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2021 Best Colleges for the Money (With No Aid) in the United States

1,472 Colleges
$29,912 Avg Cost (Without Aid)*
4.4 Years Avg Time to Graduate*

Quality BadgeWith all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Best United States Schools For The Money For Those With No Aid ranking is part of that endeavor.

After analyzing 1,472 schools, we came up with our list of those that were the best for overall value for the money with no aid in the United States. It's important to note that this isn't just a listing of colleges and universities with the lowest sticker price. Instead, this ranking identifies schools that offer a high quality educational experience at a lower-than-expected price. Because of this, it is possible for one college to rank better than another, even if the latter college has a lower average cost.

Get more details on our ranking methodology.

To calculate the average cost amount, we sum up the total expenses to attend a school - such as tuition, fees, room and board, books and supplies, and other living expenses. This estimate is meant to give you a better picture of how much money you'll have to pay each year, either through self-pay, loans, or external scholarships.

One Size Does Not Fit All

We know that one set of rankings doesn't always help you determine the best school for you, so we've created the ability to narrow your list by location and field of study as well as alternative rankings that prioritize different factors, such as those of importance to veterans and returning adults or those seeking diversity and overall quality.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. If you're torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another!

Top Colleges for the Money (Without Aid) in the United States

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

Our analysis found Brigham Young University - Provo to be the best school for overall value for the money with no aid in the United States in this year’s ranking. BYU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Provo, Utah. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7,007 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

At BYU, the average time it takes a student to graduate is 5.2 years, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $19,236 for students who receive no aid. Looking at these numbers together, we estimate that the average cost of a bachelor’s degree from BYU is about $100,797. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. In addition to its great value ranking, BYU is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Colleges list.

Full Brigham Young University - Provo Report

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#2

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

La Crosse, Wisconsin

The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools for the money in the United States. UW - La Crosse is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin and has a fairly large student population. In 2018-2019, this school awarded 2,211 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.

It takes about 4.5 years for the average student at UW - La Crosse to complete their degree, and the estimated yearly cost for the school is $24,074 for students who receive no aid. Putting this cost and the average time to graduate together, we find that the average amount you’ll pay to get a bachelor’s degree from UW - La Crosse is $107,129. Graduating sooner can prevent you from having to pay more money out of pocket.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. UW - La Crosse also claimed a spot on our Best Colleges list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.

Full University of Wisconsin - La Crosse Report

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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of South Florida - Main Campus. The school came in at #3 in the United States on this year’s best value ranking. Located in Tampa, Florida, the large public school awarded 8,684 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2018-2019.

It takes about 4.3 years for the average student at USF Tampa to complete their degree, and it costs students who receive no aid about $31,190 per year to attend the school. Thus, the average cost to get a bachelor’s degree from the USF Tampa is $134,117. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. On top of its placing in our value rankings, USF Tampa also did well on our Best Colleges list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Full University of South Florida - Main Campus Report

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#4

Truman State University

Kirksville, Missouri

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Truman State University. It ranked #4 on our 2021 Best Value Colleges in the United States list. This medium-sized public school is located in Kirksville, Missouri, and it awarded 1,216 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

The average amount of time it takes for a student to receive their degree at Truman State is 4.2 years, and it costs students who receive no aid about $27,140 per year to attend the school. When we combine these numbers, we estimate that the cost to get a bachelor’s degree from Truman State is $115,074. Graduating sooner can prevent you from having to pay more money out of pocket.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

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#5

Martin Luther College

New Ulm, Minnesota

Out of the 1,472 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Martin Luther College landed the #5 spot on the list. MLC is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Ulm, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 190 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

The average amount of time it takes for a student to receive their degree at MLC is 4.4 years, and it costs students who receive no aid about $27,230 per year to attend the school. Looking at these numbers together, we estimate that the average cost of a bachelor’s degree from MLC is about $120,901. When students graduate in a lesser amount of time, they can save thousands of dollars.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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#6

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

With a ranking of #6, Florida State University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for the Money in the United States list. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, the large public school awarded 9,688 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2018-2019.

