2025 Top Online Community Colleges in Ohio

Making the move to university education can be difficult and expensive, which is why many choose a smaller step: attending community college.

Whether you're getting a certificate and technical degree for your career or want to complete your prerequisites before moving on to university education, a community college is the ideal choice for you.

Today, you can learn about the top online community colleges, ways that you can save on tuition at them, and what careers you can pursue after earning community college degrees.

Featured Community Colleges Online in Ohio

Recent high school graduates and working professionals who want to enhance their careers with a degree can get their start with one of the online community colleges in Ohio below.

1. Sinclair Community College

Sinclair Community College (Sinclair) is a public community college in Dayton, Ohio, that's accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

In addition to offering over 300 online courses, Sinclair offers full certificate and degree programs online for students who need flexibility and a self-paced learning experience.

Sinclair's eLearning associate's programs include communication studies, computer science, business management, legal studies, psychology, and more.

2. Columbus State Community College

Columbus State Community College (CSCC) is a public community college in Columbus, Ohio, that enrolls more than 27,000 students a year.

One of the best online community colleges in Ohio, CSCC offers more than 60 online degrees and certificates in popular career fields like business management, health information management technology, computer science, finance, and digital design and graphics.

3. Cuyahoga Community College

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) is the oldest and largest public community college in the state of Ohio.

To help you make the most of your education, Tri-C offers blended degree and certificate programs online that give credit toward an associate's degree while also helping you earn certificates at the same time.

The 100% online programs offered by Tri-C include:

• Accounting
• Business Technology
• Paralegal Studies
• Marketing

4. Lorain County Community College

Lorain County Community College (Lorain CCC) is a public community college in Lorain County, Ohio, that also has learning centers in Wellington, North Ridgeville, and Lorain.

Lorain CC offers online degree and certification options that can help students from any walk of life achieve their education goals.

Some degrees are even considered 'Fast Track' programs - meaning they can be completed in 16 weeks or less, saving you a lot of time while also letting you earn a full associate's degree.

5. Washington State Community College

Originally Washington Technical College, Washington State Community College (WSCC) is a public community college in Marietta, Ohio.

WSCC offers exactly four associate's degree programs and two certificate programs entirely online for students of their college. The programs are:

• Business Management
• Chemical Operator (Certificate)
• Health Information Management Technology
• Medical Billing and Coding (Certificate)
• Medical Laboratory Technology
• Process Technician

6. Southern State Community College

Southern State Community College (SSCC) is a public community college based in Hillsboro, Ohio, that has an additional campus in Mount Orab.

SSCC has online associate's degrees available in arts and science, applied business, and applied science.

Students can earn degrees in subjects like business management, early childhood education, and accounting.

7. Cincinnati State Technical and Community College

Cincinnati State Technical and Community College (CState) is a public technical and community college in Cincinnati, Ohio, that's accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

There are more than 20 online learning programs offered by CState, and they include degrees and certificate programs.

They provide a learning environment that includes just you and your instructor, so you can get all the focused attention you need to succeed even while completing your degree online.

8. Eastern Gateway Community College

Eastern Gateway Community College (EGCC) is a public community college with a main campus in Steubenville, Ohio, and an additional campus in Youngstown.

EGCC has online associate's degree programs in these categories:

• Health
• Public Service and Safety
• Engineering and Information Technology
• Business
• Education

In the fields of business, health, and engineering, students can also earn vital certificates to help them specialize in their business management, medical coding, or IT careers.

9. Lakeland Community College

Lakeland Community College (Lakeland CC) is a public community college in Lake County, Ohio, that serves more than 8,000 students a year through its main campus, an off-site location in Madison, and online.

Lakeland CC offers online associate's degree programs in accounting, business, emergency management planning and administration, fire science technology, and the arts. Students can also take advantage of the more than 15 online certificate programs in related fields.

10. Edison State Community College

Edison State Community College (ESCC) is a public community college - named after Thomas Alva Edison - in Piqua, Ohio.

Students at ESCC can pursue applied business degrees or associate's in arts and science transfer degree programs entirely online, though the business programs have an internship component that has to be completed on the internship site.

Additional courses are also offered online that can supplement your degree program and help prepare you for your future career.

Is Community College Free in Ohio?

While community college isn't free in Ohio, there are some ways that you can reduce or eliminate your tuition at specific community colleges in the state.

For example, Columbus State Community College (CSCC) has the Columbus Promise program, which provides free tuition and a $500 scholarship each semester for related costs to qualified students.

You only need to apply to CSCC, complete the FAFSA, and apply for the specific program with help from the admissions team.

How Much Does Community College Cost in Ohio?

According to data compiled by the Education Data Initiative, in-state community college tuition in Ohio ranges from $5,000 to $9,000, meaning the average you'd spend per year in tuition is roughly $7,000.

Ohio Community College Degree Types

Online community colleges in Ohio offer these degree types for students:

• Transfer degrees in arts, science, or general education
• Associate's degrees in applied science
• Associate's degrees in arts
• Associate's degrees in applied business

Career Opportunities for Ohio Community College Graduates

Here are some of the careers you can pursue by obtaining associate's degrees from online community colleges in Ohio:

• Preschool Teacher: Earning an associate's degree in early childhood education opens the door for new educators to work in private daycares and preschools, taking care of children aged five and under.
• Medical Equipment Technician/Repairer: Anyone who sets up, maintains, and repairs medical equipment would benefit from an associate's degree in biomedical technology or engineering.
• Veterinary Technician: Veterinary technicians work under licensed veterinarians and are required to have a two-year degree and specific credentials or licensure, depending on the state they practice in.
• Computer Support/IT Specialist: Breaking into the world of IT is as simple as earning an associate's degree in a computer-related field like computer science. Other education and experience can be earned on the job, but that initial degree puts you ahead of the game in your career.

Find an Online Community College Today

Now that you know about some of the greatest online community colleges in Ohio, ways you can attend college tuition-free, and what types of degrees are available to you, it's time to decide what online community college you want to attend today so you can start your education and career off on the right foot tomorrow.