Best Value Eastern Colleges

There are 284 colleges in the East ranked by value using the same methodology as our national list. Rankings balance academic quality with the net price students typically pay.

Princeton University leads East value rankings for 2027 with a 10 out of 10 academic rating and an average net price of $15,313. The top value public university is University of Vermont. Also high value: Williams College, Harvard University and Amherst College.

Compare net price, aid, and academic ratings across the colleges below. See how value scores are calculated on our methodology page. Explore the regional list below or browse individual states.

284 Results
Sort:
East Public Private 4 Year
The College of New Jersey Campus

credit : source / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • Ewing, NJ
  • 4.5 | 2 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

TCNJ is a public college known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and business. The suburban Ewing campus is primarily residential.

#145 Best Value in the East 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1140-1340
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.29
  • Acceptance Rate 62%
  • Net Price $25,580
Details Calculate my Chances
Rochester Institute of Technology Campus

credit : source / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Rochester, NY
  • 5.0 | 2 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

RIT is a private university known for undergraduate engineering, computing, and photography. The suburban campus near Rochester includes the National Technical Institute for the Deaf.

#146 Best Value in the East 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1300-1460
  • Avg GPA 3.7
  • Acceptance Rate 67%
  • Net Price $39,534
Details Calculate my Chances
Sarah Lawrence College Campus

credit : source / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Bronxville, NY
  • 5.0 | 2 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Sarah Lawrence is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate creative writing, the arts, and conference-based individualized study. The suburban Bronxville campus sits just north of New York City.

#147 Best Value in the East 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1240-1430
  • Avg GPA 3.75
  • Acceptance Rate 62%
  • Net Price $43,629
Details Calculate my Chances
SUNY at Purchase College Campus

credit : source / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • Purchase, NY
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jul 1 application deadline

Purchase is a public college known for undergraduate performing arts, visual arts, and film. The suburban Westchester campus sits near New York City.

#148 Best Value in the East 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1185-1380
  • Avg GPA 3.37
  • Acceptance Rate 74%
  • Net Price $18,211
Details Calculate my Chances
DeSales University Campus

credit : source / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Center Valley, PA
  • 3.0 | 2 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

DeSales is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate theatre, nursing, and business. The suburban campus is in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley.

#149 Best Value in the East 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1090-1260
  • Avg GPA 3.39
  • Acceptance Rate 77%
  • Net Price $31,732
Details Calculate my Chances
Marywood University Campus

credit : source / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Scranton, PA
  • | 0 reviews

Marywood is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate architecture, art and design, and social work. The residential campus sits in Scranton in northeastern Pennsylvania.

#150 Best Value in the East 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1060-1250
  • Avg GPA 3.58
  • Acceptance Rate 61%
  • Net Price $26,217
Details Calculate my Chances
Messiah University Campus

credit : source / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Mechanicsburg, PA
  • | 0 reviews

Messiah is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, engineering, and music. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in the Harrisburg suburbs.

#151 Best Value in the East 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1110-1350
  • Avg GPA 3.8
  • Acceptance Rate 79%
  • Net Price $29,408
Details Calculate my Chances
York College of Pennsylvania Campus

credit : source / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • York, PA
  • 4.0 | 2 reviews
  • Aug 23 application deadline

York College of Pennsylvania is a private college known for undergraduate nursing, business, and engineering. The campus is in the city of York in south-central Pennsylvania.

#152 Best Value in the East 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1020-1270
  • Avg GPA 3.59
  • Acceptance Rate 74%
  • Net Price $20,096
Details Calculate my Chances
Rhode Island School of Design Campus

credit : angela n. / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Providence, RI
  • | 0 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

RISD is a highly selective private art and design college known for undergraduate fine arts, industrial design, and architecture. The urban Providence campus borders Brown University and offers a dual-degree program with it.

#153 Best Value in the East 9/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1396-1530
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.71
  • Acceptance Rate 19%
  • Net Price $43,492
Details Calculate my Chances
University of Connecticut Stamford Campus

credit : source / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • Stamford, CT
  • | 0 reviews

UConn Stamford is a public regional campus known for undergraduate business and digital media. The urban campus sits in downtown Stamford.

#154 Best Value in the East 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 930-1260
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 83%
  • Net Price $15,566
Details Calculate my Chances
Quinnipiac University Campus

credit : morrowlong / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Hamden, CT
  • 3.8 | 5 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

Quinnipiac is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and communications. The suburban campus sits at the base of Sleeping Giant in Hamden.

#155 Best Value in the East 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1150-1320
  • Avg GPA 3.39
  • Acceptance Rate 72%
  • Net Price $40,632
Details Calculate my Chances
Emmanuel College Campus

credit : source / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Boston, MA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Feb 15 application deadline

Emmanuel is a private Catholic college known for undergraduate nursing and the sciences. The Fenway campus shares classes and facilities with neighboring schools through a consortium.

#156 Best Value in the East 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1170-1340
  • Avg GPA 3.6
  • Acceptance Rate 76%
  • Net Price $31,121
Details Calculate my Chances
Gordon College Campus

credit : source / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Wenham, MA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

Gordon is a private Christian liberal arts college known for undergraduate music, education, and psychology. Most students live on a wooded residential campus in the small North Shore town of Wenham.

#157 Best Value in the East 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1130-1355
  • Avg GPA 3.58
  • Acceptance Rate 69%
  • Net Price $25,299
Details Calculate my Chances
Rowan University Campus

credit : source / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • Glassboro, NJ
  • 2.7 | 6 reviews

Rowan is a public university known for undergraduate engineering and education. Glassboro is a South Jersey college town built around the campus.

#158 Best Value in the East 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1110-1310
  • Avg GPA 3.44
  • Acceptance Rate 78%
  • Net Price $23,761
Details Calculate my Chances
Stevens Institute of Technology Campus

credit : source / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Hoboken, NJ
  • | 0 reviews

Stevens is a private technological university known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and systems engineering. The compact Hoboken campus sits on the Hudson River waterfront facing the Manhattan skyline.

#159 Best Value in the East 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1380-1505
  • Avg GPA 3.88
  • Acceptance Rate 48%
  • Net Price $46,165
Details Calculate my Chances
Hartwick College Campus

credit : source / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Oneonta, NY
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews

Hartwick is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate nursing and the sciences. The hillside campus overlooks the college town of Oneonta in upstate New York.

#160 Best Value in the East 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1070-1290
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.36
  • Acceptance Rate 70%
  • Net Price $31,712
Details Calculate my Chances
St. John's University New York Campus

credit : source / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Queens, NY
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews

St. John's is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate pharmacy, business, and communications. The urban campus is in Queens in New York City.

#161 Best Value in the East 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1150-1340
  • Avg GPA 3.5
  • Acceptance Rate 83%
  • Net Price $29,656
Details Calculate my Chances
Cedar Crest College Campus

credit : source / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Allentown, PA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews

Cedar Crest is a private women's college known for undergraduate nursing and forensic science. The suburban campus sits in Allentown in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley.

#162 Best Value in the East 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1000-1230
  • Avg GPA 3.42
  • Acceptance Rate 84%
  • Net Price $23,691
Details Calculate my Chances