The average amount of time it takes for a student to receive their degree at Florida State is 4.2 years, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $34,063 for students who receive no aid. When we combine these numbers, we estimate that the cost to get a bachelor’s degree from Florida State is $144,086. When students graduate in a lesser amount of time, they can save thousands of dollars.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Florida State excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Colleges list.

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#7

University of Minnesota - Rochester

Rochester, Minnesota

With a ranking of #7, University of Minnesota - Rochester did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for the Money in the United States list. Located in Rochester, Minnesota, the small public school awarded 84 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2018-2019.

It takes the average student at UMN Rochester about 4.1 years to graduate, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $26,504 for students who receive no aid. This makes the estimated cost of a bachelor’s degree from UMN Rochester be around $109,462. When students graduate in a lesser amount of time, they can save thousands of dollars.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Minnesota - Rochester Report

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#8

University of Minnesota - Morris

Morris, Minnesota

University of Minnesota - Morris landed the #8 spot on the 2021 Best Value Colleges in the United States ranking. UMN Morris is a public institution located in Morris, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 385 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

The average student at UMN Morris graduates in less than 4.2 years, and the average full-time cost to attend the school for students who receive no aid is around $26,200. Looking at these numbers together, we estimate that the average cost of a bachelor’s degree from UMN Morris is about $111,088. If you can shave even one term off your degree, you can save a substantial amount of money.

Full University of Minnesota - Morris Report

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North Dakota State University - Main Campus came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in the United States ranking. Located in Fargo, North Dakota, the fairly large public school handed out 2,588 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

At North Dakota State University, the average time it takes a student to graduate is 4.5 years, and the yearly average cost to attend the school is $26,551 for students who receive no aid. Looking at these numbers together, we estimate that the average cost of a bachelor’s degree from North Dakota State University is about $120,276. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.

The low student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full North Dakota State University - Main Campus Report

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#8

University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

University of North Carolina School of the Arts came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in the United States ranking. Located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the small public school handed out 196 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

At UNCSA, the average time it takes a student to graduate is 4.0 years, and the estimated yearly cost for the school is $36,228 for students who receive no aid. Looking at these numbers together, we estimate that the average cost of a bachelor’s degree from UNCSA is about $146,723. If you can shave even one term off your degree, you can save a substantial amount of money.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 6 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. In addition to its great value ranking, UNCSA is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Colleges list.

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#11

SUNY Geneseo

Geneseo, New York

SUNY Geneseo came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in the United States ranking. SUNY Geneseo is a public institution located in Geneseo, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,408 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

The average amount of time it takes for a student to receive their degree at SUNY Geneseo is 4.1 years, and the average full-time cost to attend the school for students who receive no aid is around $33,121. Thus, the average cost to get a bachelor’s degree from the SUNY Geneseo is $136,459. If you can shave even one term off your degree, you can save a substantial amount of money.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. SUNY Geneseo excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Colleges list.

Full SUNY Geneseo Report

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#12

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

With a ranking of #12, University of Northern Iowa did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for the Money in the United States list. Located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the fairly large public school awarded 2,500 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2018-2019.

It takes about 4.4 years for the average student at UNI to complete their degree, and it costs students who receive no aid about $29,789 per year to attend the school. Putting this cost and the average time to graduate together, we find that the average amount you’ll pay to get a bachelor’s degree from UNI is $132,263. Graduating sooner can prevent you from having to pay more money out of pocket.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. UNI also claimed a spot on our Best Colleges list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.

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#13

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina

Appalachian State University did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges in the United States ranking, coming in at #13. Appalachian State University is a fairly large public school located in Boone, North Carolina that handed out 4,172 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

The average amount of time it takes for a student to receive their degree at Appalachian State is 4.3 years, and the estimated yearly cost for the school is $30,039 for students who receive no aid. Looking at these numbers together, we estimate that the average cost of a bachelor’s degree from Appalachian State is about $129,468. When students graduate in a lesser amount of time, they can save thousands of dollars.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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#14

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

With a ranking of #14, University of Florida did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for the Money in the United States list. University of Florida is a large public school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 9,663 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

The average amount of time it takes for a student to receive their degree at U of F is 4.3 years, and the estimated yearly cost for the school is $37,399 for students who receive no aid. Putting this cost and the average time to graduate together, we find that the average amount you’ll pay to get a bachelor’s degree from U of F is $159,694. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. In addition to its great value ranking, U of F is in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Colleges list.

