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.
Occidental College
- Private 4 Year
- Los Angeles, CA
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
- Jan 10 application deadline
Occidental is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate politics, international relations, and the sciences. The residential campus sits in Los Angeles's Eagle Rock neighborhood.
- SAT Range 1380-1520
- Avg GPA 3.63
- Acceptance Rate 44%
- Net Price $48,400
Saint Ambrose University
- Private 4 Year
- Davenport, IA
-
| 0 reviews
Saint Ambrose is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The residential campus sits in the Quad Cities along the Mississippi River.
- SAT Range 930-1170
- Avg GPA 3.39
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $25,345
Louisiana State University
- Public 4 Year
- Baton Rouge, LA
-
4.7 | 3 reviews
- Jul 15 application deadline
LSU is a large public university known for undergraduate petroleum engineering, agriculture, and business. The campus sits along the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge.
- SAT Range 1180-1340
- Avg GPA 3.77
- Acceptance Rate 73%
- Net Price $21,430
University of Maine
- Public 4 Year
- Orono, ME
-
| 0 reviews
UMaine is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, forestry, and marine sciences. The wooded campus sits along the Stillwater River in the college town of Orono.
- SAT Range 1070-1330
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $18,061
University of Maryland Baltimore County
- Public 4 Year
- Baltimore, MD
-
3.5 | 2 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
UMBC is a public university known for undergraduate computer science, information systems, and engineering. The suburban campus sits in Baltimore County just outside the city.
- SAT Range 1240-1420
- Avg GPA 3.97
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $18,770
Western New England University
- Private 4 Year
- Springfield, MA
-
| 0 reviews
Western New England is a private university known for undergraduate engineering, business, and pharmacy. The residential campus sits in Springfield in western Massachusetts.
- SAT Range 1090-1300
- Avg GPA 3.49
- Acceptance Rate 83%
- Net Price $27,056
Grand Valley State University
- Public 4 Year
- Allendale, MI
-
3.7 | 3 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
Grand Valley State is a large public university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and business. The Allendale campus sits west of Grand Rapids along the Grand River.
- SAT Range 940-1190
- Avg GPA 3.65
- Acceptance Rate 83%
- Net Price $17,198
Hope College
- Private 4 Year
- Holland, MI
-
3.8 | 4 reviews
Hope is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate chemistry, biology, and education. The residential campus sits in Holland near the Lake Michigan shore.
- SAT Range 1100-1340
- Avg GPA 3.83
- Acceptance Rate 79%
- Net Price $30,700
Spring Arbor University
- Private 4 Year
- Spring Arbor, MI
-
3.2 | 4 reviews
Spring Arbor is a private Free Methodist university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and social work. The residential campus sits in the small village of Spring Arbor in south-central Michigan.
- SAT Range 1010-1240
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 52%
- Net Price $21,067
University of Nebraska Lincoln
- Public 4 Year
- Lincoln, NE
-
| 0 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
Nebraska is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture, engineering, and journalism. Students attend classes on a large campus in Lincoln, the state capital.
- SAT Range 1098-1330
- Avg GPA 3.63
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $18,322
D'Youville University
- Private 4 Year
- Buffalo, NY
-
| 0 reviews
D'Youville is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and health sciences. The compact urban campus sits on Buffalo's west side near the Peace Bridge.
- SAT Range 995-1220
- Avg GPA 3.68
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $20,690
Hofstra University
- Private 4 Year
- Hempstead, NY
-
4.0 | 3 reviews
Hofstra is a private university known for undergraduate communications, journalism, and business. The suburban Long Island campus sits in Hempstead near New York City.
- SAT Range 1230-1400
- Avg GPA 3.74
- Acceptance Rate 68%
- Net Price $35,792
SUNY College of Technology at Alfred
- Public 4 Year
- Alfred, NY
-
| 0 reviews
Alfred State is a public college of technology known for undergraduate architecture, engineering technology, and construction management. The rural campus sits in the small college town of Alfred in western New York.
- SAT Range 990-1200
- Avg GPA 3.1
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $15,283
Farmingdale State College
- Public 4 Year
- Farmingdale, NY
-
| 0 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
Farmingdale State is a public college of technology known for undergraduate aviation, engineering technology, and applied sciences. The suburban campus sits on Long Island.
- SAT Range 1040-1240
- Avg GPA 3.26
- Acceptance Rate 63%
- Net Price $9,655
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
- Public 4 Year
- Syracuse, NY
-
| 0 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
ESF is a specialized public college known for undergraduate environmental science, forestry, and landscape architecture. The campus adjoins Syracuse University in Syracuse.
- SAT Range 1130-1300
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 63%
- Net Price $19,814
SUNY Brockport
- Public 4 Year
- Brockport, NY
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
SUNY Brockport is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and exercise science. The residential campus sits in the college town of Brockport along the Erie Canal.
- SAT Range 1100-1280
- Avg GPA 2.79
- Acceptance Rate 71%
- Net Price $15,725
SUNY Oneonta
- Public 4 Year
- Oneonta, NY
-
3.0 | 2 reviews
SUNY Oneonta is a public university known for undergraduate education, environmental science, and music. The residential campus sits in a college town in New York's Catskill region.
- SAT Range 1120-1310
- Avg GPA 3.45
- Acceptance Rate 70%
- Net Price $18,669
State University of New York at Oswego
- Public 4 Year
- Oswego, NY
-
| 0 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
SUNY Oswego is a public university known for undergraduate meteorology, broadcasting, and education. The campus sits on the southern shore of Lake Ontario.
- SAT Range 1070-1270
- Avg GPA 3.49
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $15,853