Introduction and Overview

Southern State Community College is a public community college located in Hillsboro, Ohio, USA. It was founded in 1975 and has two campuses, namely the Central Campus in Hillsboro and the Brown County Campus in Mount Orab. The school offers a variety of degree and certificate programs covering agriculture, biology, business and other fields.

History

In February 1975, the school was established as Southern State General and Technical College. In 1977, it was changed to its current name. In the 1976-1977 school year, the new South Campus facility in Brown County was opened. In 1981, the administrative office moved to Hillsboro. In September of the same year, the practical nursing program began. In 1985, the Central Campus opened. In 1986, the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing was added. In the 1994-1995 school year, the Health Technology Wing was added to the Central Campus. In 1999, the Appalachian Gateway Center opened. In 2000, the North Campus facility opened. In 2006, the Appalachian Gateway Center opened. Accredited in 2017.

School Strength

Teaching Staff: The student-teacher ratio is 18:1, and 47% of the teachers are full-time teachers.

Teaching Achievements: The school focuses on practical teaching and cooperates with local companies and institutions to provide students with internships and employment opportunities to help students apply what they have learned to actual work and improve their employment competitiveness.

Course Setting: Courses include associate degree courses, certificate courses, and online courses, covering multiple disciplines such as agriculture, biology, business, and computer science.

Institutional Nature

Public community college.

Educational Philosophy

Committed to providing accessible and affordable high-quality education, matching education with students' lifestyles, allowing more people to receive education and realize their dreams and goals, and focusing on cultivating students' practical ability and professional literacy to meet the needs of local communities and the labor market.

Key Disciplines and Departments

Key disciplines include accounting technology/technicians and bookkeeping, general business/business, etc. No clearly divided departments were found, but from the perspective of professional settings, it involves multiple disciplines such as agriculture, biology, business, and computer science.

Ranking

In the 2024 College Factual ranking, the school ranked 14th in the United States. The overall quality of the school is ranked 2162 out of 2217 schools, and it ranks 89th among the best colleges in Ohio. Its accounting technology/technician and bookkeeping majors are ranked high. In addition, the average salary of the school's graduates ranks first among Ohio associate degree general business/commerce graduates.

Cost

In the fall of 2024, the tuition per credit hour for in-state students is $202, and for out-of-state students it is $386. In addition, a $10 career service fee and a $6 facility fee are required per credit hour. An additional $25 fee is added for online courses per credit hour.

Campus environment

The main campus is located in Hillsboro, and there is also a Brown County campus. The campus environment is beautiful, providing students with a good learning and living atmosphere. The school also has cultural and educational facilities such as the Appalachian Gateway Center.