Online ITPrograms
2027 City Guide
Best Online IT Programs in Columbus (2027)
Online IT programs in Columbus start with three degrees at three local schools: two bachelor's degrees and one associate degree. Columbus runs heavy in network support specialists (1.65x), computer systems analysts (1.26x) and information security analysts (1.22x the U.S. share).
- 3local programs
- $105,750network and computer systems administrator median
- 36,100computer jobs
Key Points
- IT Network Administration and Security, AAS at MyComputerCareer at Columbus leads the Columbus list (#4 of 31 nationally).
- Columbus is lightest on web developers (0.70x) and database administrators (0.85x the U.S. share).
- Columbus network and systems administrators earn $105,750, 7% above the $99,130 U.S. median.
- Columbus's signature IT job: 3,970 network and systems administrators, 1.78 times the U.S. share.
- A full Columbus degree starts at $49,352 (Franklin University).
The Best Online IT Programs in Columbus
Ordered by national standing, Columbus’s three programs sit in Columbus and Circleville.
Each card’s badge is its place in our national ranking. How we rank.
-
MyComputerCareer at Columbus
IT Network Administration and Security, AAS
It leads toward Columbus's 1,650 information security analysts. Classes meet live online.
- Program cost
- $50,087full program
- Graduation rate
- 69%school-wide
- Graduates in this field
- 372023-24, all formats
- Accreditation
- ACCETAccrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training
- Format
- Live classes
- Prepares for
- CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, Server+ and others (CEH, CCNA, CySA+, Linux Essentials listed)
-
Ohio Christian University
Information Technology, BA
One rate for everyone: $54,000. Network and systems administrators run 1.78 times the national share in Columbus. 34% graduation rate.
- Online tuition
- $450 per credit$54,000 total for 120 credits
- Credits
- 120
- Graduation rate
- 34%school-wide
- Graduates in this field
- 22023-24, all formats
- Accreditation
- HLCHigher Learning Commission
- Format
- Courses from 5 weeks
-
Franklin University
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
One rate for everyone: $49,352. Columbus's network and systems administrators earn $65,780 to $143,780. Up to 94 of 124 credits can transfer.
- Online tuition
- $398 per credit$49,352 total for 124 credits
- Credits
- 124
- Graduation rate
- 11%school-wide
- Median earnings
- $63,3101 year after
- Graduates in this field
- 352023-24, all formats
- Accreditation
- HLC, CAE-CD schoolHigher Learning Commission
- Format
- Courses from 6 weeks
- Transfer credits
- Up to 94
- Starts
- January, February, March, November
- Prepares for
- PMBOK Guide; (ISC)2 CISSP
Columbus has three of Ohio’s six ranked programs.
See every online IT program in Ohio, plus the state’s job projections, led by security analysts at 25.1% through 2034.
Columbus Programs in Our National Rankings
In the Associate in IT ranking, IT Network Administration and Security, AAS at MyComputerCareer at Columbus places 4th of 31, Columbus’s best national result.
| Program | National ranking | Place |
|---|---|---|
| IT Network Administration and Security, AAS, MyComputerCareer at Columbus | Associate in IT | 4th of 31 |
| IT Network Administration and Security, AAS, MyComputerCareer at Columbus | Networking | 3rd of 17 |
| IT Network Administration and Security, AAS, MyComputerCareer at Columbus | With Certifications | 8th of 43 |
| Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Franklin University | Cheapest | 12th of 35 |
| Information Technology, BA, Ohio Christian University | Cheapest | 13th of 35 |
| Information Technology, BA, Ohio Christian University | Bachelor's in IT | 40th of 57 |
| Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Franklin University | Bachelor's in IT | 47th of 57 |
| Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Franklin University | CAE-CD Schools | 64th of 66 |
| Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Franklin University | With Certifications | 42nd of 43 |
What an Online IT Degree Costs Columbus Students
Columbus totals run from $49,352 at Franklin University to $54,000 at Ohio Christian University, using resident rates where they apply.
| Program | Rate per credit | Credits | Total for residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Technology, BA, Ohio Christian University | $450 | 120 | $54,000 |
| Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Franklin University | $398 | 124 | $49,352 |
Totals are the published rate times the published credits, before fees and transfer credit. Our cheapest online IT degrees ranking compares programs that charge everyone one rate.
