by Megan Henry, Ohio Capital Journal
November 6, 2025

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More than 313,000 undergraduate students are enrolled at Ohio’s public universities for this fall semester, according to preliminary data from the Ohio Department of Higher Education. 

There were 313,892 undergraduate students enrolled across Ohio’s public universities and community colleges this fall, 71,577 high school students taking college courses this fall, and 55,992 graduate students enrolled in Ohio’s public universities this fall, according to the data.

A controversial new higher education law took effect in Ohio this summer that bans diversity efforts, prohibits faculty strikes, and regulates classroom discussion at Ohio’s public universities. 

The law also creates post-tenure reviews, puts diversity scholarships at risk, sets rules around classroom discussion, and creates a retrenchment provision that blocks unions from negotiating on tenure, among other things. 

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed Ohio Senate Bill 1 into law in March and students threatened to leave the state if S.B. 1 became law.

Colleges and universities are also feeling the ramifications of declining birth rates, rising tuition costs, and student loan debt. 

The national birth rate fell nearly 23% from 2007 to 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, meaning the traditional college-age population will start dwindling this year through 2037, according to data from the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education.   

Ohio main campus enrollment

Here’s the preliminary undergraduate main campus enrollment data for fall 2025, according to ODHE: 

• Bowling Green State University — 13,783 students
• Central State University — 2,193 students
• Cleveland State University — 8,577 students
• Kent State University — 19,006 students
• Miami University — 16,332 students 
• Ohio State University — 45,982 students  
• Ohio University — ​​20,593 students 
• Shawnee State University — 2,646 students 
• University of Akron — 9,445 students 
• University of Cincinnati — 31,278 students 
• University of Toledo — 9,526 students
• Wright State University — 7,121 students 
• Youngstown State University — 9,694 students 

Ohio’s regional campuses

Undergraduate student preliminary enrollment data for fall 2025, according to ODHE. 

• Bowling Green State University, Firelands Campus — 1,329 students 
• Kent State University (seven regional campuses)  — 5,747 students 
• Miami University (two regional campuses) — 3,011 students 
• Ohio State University (five regional campuses) — 5,549 students 
• Ohio University (five regional campuses) — 2,911 students  
• University of Akron, Wayne Campus — 467 students 
• University of Cincinnati (two regional campuses) — 8,119 students 
• Wright State University, Lake Campus — 842 students 

Ohio community colleges

• Belmont Technical College — 593 students 
• Central Ohio Technical College — 2,007 students 
• Clark State Community College — 3,647 students 
• Columbus State Community College — 21,460 students  
• Cuyahoga Community College — 14,131 students 
• Edison State Community College — 1,395 students 
• Hocking Technical College — 1,543 students
• James A. Rhodes State College — 1,101 students 
• Lakeland Community College — 3,043 students
• Lorain County Community College — 5,758 students 
• Marion Technical College — 1,574 students
• North Central State College — 1,274 students 
• Northwest State Community College — 1,972 students 
• Owens State Community College — 5,929 students 
• Rio Grande Community College — 1,002 students 
• Sinclair Community College — 13,934 students 
• Southern State Community College — 758 students  
• Stark State College of Technology — 5,716 students 
• Terra State Community College — 1,240 students 
• Washington State Community College — 985 students 
• Zane State College — 679 students
  
   

Follow OCJ Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky.

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This story was updated at 1:31 p.m. A previous version of this story reported on a drop in undergraduate enrollment between this year’s spreadsheet and last year’s spreadsheet. The Ohio Department of Higher Education notified the Capital Journal after publication that the difference in numbers was due to a change in reporting methodology, and Cuyahoga Community College incorrectly reported enrollment data to ODHE.  

Ohio Capital Journal is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Ohio Capital Journal maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor David Dewitt for questions: info@ohiocapitaljournal.com.

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