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Chillicothe named a “Professions-Focused” “Opportunity College” by Carnegie

Chillicothe is among fewer than 300 universities in the country to have earned designation as an “Opportunity College and University” in the recently released Student Access and Earnings Classification debuted with the updated . In addition, OHIO Chillicothe was also classified as “Professions Focused” in the new Carnegie Institutional Classification system. 

The “Opportunity College” designation identifies colleges and universities whose graduates outperform earnings expectations when compared to peers in their region and that successfully enroll Pell-eligible and underrepresented students. The “Professions Focused” classification is applied to colleges and universities for which the majority of degrees awarded are in fields that are classified as pre-professional or career-aligned. 

“The focus of ’s regional campuses has always been to provide access to a high-quality degree that will prepare students for a successful career in the region,” said Lewatis McNeal, Vice Provost for Regional Higher Education and Partnerships at OHIO. “The new Carnegie Classifications designations demonstrate that we are meeting our mission and providing students in Chillicothe with a high-value education.” 

Just over 30 percent of Chillicothe graduates complete their degrees in nursing or other health-related professions. Another 18 percent earn degrees in business or related fields, and more than 10 percent earn degrees in law enforcement, including the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and the Associate of Applied Science in Law Enforcement Technology

More than 40 percent of students at OHIO Chillicothe receive Pell Grants, and many of these students qualify to earn their degree for free through the OHIO Regional Promise Program. The OHIO Regional Promise Award covers the full cost of tuition and mandatory fees for incoming full-time, Pell-eligible freshmen with a minimum 3.0 high school GPA. 

More information about the Chillicothe campus and information on applying for Fall 2025 admission is available at ohio.edu/chillicothe

Published
May 12, 2025
Author
Staff reports