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#15

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan

Grand Valley State University landed the #15 spot on the 2021 Best Value Colleges in the United States ranking. Allendale, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 5,421 students in 2018-2019.

The average student at GVSU graduates in less than 4.5 years, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $29,175 for students who receive no aid. Putting this cost and the average time to graduate together, we find that the average amount you’ll pay to get a bachelor’s degree from GVSU is $132,163. When students graduate in a lesser amount of time, they can save thousands of dollars.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in the United States ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Memphis, Tennessee, and it awarded 235 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

The average student at Baptist College of Health Sciences graduates in less than 4.4 years, and it costs students who receive no aid about $22,346 per year to attend the school. Thus, the average cost to get a bachelor’s degree from the Baptist College of Health Sciences is $99,216. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences Report

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#17

University of Wyoming

Laramie, Wyoming

University of Wyoming came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in the United States ranking. Located in Laramie, Wyoming, the fairly large public school handed out 2,387 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

The average student at U of Wyoming graduates in less than 4.6 years, and the average full-time cost to attend the school for students who receive no aid is around $27,881. Looking at these numbers together, we estimate that the average cost of a bachelor’s degree from U of Wyoming is about $129,368. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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#18

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in the United States ranking. Brookings, South Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,026 students in 2018-2019.

The average student at South Dakota State graduates in less than 4.4 years, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $25,217 for students who receive no aid. This makes the estimated cost of a bachelor’s degree from South Dakota State be around $110,955. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.

The low student loan default rate of 4.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

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#19

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in the United States ranking. Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,807 students in 2018-2019.

The average amount of time it takes for a student to receive their degree at SRU is 4.3 years, and the estimated yearly cost for the school is $27,866 for students who receive no aid. Looking at these numbers together, we estimate that the average cost of a bachelor’s degree from SRU is about $119,545. The sooner a student graduates, the more money they can save.

The low student loan default rate of 4.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Report

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#20

Iowa State University

Ames, Iowa

Iowa State University landed the #20 spot on the 2021 Best Value Colleges in the United States ranking. Ames, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 7,380 students in 2018-2019.

It takes about 4.4 years for the average student at Iowa State to complete their degree, and it costs students who receive no aid about $34,287 per year to attend the school. Putting this cost and the average time to graduate together, we find that the average amount you’ll pay to get a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State is $151,549. If you can shave even one term off your degree, you can save a substantial amount of money.

The low student loan default rate of 3.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Iowa State also is in the top 15% of our Best Colleges ranking.

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#20

Winona State University

Winona, Minnesota

Winona State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in the United States ranking. This medium-sized public school is located in Winona, Minnesota, and it awarded 1,822 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

It takes about 4.5 years for the average student at Winona State to complete their degree, and the yearly average cost to attend the school is $27,071 for students who receive no aid. This means that the average student pays around $121,278 to get a bachelor’s degree from Winona State. When you graduate sooner, you can save a lot of money.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Winona State University Report

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#22

Thomas Aquinas College

Santa Paula, California

Thomas Aquinas College did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges in the United States ranking, coming in at #22. TAC is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Santa Paula, California. It awarded 83 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

It takes the average student at TAC about 4.2 years to graduate, and the average full-time cost to attend the school for students who receive no aid is around $38,164. When we combine these numbers, we estimate that the cost to get a bachelor’s degree from TAC is $159,144. When students graduate in a lesser amount of time, they can save thousands of dollars.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. In addition to its great value ranking, TAC is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Colleges list.

