A new study shows Ohio ranks in the bottom five of all 50 states in college affordability, and that just over 4 in 10 Ohioans have a post-secondary degree. The author of the report also says if the state doesn’t do more to fix the problem soon, Ohio will fall further behind economically.
The report issued for the non-profit group Philanthropy Ohio says the state needs to do more to make college affordable. William Doyle with Vanderbilt University says the state needs to make more need based aid available.
“Families making less than $30,000 a year would need to pay 81 percent of their income to attend a public four-year research institution in Ohio. That’s including the grant aid they receive,” Doyle said.
The state has set a goal of 65 percent of Ohioans with a degree or certificate in the next eight years. The group says without making college more affordable, the state’s economy will suffer from a lack of skilled workers.
