by our College Data Analytics TeamIt's not easy to decide which school to attend when you have so many options available. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Best Schools For The Money For Those Making $48-$75k ranking - to help you make that decision. A school that typically has a high sticker price may actually be very affordable, depending on how much need-based financial aid you receive.
See What's Included in This Value Report:
We analyzed 2,168 schools across the United States to determine which have the best value programs. To come up with this ranking of the best value schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
To calculate the value of a school in our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) ranking, we first consider its average net price of students from families making $48-$75k a year. The net price is the sum of room and board, tuition, and fees minus any financial aid that that the student receives. But, a school that excels in providing value for your money must also be a great school overall as well.
To account for this we consider a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a host of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
We go into more detail on these factors on our best value ranking methodology page.
Keep scrolling for the top schools in this ranking or select one of the other rankings methods below.
If you know what major you want to study, check out our list of the best value schools by major. If you're interested in other degree levels, you can view one of the lists below.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Massachusetts Institute of Technology to be the best value (income $48-$75k) school in the United States in this year’s ranking. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Not only is Massachusetts Institute of Technology a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Massachusetts for overall quality.
Read full value report on Massachusetts Institute of Technology
A rank of #2 on our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) list means Columbia University in the City of New York is a great place for students working on their degree. Columbia is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Columbia University in the City of New York is ranked #1 for quality in the state of New York.
Full Columbia University in the City of New York Value Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #3 on our 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) list. Stanford is located in Stanford, California and has a fairly large student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Stanford University is ranked #1 for quality in the state of California.
Out of the 2,168 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #4 spot on the list. Harvard University is a large private not-for-profit school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Harvard University is ranked #2 for quality in the state of Massachusetts. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $538.
The quality degree programs at University of Pennsylvania helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k). UPenn is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
University of Pennsylvania has the honor of being ranked #1 in Pennsylvania for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,300.
Yale University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) ranking. New Haven, Connecticut is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. It is a private not-for-profit school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Yale University is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Connecticut. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,957.
Johns Hopkins University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) ranking. Johns Hopkins is a private not-for-profit institution located in Baltimore, Maryland.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Johns Hopkins University is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Maryland. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $3,586.
California Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) ranking, coming in at #8. Caltech is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pasadena, California.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, California Institute of Technology is ranked #5 for quality in the state of California. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $4,404.
Read full value report on California Institute of Technology
Cornell University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) list. Cornell is located in Ithaca, New York and has a large student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
Cornell University has the honor of being ranked #2 in New York for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,035.
With a ranking of #10, University of Chicago did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) list. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Chicago, Illinois.
Not only is University of Chicago a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Illinois for overall quality. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $7,432.
Williams College landed the #11 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) ranking. Williams is a private not-for-profit institution located in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
Not only is Williams College a great value, but it is also ranked #6 in Massachusetts for overall quality. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $1,312.
Rice University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) list. Rice is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Houston, Texas.
Not only is Rice University a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Texas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $6,320.
With a ranking of #13, Princeton University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) list. Princeton, New Jersey is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a private not-for-profit school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Princeton University is ranked #1 for quality in the state of New Jersey. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $6,975.
Northwestern University did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Evanston, Illinois, the school is a large private not-for-profit institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Northwestern University is ranked #2 for quality in the state of Illinois. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $9,389.
Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) ranking, coming in at #15. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large public school located in West Lafayette, Indiana.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Purdue University - Main Campus is ranked #2 for quality in the state of Indiana. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,645.
Duke University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) ranking. Duke is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Durham, North Carolina.
Not only is Duke University a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in North Carolina for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $10,304.
Brown University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) list. Brown is located in Providence, Rhode Island and has a fairly large student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
Brown University has the honor of being ranked #1 in Rhode Island for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $8,446.
Washington University in St Louis landed the #18 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) ranking. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, the school is a fairly large private not-for-profit institution.
Not only is Washington University in St Louis a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Missouri for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $9,248.
Vanderbilt University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) ranking. Vanderbilt University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Nashville, Tennessee.
Not only is Vanderbilt University a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Tennessee for overall quality. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $9,117.
Colby College landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Waterville, Maine.
Not only is Colby College a great value, but it is also ranked #2 in Maine for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $3,314.
University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) ranking, coming in at #21. UW Seattle is located in Seattle, Washington and has a large student population. It is a public school.
Not only is University of Washington - Seattle Campus a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Washington for overall quality. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $7,271.
Read full value report on University of Washington - Seattle Campus
Washington and Lee University landed the #22 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) ranking. Washington and Lee is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lexington, Virginia.
