Best Online Computer Science Programs in Columbus, OH (2026)

Updated June 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Columbus, Ohio has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs. Columbus has a population of about 906,480. Median household income is $65,327 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 38.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Columbus, OH metro area, the top-earning computer science-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $167,630 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Computer Science Schools to Columbus

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer computer science programs near Columbus. Distances are calculated from Columbus city center.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
Average net price (lower is better) 20%
Retention rate 15%
Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Columbus. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Published tuitionContact school for pricing

Online programsYes

Published tuitionContact school for pricing

Online programsYes

Published tuitionContact school for pricing

Online programsYes

Published tuitionContact school for pricing

Online programsYes

Published tuitionContact school for pricing

Online programsYes

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Ohio schools on the Ohio computer science page.

Computer Science Wages Near Columbus

Columbus is part of the Columbus, OH metro area (BLS area code 18140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Ohio statewide.

Occupation	Median Wage	Source	COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developer	$122,340	Columbus, OH	$128,105
Computer Systems Analyst	$107,230	Columbus, OH	$112,283
Computer Network Architect	$131,260	Columbus, OH	$137,445
Database Administrator	$101,450	Columbus, OH	$106,230
Database Architect	$135,840	Columbus, OH	$142,241
Information Security Analyst	$122,600	Columbus, OH	$128,377
Computer Network Support Specialist	$81,220	Columbus, OH	$85,047
Computer User Support Specialist	$62,540	Columbus, OH	$65,487
Web Developer	$83,860	Columbus, OH	$87,812
Web and Digital Interface Designer	$96,010	Columbus, OH	$100,534
Computer and Information Systems Manager	$167,630	Columbus, OH	$175,529

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Columbus at a Glance

Metric	Value	Source
Population	906,480	Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income	$65,327	Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+	38.2%	Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)	95.5 (below U.S. average)	BEA RPP 2024
Computer Science-related employment in Franklin County	11,546 workers, 2,078 establishments	BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Columbus-Area Cities With Computer Science Programs

Upper Arlington, OH – 5.3 mi away (34,997 pop)
Gahanna, OH – 7.0 mi away (34,956 pop)
Grove City, OH – 9.4 mi away (39,721 pop)
Hilliard, OH – 9.6 mi away (34,905 pop)
Westerville, OH – 10.1 mi away (38,985 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited computer science schools are near Columbus, OH?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs near Columbus. The closest is Franklin University in Columbus, OH (2.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Ohio University-Lancaster Campus (27.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying computer science roles near Columbus?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying computer science-related roles near Columbus are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($167,630), Database Architect ($135,840), Computer Network Architect ($131,260). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Ohio statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Upper Arlington instead of Columbus?

Upper Arlington, OH is 5.3 miles from Columbus and has its own set of local computer science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Columbus an affordable place to study computer science?

Columbus’s median household income of $65,327 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Columbus while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Ohio public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Computer Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Columbus

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Columbus:

Data verified: June 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Online Computer Science Programs in Ohio (2026)

Return to Best Online Computer Science Programs in Ohio (2026)