best colleges for Registered Nursing in Ohio
Ranked by graduate earnings
Kettering College, Ohio University and Mercy College of Ohio are the top bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in Ohio by graduate earnings. Kettering College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $79,505, College Scorecard. Ohio University, University of Cincinnati and Ohio State University award the most Registered Nursing degrees in Ohio: 1,215, 1,038 and 627 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 113 Ohio colleges offer Registered Nursing and award 12,292 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kettering College Kettering Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $79,505 | 105 | 65% | $15,131 | $36,192 |
| 2 | Ohio University Athens Public · Bachelor's degree | $75,809 | 1,215 | 65% | — | $29,454 |
| 3 | Mercy College of Ohio Toledo Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $73,010 | 171 | 56% | $15,645 | $34,097 |
| 4 | Ohio Northern University Ada Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $72,482 | 30 | 75% | $23,912 | $27,000 |
| 5 | Ashland University Ashland Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $71,445 | 55 | 61% | $21,785 | $30,250 |
| 6 | Ohio State University Columbus Public · Bachelor's degree | $71,175 | 627 | 88% | — | $25,163 |
| 7 | University of Cincinnati Cincinnati Public · Bachelor's degree | $71,105 | 1,038 | 75% | — | $27,000 |
| 8 | University of Toledo Toledo Public · Bachelor's degree | $70,850 | 230 | 57% | — | $22,400 |
| 9 | Xavier University Cincinnati Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $70,473 | 272 | 69% | $31,119 | $27,000 |
| 10 | Capital University Columbus Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $70,365 | 54 | 60% | $22,920 | $27,000 |
Top 10 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio Institute of Allied Health Huber Heights Private not-for-profit · Certificate | $74,851 | 38 | 100% | $38,315 | $26,003 |
| 2 | Ohio Medical Career College Dayton Private for-profit · Certificate | $71,666 | 64 | 79% | $17,231 | $26,331 |
| 3 | Sinclair Community College Dayton Public · Associate degree | $69,403 | 127 | 41% | — | $21,667 |
| 4 | Fortis College - Columbus Westerville Private for-profit · Associate degree | $69,200 | 63 | 40% | $29,428 | $42,650 |
| 5 | Galen College of Nursing - Cincinnati Cincinnati Private for-profit · Associate degree | $68,114 | 151 | 57% | $29,584 | $34,859 |
| 6 | Washington State College of Ohio Marietta Public · Associate degree | $67,695 | 64 | 32% | — | $20,067 |
| 7 | Athena Career Academy Toledo Private for-profit · Certificate | $67,468 | 148 | 52% | $27,012 | $36,820 |
| 8 | Marion Technical College Marion Public · Associate degree | $67,265 | 78 | 31% | — | $15,990 |
| 9 | Collins Career Technical Center Chesapeake Public · Certificate | $66,955 | 111 | 55% | — | $23,629 |
| 10 | Owens Community College Perrysburg Public · Associate degree | $66,756 | 224 | 35% | — | $27,168 |
Colleges awarding the most Registered Nursing degrees in Ohio
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio University Athens Public | 1,215 | $75,809 |
| 2 | University of Cincinnati Cincinnati Public | 1,038 | $71,105 |
| 3 | Ohio State University Columbus Public | 627 | $71,175 |
| 4 | Kent State University at Kent Kent Public | 578 | $66,990 |
| 5 | Youngstown State University Youngstown Public | 402 | $65,668 |
| 6 | Mount Carmel College of Nursing Columbus Private not-for-profit | 296 | $69,969 |
| 7 | Xavier University Cincinnati Private not-for-profit | 272 | $70,473 |
| 8 | Case Western Reserve University Cleveland Private not-for-profit | 234 | $69,389 |
| 9 | University of Toledo Toledo Public | 230 | $70,850 |
| 10 | University of Akron Main Campus Akron Public | 203 | $67,141 |
ShowHide the other 103 Ohio colleges offering Registered Nursing
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141).
Top skills
What Registered Nurses earn in Ohio
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Registered Nursing programs in Ohio.
Which Ohio colleges award the most Registered Nursing degrees?+
Ohio University (1,215 graduates a year), University of Cincinnati (1,038 graduates a year) and Ohio State University (627 graduates a year) award the most Registered Nursing degrees in Ohio, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 113 Ohio colleges offer Registered Nursing.
What is the best college for Registered Nursing in Ohio?+
By graduate earnings, Kettering College leads among bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in Ohio, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $79,505, College Scorecard. Ohio University and Mercy College of Ohio follow. By degrees awarded, Ohio University is the largest, with 1,215 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Registered Nursing program in Ohio has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Kettering College tops the list at $79,505. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Registered Nurses earn in Ohio?+
The average annual wage for Registered Nurses in Ohio is $87,730 (median $82,510), across about 143,730 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Registered Nursing program?+
The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Registered Nurses?+
The national job outlook is about +4.9% growth with around 189,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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