Ohio places a larger-than-average share of public higher education costs on students and families, contributing to an average affordability gap of $4,680. According to a new report from the National College Attainment Network (NCAN), the average affordability gap for Ohio students stands at $4,680—the highest figure in the entire Great Lakes region.
This financial strain isn’t just a matter of tuition. The NCAN analysis, titled Strengthening Ohio’s State Financial Aid Program, highlights a systemic issue where the cost of books, housing, food, and transportation often outpaces available aid. When these essential costs go unmet, students are frequently forced into a difficult cycle of working excessive hours, enrolling part-time, or abandoning their degrees entirely before they reach the finish line.
The shifting burden of public higher education costs
The data reveals a stark divergence between how Ohio funds its universities compared to the rest of the country. While national trends show a more balanced distribution of costs, Ohio has leaned heavily on student pockets to keep its institutions running. In 2025, students contributed 54.9% of total public higher education revenue in Ohio, a significant jump from the 48% average seen across the Midwest and the 38.4% reported nationally, according to the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) 2025 State Higher Education Finance report.
This heavy reliance on student contributions makes state-level financial aid programs even more critical. Currently, the Ohio College Opportunity Grant (OCOG) serves as the primary safety net for students with the highest demonstrated financial need. However, the report finds that the grant’s current “last-dollar” design actually creates barriers for the very students it is intended to help.
Because OCOG is applied only after federal Pell Grants and other aid are exhausted, it often fails to reach those at community colleges, where Pell Grant awards frequently cover the entirety of tuition and fees. The grant is strictly limited to tuition and general fees, leaving a hole in student budgets for required course materials and textbooks—expenses that are directly tied to a student's ability to actually participate in their classes.
Proposed reforms to stabilize the OCOG program
To address these inequities, the NCAN report outlines three specific policy shifts designed to make the state’s aid more responsive to the modern reality of college costs. The first recommendation is the creation of a supplemental OCOG award for Pell-eligible students attending community colleges and public university branch or regional campuses. This model, inspired by Michigan’s Community College Guarantee, would provide up to $1,000 annually to assist with living and educational expenses.
The second recommendation focuses on flexibility. By allowing OCOG funds to be applied toward textbooks and required course materials after tuition is settled, the state could address the “hidden costs” of attendance without requiring a complete overhaul of the program’s existing structure. Finally, the report calls for a significant increase in the program’s baseline, suggesting that Ohio invest at least $250 million per year to establish a sustainable funding floor.
The stakes for these changes extend beyond individual student bank accounts; they are tied to the state’s long-term economic health. Strengthening the OCOG program is framed as a method to ensure students can not only enroll in college but also persist through graduation to enter the workforce.
“For too many Ohio students, the question is not whether they have the talent or determination to earn a degree, but whether they can afford to get there and stay there. Strengthening OCOG helps remove financial barriers so students can enroll, persist, complete their education, and pursue meaningful careers. Investing in students is an investment in Ohio’s future.”
Dr. Daniel Diaz Nilsson, College Now Greater Cleveland, emphasizes that these investments are essential for building a more educated workforce for the state's future.