Full Thomas Aquinas College Report

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#23

Harding University

Searcy, Arkansas

Harding University did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges in the United States ranking, coming in at #23. Harding is a private not-for-profit institution located in Searcy, Arkansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 888 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

It takes about 4.3 years for the average student at Harding to complete their degree, and the yearly average cost to attend the school is $31,706 for students who receive no aid. When we combine these numbers, we estimate that the cost to get a bachelor’s degree from Harding is $137,921. If you can shave even one term off your degree, you can save a substantial amount of money.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Harding University Report

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#24

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in the United States ranking. Purdue is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7,568 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

It takes the average student at Purdue about 4.4 years to graduate, and the estimated yearly cost for the school is $38,339 for students who receive no aid. Putting this cost and the average time to graduate together, we find that the average amount you’ll pay to get a bachelor’s degree from Purdue is $167,158. When you graduate sooner, you can save a lot of money.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. On top of its placing in our value rankings, Purdue also did well on our Best Colleges list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

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SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in the United States ranking. SUNY - ESF is a small public school situated in Syracuse, New York. It awarded 459 bachelor’s degrees in 2018-2019.

It takes about 4.2 years for the average student at SUNY - ESF to complete their degree, and on average, the annual cost to attend the school is $36,992 for students who receive no aid. Putting this cost and the average time to graduate together, we find that the average amount you’ll pay to get a bachelor’s degree from SUNY - ESF is $154,257. If you can shave even one term off your degree, you can save a substantial amount of money.

The low student loan default rate of 2.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. SUNY - ESF also claimed a spot on our Best Colleges list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.

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Rest of the Top 50 Best Colleges for the Money (With No Aid) in the United States

Not only did these schools make the top-ranked list, but they also landed in the upper 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

SUNY Oneonta

Oneonta, New York
#27

Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, North Carolina
#28

College of the Ozarks

Point Lookout, Missouri
#29

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota
#30

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina
#31

University of South Dakota

Vermillion, South Dakota
#32

SUNY New Paltz

New Paltz, New York
#33

University of Minnesota - Duluth

Duluth, Minnesota
#34

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#35

University of Central Florida

Orlando, Florida
#36

SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, New York
#36

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin
#38

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas
#39

Bob Jones University

Greenville, South Carolina
#40

SUNY Cortland

Cortland, New York
#40

Salisbury University

Salisbury, Maryland
#42

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Edwardsville, Illinois
#42

University of Nebraska at Kearney

Kearney, Nebraska
#44

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#45

Binghamton University

Vestal, New York
#46

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
#47

University of North Florida

Jacksonville, Florida
#48

University of Houston

Houston, Texas
#49

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Rapid City, South Dakota
#49

Clarkson College

Omaha, Nebraska

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges for the Money in the United States

To learn more about the schools below, just click on their names:

