Ohio has one of the densest concentrations of Christian higher education in the Midwest — an evangelical flagship at Cedarville, a nationally prominent Catholic university at Steubenville, four denominational liberal arts colleges, and three separate ATS-accredited seminaries.
The category is broad, though. Some Ohio colleges were founded by churches and remain confessionally serious; others kept the heritage and dropped the substance. This guide separates them.
Christian colleges in Ohio compared
| School | Location | Accreditation | Published tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedarville UniversityBaptist; largest evangelical university in Ohio, strong biblical studies core for every major | Cedarville | HLC | ~$34,000/year |
| Franciscan University of SteubenvilleCatholic; nationally known theology and catechetics programs | Steubenville | HLC | ~$32,000/year |
| Malone UniversityEvangelical Friends (Quaker); liberal arts with ministry and Bible majors | Canton | HLC | ~$36,000/year |
| Mount Vernon Nazarene UniversityChurch of the Nazarene; ministry, theology, and adult-completion programs | Mount Vernon | HLC | ~$33,000/year |
| Ohio Christian UniversityChurches of Christ in Christian Union; heavy online and adult enrollment | Circleville | HLC | ~$27,000/year |
| Cincinnati Christian University area programsCCU closed in 2019; former programs now run through partner institutions — verify current status | Cincinnati | See note | Varies |
| Bluffton UniversityMennonite; peace-and-justice tradition liberal arts | Bluffton | HLC | ~$36,000/year |
| Ashland University & Ashland Theological SeminaryBrethren Church; one of Ohio's two large ATS-accredited seminaries | Ashland | HLC; ATS (seminary) | ~$25,000/year undergrad |
| United Theological SeminaryUnited Methodist; graduate only, substantial online delivery | Dayton | ATS, HLC | ~$600/credit |
| Methodist Theological School in OhioUnited Methodist; MDiv, MA, and DMin | Delaware | ATS, HLC | ~$620/credit |
| Pontifical College JosephinumThe only pontifical seminary in the U.S. outside Rome | Columbus | ATS, HLC | Diocesan sponsorship |
| Kenyon College / Ohio Wesleyan / Otterbein / Baldwin Wallace / Capital / HeidelbergHistorically church-founded liberal arts colleges, now broadly secular in practice | Statewide | HLC | $35,000–$65,000/year |
The evangelical schools
Cedarville University, an hour east of Dayton, is the state's largest evangelical university and unusual in requiring biblical studies coursework of every student regardless of major. It is Baptist in conviction and doctrinally explicit about it. Mount Vernon Nazarene and Malone University serve the Nazarene and Evangelical Friends traditions respectively with a gentler confessional posture, and Ohio Christian University in Circleville is the most affordable of the group and by far the most online.
Catholic higher education
Franciscan University of Steubenville draws students nationally for its theology and catechetics programs and its household system of student formation. The Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus is the only pontifical seminary in the United States outside Rome, training priests for dioceses across the country. See our Catholic seminaries guide for the wider picture.
Graduate theology in Ohio
Three Ohio schools hold accreditation from the Association of Theological Schools: Ashland Theological Seminary (Brethren, and the largest of the three), United Theological Seminary in Dayton, and Methodist Theological School in Ohio in Delaware — both United Methodist. All three deliver significant coursework online. Compare cost against the cheapest ATS-accredited seminaries nationally.
Paying for it
Ohio residents at private nonprofit colleges may qualify for the Ohio College Opportunity Grant alongside federal Pell and loan eligibility through the FAFSA. Every accredited school listed here participates in Title IV. Start with our FAFSA guide and ministry scholarships.
Related reading
See Bible colleges in Ohio for ministry-focused programs specifically, Christian colleges in Illinois, or Christian colleges in New York.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best Christian colleges in Ohio?
- Cedarville University is the largest and best-known evangelical university in the state, Franciscan University of Steubenville is the leading Catholic option, and Malone, Mount Vernon Nazarene, and Ohio Christian serve their respective denominations well. For graduate theology, Ashland Theological Seminary, United Theological Seminary, and Methodist Theological School in Ohio all hold ATS accreditation.
- How much does a Christian college in Ohio cost?
- Published undergraduate tuition at Ohio's Christian colleges generally runs $27,000 to $36,000 per year, with Ohio Christian University at the lower end and Malone and Bluffton at the higher end. Almost no student pays the sticker price — institutional grants commonly cut it by a third or more, and Ohio residents can add the state's Ohio College Opportunity Grant on top of federal aid.
- Is Cedarville University accredited?
- Yes. Cedarville University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, the regional accreditor for Ohio, and holds programmatic accreditation in nursing, engineering, pharmacy, and business. Its credits transfer normally and its students are eligible for federal financial aid.
- Are there Bible colleges in Ohio, not just Christian universities?
- Yes, though the line has blurred. Ohio Christian University began as a Bible college and still centers ministry training; Cedarville requires a substantial Bible minor of every undergraduate. Several smaller unaccredited ministry-training institutes also operate in the state — check accreditation carefully before enrolling in one.
- Which Ohio Christian colleges offer online degrees?
- Ohio Christian University's Trailblazer program is the largest fully online offering, built for working adults in ministry and business. Mount Vernon Nazarene, Malone, and United Theological Seminary all deliver substantial coursework online as well, and United's MDiv can be completed almost entirely at a distance.
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