Tuition Discounts for Columbus Residents
Columbus residents can also ask about MSEP.
IT Jobs and Salaries in Columbus
Columbus’s best-paid IT role: IT managers, at $167,630; Columbus’s lowest is $62,540, for help desk technicians. Columbus’s largest IT group: 4,960 help desk technicians.
| Role | Median pay | vs Ohio | Typical range | Jobs | Entry education | Salary guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IT Manager | $167,630 | +2% | $105,720 to $270,450 | 4,330 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Network Engineer | $131,260 | 0% | $85,410 to $180,790 | 1,270 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Information Security Analyst | $122,600 | +11% | $75,820 to $174,670 | 1,650 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $107,230 | +5% | $67,160 to $154,660 | 4,660 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrator | $105,750 | +8% | $65,780 to $143,780 | 3,970 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Database Administrator | $101,450 | +4% | $52,980 to $144,430 | 430 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Web Developer | $83,860 | $49,990 to $132,800 | 350 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide | |
| Network Support Specialist | $81,220 | +16% | $50,770 to $147,740 | 1,710 | Associate's degree | Salary guide |
| Help Desk Technician | $62,540 | +5% | $41,000 to $103,110 | 4,960 | Some college, no degree | Salary guide |
Median and percentile pay and local employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Columbus, OH metro area (Sources; BLS OEWS). Typical entry education: BLS Employment Projections. The range runs from the 10th to the 90th percentile.
Against Ohio medians, the biggest Columbus premium: network support specialists at $81,220 (+16%). Level with Ohio in Columbus: network engineers, at $131,260 (0%). 7 of 8 Columbus roles out-earn the Ohio median.
Next in Columbus: computer systems analysts (4,660 jobs, $107,230) and IT managers (4,330 jobs, $167,630). In Columbus, bachelor’s-level roles are 71% of IT jobs; Columbus students can compare online IT bachelor’s degrees. Below a bachelor’s in Columbus: help desk technicians (4,960 jobs, $62,540) and network support specialists (1,710 jobs, $81,220). For those Columbus roles, see online IT associate degrees.
Columbus's widest pay spread: IT managers, $105,720 to $270,450. In Columbus, network support specialists earn $81,220, well above Ohio's $70,080.
Price level: BEA, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area (MARPP), all items, 2024; 100 is the U.S. average.
IT Job Concentration in Columbus
Cybersecurity Jobs in Columbus
Compare online cybersecurity degrees or read the security analyst salary guide.
Tech Jobs in Columbus: The Industries Behind Them
Columbus's information sector averages $101,682 a job across 16,744 workers. Columbus computer systems design firms employ 13,336 people at 1,021 locations, averaging $113,345.
Industry employment, establishments and payroll: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, by metropolitan area. Average pay is annual payroll divided by employment.
How to Choose an Online IT Program in Columbus
Columbus’s largest IT group is help desk staff.
Our guide to choosing by city covers cost, residency, authorization and accreditation.
Online IT Programs in Other Cities
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Sacramento
- Pittsburgh
- Kansas City
- Nashville
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- All 50 city guides
Online IT Programs in Columbus FAQ
How many online IT programs are in Columbus?
Three programs at three schools in the Columbus metro area, in Columbus and Circleville: two bachelor's degrees and one associate degree. All are at private schools.
What is the cheapest online IT program in Columbus?
Among Columbus programs that publish a rate and a credit total, the lowest is $49,352 for the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology at Franklin University.
How much more do IT managers make in Columbus?
In Columbus, help desk to IT manager means $62,540 to $167,630, or 2.7 times the pay.
What does an entry-level IT job pay in Columbus?
Columbus help desk jobs pay a $62,540 median, and 4,960 people hold them.
Are there cybersecurity jobs in Columbus?
Columbus has 1,650 security analysts earning $122,600, at 1.22 times the U.S. share.
Keep researching
Related Rankings and Guides
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state and metropolitan area estimates
- NCES IPEDS institutional directory (HD2024), metro area of each school’s main campus
- BEA, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area (MARPP), all items, 2024
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, by metropolitan area
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections by state (base year 2024, projected to 2034), produced by state labor market information offices
- Program pages for each program listed above, linked from its card