Not only is Washington and Lee University a great value, but it is also ranked #3 in Virginia for overall quality. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,132.
University of Florida came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) ranking. Gainesville, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
University of Florida has the honor of being ranked #1 in Florida for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,590.
Pomona College landed the #24 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) ranking. Pomona is a private not-for-profit institution located in Claremont, California.
Pomona College has the honor of being ranked #13 in California for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $5,830.
University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) ranking, coming in at #25. This large public school is located in Los Angeles, California.
University of California - Los Angeles has the honor of being ranked #6 in California for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $10,217.
Learn More About Value at University of California - Los Angeles
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
To learn more about the schools below, just click on their names:
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | Swarthmore College | Swarthmore, PA | Value Report |
| 52 | Washington State University | Pullman, WA | Value Report |
| 53 | California State University - Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | Value Report |
| 54 | Central New Mexico Community College | Albuquerque, NM | Value Report |
| 55 | Florida International University | Miami, FL | Value Report |
| 56 | Southwestern College | Chula Vista, CA | Value Report |
| 57 | Central Georgia Technical College | Warner Robins, GA | Value Report |
| 58 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC | Value Report |
| 59 | Honolulu Community College | Honolulu, HI | Value Report |
| 60 | Ranken Technical College | Saint Louis, MO | Value Report |
| 61 | Montgomery College | Rockville, MD | Value Report |
| 62 | John Jay College of Criminal Justice | New York, NY | Value Report |
| 63 | Wake Forest University | Winston-Salem, NC | Value Report |
| 64 | Hunter College | New York, NY | Value Report |
| 65 | Baruch College | New York, NY | Value Report |
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 316 | Texas A & M University - Central Texas | Killeen, TX | Value Report |
| 317 | Bristol Community College | Fall River, MA | Value Report |
| 318 | Century College | White Bear Lake, MN | Value Report |
| 319 | California State University - Bakersfield | Bakersfield, CA | Value Report |
| 320 | Gateway Technical College | Kenosha, WI | Value Report |
| 321 | Harvey Mudd College | Claremont, CA | Value Report |
| 322 | Kent State University at Stark | North Canton, OH | Value Report |
| 323 | Palomar College | San Marcos, CA | Value Report |
| 324 | College of the Sequoias | Visalia, CA | Value Report |
| 324 | Richmond Community College | Hamlet, NC | Value Report |
| 326 | Florence-Darlington Technical College | Florence, SC | Value Report |
All Majors and Fields of Study >
These schools also performed well in our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) ranking:
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 327 | Bismarck State College | Bismarck, ND | Value Report |
| 328 | Des Moines Area Community College | Ankeny, IA | Value Report |
| 329 | University of Richmond | University of Richmond, VA | Value Report |
| 330 | Cape Fear Community College | Wilmington, NC | Value Report |
| 331 | Nassau Community College | Garden City, NY | Value Report |
| 332 | South Florida State College | Avon Park, FL | Value Report |
| 333 | Simmons University | Boston, MA | Value Report |
| 333 | Eastern Florida State College | Cocoa, FL | Value Report |
| 335 | Georgia Highlands College | Rome, GA | Value Report |
| 335 | Germanna Community College | Locust Grove, VA | Value Report |
| 337 | NorthWest Arkansas Community College | Bentonville, AR | Value Report |
| 338 | Hinds Community College | Raymond, MS | Value Report |
| 339 | Holmes Community College | Goodman, MS | Value Report |
| 340 | Kapiolani Community College | Honolulu, HI | Value Report |
| 341 | University of Phoenix - Arizona | Phoenix, AZ | Value Report |
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 422 | Bronx Community College | Bronx, NY | Value Report |
| 423 | Lone Star College System | The Woodlands, TX | Value Report |
| 424 | Western Wyoming Community College | Rock Springs, WY | Value Report |
| 425 | Texas Tech University | Lubbock, TX | Value Report |
| 426 | Chipola College | Marianna, FL | Value Report |
| 427 | The University of Texas at Dallas | Richardson, TX | Value Report |
| 428 | Grand Rapids Community College | Grand Rapids, MI | Value Report |
| 429 | Chattahoochee Valley Community College | Phenix City, AL | Value Report |
| 430 | New Mexico State University - Dona Ana | Las Cruces, NM | Value Report |
| 431 | Utah State University | Logan, UT | Value Report |
| 432 | Los Angeles Southwest College | Los Angeles, CA | Value Report |
| 433 | Norwalk Community College | Norwalk, CT | Value Report |
| 434 | Itawamba Community College | Fulton, MS | Value Report |
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.