Ohio, constituent state of the United States of America, on the northeastern edge of the Midwest region. Lake Erie lies on the north, Pennsylvania on the east, West Virginia, and Kentucky on the southeast and south, Indiana on the west, and Michigan on the northwest. Ohio ranks 34th in terms of total area among the 50 states, and it is one of the smallest states west of the Appalachian Mountains. The state ranks near the top, however, in population. Ohio’s capital, after being located in Chillicothe and Zanesville during the early years of statehood, was finally established in newly founded and centrally located Columbus in 1816. The state takes its name from the Ohio River, which in turn traces its name to an Iroquoian word meaning “great water.”
The state’s accessibility has been perhaps the key factor in its growth. Its location between the Eastern Seaboard and the heart of the Midwest and its lack of natural barriers to the movement made it a corridor for east-west travel. In addition, the state lies in the heart of the country’s old industrial belt, close to major resources of raw materials and labor and the markets of the East, Midwest, and South.
Ohio often has been called a “land of schools and colleges” because of its many accredited institutions of higher learning. Ohio University was established by Ohio’s first legislature in 1804 as the first public institution of higher education west of the Allegheny Mountains. In 1809 Miami University became the second. The Ohio State University, founded in 1870, is the largest state-assisted university. A land-grant college and a major graduate and professional center, it also has one of the largest undergraduate enrollments in the country. Ohio has more than a dozen comprehensive state universities and numerous branch campuses, technical colleges, and community colleges. Many of Ohio’s small independent colleges have made distinguished contributions to the state and have pioneered education in various ways. Oberlin College, founded in 1833, became the first coeducational college in the United States and one of the first to admit African Americans. Antioch College, founded in 1852, was one of the country’s first experimental liberal arts colleges; in 2008, however, the college was forced to suspend operations because of low enrollment and insufficient funding. Wilberforce University, founded in 1856, is the oldest private, historically black university in the United States. The University of Akron, founded in 1870, was the first postsecondary institution to offer a course in rubber chemistry, and its science and engineering programs remain among the strongest in the country.
Founded in 1910, Bowling Green State University provides experiences that enhance lives. Students are prepared for lifelong career growth, lives of engaged citizenship, and leadership in a global society. Within its transformative learning community, we build a welcoming, safe, and diverse environment where the creative ideas and achievements of all can benefit others throughout Ohio, the nation, and the world.
Grad rate | Tuition fees |
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62% | $8,017 |
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