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.
Bellarmine University
- Private 4 Year
- Louisville, KY
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Bellarmine is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and the health sciences. The campus occupies a residential setting in Louisville.
- SAT Range 1030-1250
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $23,165
Mount St. Mary's University
- Private 4 Year
- Emmitsburg, MD
-
4.3 | 3 reviews
- Mar 1 application deadline
Mount St. Mary's is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate business, education, and the liberal arts. The residential campus sits in rural Emmitsburg near the Catoctin Mountains.
- SAT Range 1046-1280
- Avg GPA 3.36
- Acceptance Rate 74%
- Net Price $23,027
Bay Path University
- Private 4 Year
- Longmeadow, MA
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Bay Path is a private university known for educating undergraduate women in business, health sciences, and cybersecurity. The residential campus sits in suburban Longmeadow near Springfield.
- SAT Range 1010-1210
- Avg GPA 3.4
- Acceptance Rate 85%
- Net Price $15,463
College of the Holy Cross
- Private 4 Year
- Worcester, MA
-
| 0 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Holy Cross is a highly selective Jesuit liberal arts college known for undergraduate economics, political science, and history. The hilltop campus overlooks the city of Worcester.
- SAT Range 1240-1410
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 18%
- Net Price $36,014
Northeastern University
- Private 4 Year
- Boston, MA
-
4.7 | 6 reviews
- Jan 1 application deadline
Northeastern is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and health sciences. The urban campus sits in Boston's Fenway neighborhood.
- SAT Range 1440-1540
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.91
- Acceptance Rate 5%
- Net Price $34,207
Rutgers University Camden
- Public 4 Year
- Camden, NJ
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
Rutgers-Camden is a public university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and biology. The urban campus sits across the Delaware River from Philadelphia.
- SAT Range 1050-1300
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.23
- Acceptance Rate 66%
- Net Price $19,821
Hobart William Smith Colleges
- Private 4 Year
- Geneva, NY
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Hobart and William Smith is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate environmental studies and political science. The residential campus overlooks Seneca Lake in New York's Finger Lakes region.
- SAT Range 1190-1385
- Avg GPA 3.55
- Acceptance Rate 64%
- Net Price $34,170
Niagara University
- Private 4 Year
- Niagara University, NY
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 30 application deadline
Niagara is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate hospitality and tourism management, education, and nursing. The suburban campus sits near Niagara Falls in western New York.
- SAT Range 1060-1235
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $16,613
University of Rochester
- Private 4 Year
- Rochester, NY
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jan 5 application deadline
Rochester is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate optics, music through the Eastman School, and engineering. Undergraduates follow a flexible curriculum built around interdisciplinary clusters rather than fixed general-education requirements.
- SAT Range 1410-1540
- Avg GPA 3.75
- Acceptance Rate 40%
- Net Price $40,462
Ohio State University Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Columbus, OH
-
5.0 | 6 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Ohio State is a large public university known for undergraduate business, engineering, and education. The urban campus stretches across Columbus, the state capital.
- SAT Range 1310-1480
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.76
- Acceptance Rate 61%
- Net Price $19,783
Lafayette College
- Private 4 Year
- Easton, PA
-
| 0 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Lafayette is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate engineering alongside the liberal arts. The residential hillside campus in Easton overlooks the Delaware and Lehigh rivers.
- SAT Range 1350-1500
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 31%
- Net Price $38,442
Presbyterian College
- Private 4 Year
- Clinton, SC
-
4.2 | 5 reviews
- Sep 21 application deadline
Presbyterian College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church and known for undergraduate business and the sciences. Most students live on the residential campus in the small town of Clinton.
- SAT Range 980-1200
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 68%
- Net Price $20,840
Augustana University
- Private 4 Year
- Sioux Falls, SD
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
Augustana is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The residential campus is in Sioux Falls, South Dakota's largest city.
- SAT Range 1150-1370
- Avg GPA 3.76
- Acceptance Rate 68%
- Net Price $24,977
Union University
- Private 4 Year
- Jackson, TN
-
| 0 reviews
Union is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and Christian studies. The residential campus sits in Jackson in West Tennessee.
- SAT Range 1160-1390
- Avg GPA 3.8
- Acceptance Rate 60%
- Net Price $28,452
University of Utah
- Public 4 Year
- Salt Lake City, UT
-
4.3 | 3 reviews
- Apr 1 application deadline
Utah is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and ballet. The campus sits in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains overlooking Salt Lake City.
- SAT Range 1190-1380
- Avg GPA 3.64
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $16,583
Beloit College
- Private 4 Year
- Beloit, WI
-
5.0 | 4 reviews
Beloit is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate anthropology and the sciences. The historic residential campus overlooks the Rock River in southern Wisconsin.
- SAT Range 1200-1430
- Avg GPA 3.33
- Acceptance Rate 63%
- Net Price $24,455
Milwaukee School of Engineering
- Private 4 Year
- Milwaukee, WI
-
| 0 reviews
- Sep 1 application deadline
MSOE is a private university known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and nursing. The urban campus is located in downtown Milwaukee.
- SAT Range 1160-1405
- Avg GPA 3.65
- Acceptance Rate 59%
- Net Price $25,669
Hendrix College
- Private 4 Year
- Conway, AR
-
| 0 reviews
- Jun 1 application deadline
Hendrix is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate sciences and its Odyssey experiential-learning program. Most students live on the residential campus in the college town of Conway.
- SAT Range 1123-1348
- Avg GPA 3.79
- Acceptance Rate 56%
- Net Price $24,699