Rank College Location
51 Birmingham Southern College Birmingham, AL
52 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC
53 Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health Omaha, NE
53 Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI
55 Maine Maritime Academy Castine, ME
56 Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
57 University of Georgia Athens, GA
57 Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI
59 University of North Carolina at Wilmington Wilmington, NC
60 California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA
61 University of Illinois at Springfield Springfield, IL
62 Salish Kootenai College Pablo, MT
62 University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI
64 Brigham Young University - Hawaii Laie, HI
65 West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Chester, PA
Rank College Location
66 New College of Florida Sarasota, FL
67 Lake Superior State University Sault Ste Marie, MI
68 University of Mary Bismarck, ND
69 Florida College Temple Terrace, FL
69 University of Wisconsin - River Falls River Falls, WI
71 East Carolina University Greenville, NC
72 Fitchburg State University Fitchburg, MA
73 University of Wisconsin - Stout Menomonie, WI
73 SUNY Plattsburgh Plattsburgh, NY
75 University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY
76 SUNY Fredonia Fredonia, NY
76 Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY
78 SUNY Oswego Oswego, NY
79 University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE
80 Westfield State University Westfield, MA
81 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN
82 Franciscan University of Steubenville Steubenville, OH
83 The Baptist College of Florida Graceville, FL
83 Kettering College Kettering, OH
85 James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA
86 University of Wisconsin - Whitewater Whitewater, WI
87 The College at Brockport Brockport, NY
88 Bemidji State University Bemidji, MN
89 Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI
90 California State University Maritime Academy Vallejo, CA
Rank College Location
91 Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA
92 SUNY Maritime College Throggs Neck, NY
93 Kansas State University Manhattan, KS
94 University of Kansas Lawrence, KS
94 Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN
96 Massachusetts Maritime Academy Buzzards Bay, MA
97 Ramapo College of New Jersey Mahwah, NJ
97 CUNY Hunter College New York, NY
99 College of Saint Mary Omaha, NE
100 The College of New Jersey Ewing, NJ
101 Western Washington University Bellingham, WA
102 University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT
103 University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL
104 Minnesota State University - Moorhead Moorhead, MN
105 University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Norman, OK
106 University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC
106 Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL
108 Worcester State University Worcester, MA
109 Northwest Missouri State University Maryville, MO
109 University of Iowa Iowa City, IA
111 Florida International University Miami, FL
112 Western Illinois University Macomb, IL
113 Principia College Elsah, IL
114 University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst, MA
114 Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI
Rank College Location
116 University at Albany Albany, NY
117 Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Stillwater, OK
118 Arizona State University - West Glendale, AZ
118 Brigham Young University - Idaho Rexburg, ID
120 Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO
120 St Mary’s College of Maryland St. Mary’s City, MD
122 University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR
123 University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign Champaign, IL
123 Louisiana Tech University Ruston, LA
125 Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO
126 Mount Carmel College of Nursing Columbus, OH
127 University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA
128 Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown, PA
129 Sacred Heart Major Seminary Detroit, MI
130 University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC
131 Freed - Hardeman University Henderson, TN
131 Lincoln Christian University Lincoln, IL
133 Cottey College Nevada, MO
134 University of Minnesota - Crookston Crookston, MN
135 Ohio University - Main Campus Athens, OH
136 Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO
137 William Carey University Hattiesburg, MS
138 University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO
139 Johnson University Knoxville, TN
140 Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH
Rank College Location
141 University of North Carolina at Asheville Asheville, NC
141 Northern State University Aberdeen, SD
143 California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA
144 University of Detroit Mercy Detroit, MI
145 Elizabethtown College Elizabethtown, PA
146 University of Idaho Moscow, ID
147 Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, IN
148 University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OH
149 The University of Tennessee - Martin Martin, TN
150 Ball State University Muncie, IN
151 Cedarville University Cedarville, OH
152 University of Wisconsin - Platteville Platteville, WI
153 University of Maryland - Baltimore County Baltimore, MD
154 The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College Philadelphia, PA
155 Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN
156 Dunwoody College of Technology Minneapolis, MN
157 University of Maine at Farmington Farmington, ME
158 SUNY Potsdam Potsdam, NY
159 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX
160 University of Delaware Newark, DE
160 Alaska Pacific University Anchorage, AK
162 Union University Jackson, TN
163 Grace College and Theological Seminary Winona Lake, IN
163 Washington State University Pullman, WA
165 Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ
Rank College Location
166 Utah State University Logan, UT
167 Mercer University Macon, GA
167 Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts North Adams, MA
169 University of Mississippi University, MS
169 York College of Pennsylvania York, PA
171 Stockton University Galloway, NJ
172 John Brown University Siloam Springs, AR
173 Dickinson State University Dickinson, ND
173 Towson University Towson, MD
175 Arizona State University - Tempe Tempe, AZ
175 Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA
177 University of South Florida - St. Petersburg St. Petersburg, FL
178 Hobe Sound Bible College Hobe Sound, FL
179 The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, KY
180 University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD
180 Regent University Virginia Beach, VA
182 Emmaus Bible College Dubuque, IA
183 Radford University Radford, VA
184 University of North Texas Denton, TX
184 Texas State University San Marcos, TX
186 Ozark Christian College Joplin, MO
187 Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar, VA
188 Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TX
189 Soka University of America Aliso Viejo, CA
189 Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX
Rank College Location
191 California University of Pennsylvania California, PA
192 Purchase College Purchase, NY
193 University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS
194 Bowling Green State University - Main Campus Bowling Green, OH
195 Mansfield University of Pennsylvania Mansfield, PA
196 Dakota State University Madison, SD
197 Waynesburg University Waynesburg, PA
198 University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MO
199 Valley City State University Valley City, ND
200 Midwestern State University Wichita Falls, TX
201 University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SC
202 Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Bloomsburg, PA
202 University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI
204 New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Socorro, NM
204 University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WA
206 Lincoln Memorial University Harrogate, TN
207 Arkansas State University - Main Campus Jonesboro, AR
208 Minot State University Minot, ND
208 SUNY Delhi Delhi, NY
208 Hope College Holland, MI
211 Ouachita Baptist University Arkadelphia, AR
212 Montclair State University Montclair, NJ
213 Ashland University Ashland, OH
214 St John’s College Annapolis, MD
215 San Diego State University San Diego, CA
Rank College Location
216 University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NV
217 CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY
218 Pennsylvania State University - Erie - Behrend College Erie, PA
218 Canisius College Buffalo, NY
220 Wayne State College Wayne, NE
221 Pittsburg State University Pittsburg, KS

