MARIETTA, OHIO — Washington State College of Ohio (WSCO) has been named the number one community college in Ohio for the fourth year in a row. This year’s rankings examined 21 of Ohio’s 23 community colleges and 710 colleges nationwide. Schools were evaluated based on three key areas including, cost and financing, education outcomes, and career outcomes. The ranking appears on the 2019 Best and Worst Community Colleges list published by WalletHub, which examines American Association of Community Colleges member institutions throughout the US.
“The learning experience we are providing our students here at Washington State is changing lives,” said WSCO President Dr. Vicky Wood. “Being recognized by WalletHub as the number one community college in Ohio is evidence of the outstanding job we do helping students overcome barriers so they can achieve their education and career goals,” said Wood.
Within the key areas, WalletHub used 19 metrics, including the cost of in-state tuition and fees, available scholarships, graduation rate, student to faculty ratio, return on educational investment, and median salary after attending. Data was collected in part from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) through the National Center for Education Statistics.
According to the non-profit organization the College Board, the average full-time, in-state tuition at a community college was 65% lower per year than tuition at a four-year public institution and 90% lower than that of a four-year private college during the 2018-2019 academic year. While these vast cost-savings factored into the ranking, WalletHub also examined educational quality and focused on the return on investment to provide a well-rounded review of evaluated colleges.
“Our exceptional faculty are committed to providing our students with a quality education. In addition, our connection with workforce and industry creates opportunities for our students to connect with in-demand careers that will positively impact their families and our community for generations to come,” said Wood.
For a detailed list of the rankings and the full methodology, visit wallethub.com.
