Best Value U.S. Colleges
CollegeSimply ranks 1045 four-year colleges by value: academic quality from our Best Colleges ranking weighed against the average net price students actually pay. Low sticker price alone does not mean good value. These schools deliver strong outcomes relative to what families pay after financial aid.
Princeton University leads our 2027 value rankings with a 10 out of 10 academic rating and an average net price of $15,313. The top value public university is University of Michigan Ann Arbor. Also high value: California Institute of Technology, Williams College and Harvard University.
Compare net price, aid, and academic ratings across the full list below. See how value scores are calculated on our methodology page. Filter by state or sort by cost to find affordable schools worth applying to.
University of Kansas
- Public 4 Year
- Lawrence, KS
-
3.5 | 6 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
KU is a large public university known for undergraduate journalism, pharmacy, and business. The hillside campus sits in the college town of Lawrence.
- SAT Range 1070-1300
- Avg GPA 3.66
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $19,205
Transylvania University
- Private 4 Year
- Lexington, KY
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Transylvania is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate pre-medicine and the sciences. The historic campus occupies several blocks in downtown Lexington.
- SAT Range 1120-1380
- Avg GPA 3.77
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $25,442
St. Mary's College of Maryland
- Public 4 Year
- St. Mary's City, MD
-
| 0 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public honors college known for undergraduate liberal arts. The historic campus sits on the St. Mary's River in southern Maryland.
- SAT Range 1143-1340
- Avg GPA 3.45
- Acceptance Rate 69%
- Net Price $21,071
University of Massachusetts Lowell
- Public 4 Year
- Lowell, MA
-
3.5 | 2 reviews
- Feb 15 application deadline
UMass Lowell is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, nursing, and sciences. The urban campus sits along the Merrimack River in Lowell.
- SAT Range 1180-1370
- Avg GPA 3.67
- Acceptance Rate 83%
- Net Price $16,530
Concordia College at Moorhead
- Private 4 Year
- Moorhead, MN
-
| 0 reviews
Concordia College is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate music and education. Most students live on the residential campus in Moorhead, across the river from Fargo.
- SAT Range 1160-1420
- Avg GPA 3.58
- Acceptance Rate 63%
- Net Price $25,190
University of St Thomas
- Private 4 Year
- Saint Paul, MN
-
| 0 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
St. Thomas is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate business. The urban campus sits along Summit Avenue in St. Paul.
- SAT Range 1260-1423
- Avg GPA 3.63
- Acceptance Rate 85%
- Net Price $31,250
University of Missouri Columbia
- Public 4 Year
- Columbia, MO
-
4.0 | 2 reviews
Mizzou is a large public university known for undergraduate journalism and agriculture. Columbia is a Midwestern college town built around the campus.
- SAT Range 1150-1330
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $22,169
Ithaca College
- Private 4 Year
- Ithaca, NY
-
| 0 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Ithaca College is a private college known for undergraduate communications, journalism, and music. The hillside campus overlooks Cayuga Lake in the college town of Ithaca.
- SAT Range 1230-1390
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 69%
- Net Price $35,253
Nazareth University
- Private 4 Year
- Rochester, NY
-
| 0 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Nazareth is a private university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and music. The suburban campus sits in Pittsford just outside Rochester.
- SAT Range 1070-1320
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 75%
- Net Price $30,785
New York Institute of Technology
- Private 4 Year
- Old Westbury, NY
-
3.0 | 2 reviews
NYIT is a private university known for undergraduate architecture, engineering, and computer science. The suburban Old Westbury campus sits on Long Island.
- SAT Range 1190-1420
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $24,688
University at Albany
- Public 4 Year
- Albany, NY
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
University at Albany is a large public university known for undergraduate criminal justice, public policy, and atmospheric science. The campus is in New York's capital, with many programs oriented toward state government.
- SAT Range 1120-1320
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 69%
- Net Price $17,949
Capital University
- Private 4 Year
- Columbus, OH
-
| 0 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
Capital is a private university known for undergraduate music through its conservatory, plus nursing and education. The residential campus sits in Bexley, a suburb of Columbus.
- SAT Range 910-1180
- Avg GPA 3.63
- Acceptance Rate 70%
- Net Price $22,395
University of Dayton
- Private 4 Year
- Dayton, OH
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
University of Dayton is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate engineering and business. The Marianist campus sits in an urban neighborhood of Dayton.
- SAT Range 1200-1380
- Avg GPA 3.77
- Acceptance Rate 65%
- Net Price $32,794
Kenyon College
- Private 4 Year
- Gambier, OH
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Kenyon is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate English and creative writing. The rural campus occupies much of the small village of Gambier.
- SAT Range 1358-1503
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.84
- Acceptance Rate 31%
- Net Price $46,859
Marietta College
- Private 4 Year
- Marietta, OH
-
| 0 reviews
Marietta is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate petroleum engineering and environmental science. The campus sits in a historic town along the Ohio River.
- SAT Range 1040-1200
- Avg GPA 3.54
- Acceptance Rate 79%
- Net Price $22,007
Lebanon Valley College
- Private 4 Year
- Annville, PA
-
3.5 | 2 reviews
Lebanon Valley is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate music and physical therapy. The residential campus sits in the small town of Annville.
- SAT Range 1140-1302
- Avg GPA 3.79
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $27,995
Washington & Jefferson College
- Private 4 Year
- Washington, PA
-
4.0 | 2 reviews
Washington & Jefferson is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate sciences, pre-med, and pre-law. The historic campus is in the small city of Washington near Pittsburgh.
- SAT Range 1010-1250
- Avg GPA 3.54
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $22,702
Waynesburg University
- Private 4 Year
- Waynesburg, PA
-
| 0 reviews
Waynesburg is a private university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The residential campus sits in the small town of Waynesburg in southwestern Pennsylvania.
- SAT Range 930-1250
- Avg GPA 3.64
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $18,667