All Majors and Fields of Study >

Honorable Mentions

These schools also performed well in our Best Colleges for the Money ranking:

Rank College Location
222 Neumont College of Computer Science Salt Lake City, UT
223 California State University - Chico Chico, CA
223 Taylor University Upland, IN
225 Framingham State University Framingham, MA
225 Longwood University Farmville, VA
225 University of Memphis Memphis, TN
228 Southwest Minnesota State University Marshall, MN
229 The University of West Florida Pensacola, FL
230 Keene State College Keene, NH
230 University of New Hampshire - Main Campus Durham, NH
232 Michigan State University East Lansing, MI
233 West Texas A&M University Canyon, TX
234 Wheaton College Illinois Wheaton, IL
235 Elon University Elon, NC
235 Edinboro University of Pennsylvania Edinboro, PA
Rank College Location
235 The University of Texas of the Permian Basin Odessa, TX
235 Salem State University Salem, MA
239 The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TN
239 Adventist University of Health Sciences Orlando, FL
241 Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Atlanta, GA
242 Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA
243 University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, VA
244 University of South Alabama Mobile, AL
245 Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL
246 Miami University - Oxford Oxford, OH
247 University of Connecticut Storrs, CT
248 Clarion University of Pennsylvania Clarion, PA
249 Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, MO
250 University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE
251 Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH
252 Arizona State University - Downtown Phoenix Phoenix, AZ
253 Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City, NC
253 Pennsylvania State University - University Park University Park, PA
255 Emporia State University Emporia, KS
255 Maranatha Baptist University Watertown, WI
Rank College Location
257 University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
258 Indiana Wesleyan University Marion, IN
259 Appalachian Bible College Mount Hope, WV
260 Mount Vernon Nazarene University Mount Vernon, OH
261 Blue Mountain College Blue Mountain, MS
262 Mississippi University for Women Columbus, MS
263 Chadron State College Chadron, NE
263 University of Wisconsin - Superior Superior, WI
265 Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus Indiana, PA
265 University of Central Arkansas Conway, AR
267 University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Green Bay, WI
267 California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Pomona, CA
269 CUNY Queens College Queens, NY
270 Flagler College - St Augustine Saint Augustine, FL
271 Jefferson College of Health Sciences Roanoke, VA
272 Dordt College Sioux Center, IA
273 Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary Ankeny, IA
274 University of Louisville Louisville, KY
275 Maharishi University of Management Fairfield, IA
275 Georgia College & State University Milledgeville, GA
Rank College Location
277 Temple University Philadelphia, PA
277 Oregon State University Corvallis, OR
279 Messiah University Mechanicsburg, PA
280 West Virginia University Morgantown, WV
280 The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX
280 Huntington University Huntington, IN
283 California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CA
283 Bethany Lutheran College Mankato, MN
285 Samford University Birmingham, AL
286 Rowan University Glassboro, NJ
287 Lindenwood University Saint Charles, MO
287 University of New Hampshire at Manchester Manchester, NH
289 Lee University Cleveland, TN
289 Bradley University Peoria, IL
291 Lock Haven University Lock Haven, PA
292 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Tallahassee, FL
292 California State University - Monterey Bay Seaside, CA
294 Ave Maria University Ave Maria, FL
294 Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg, PA

More Rankings >

Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

  • For our state-specific rankings, we use in-state tuition to calculate average cost. For our national and regional rankings, we use a weighted average of in-state and non-resident tuition.

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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