The Best Value Colleges

Best Value Colleges in America for 2025

Explore the colleges that provide the best value for your money in the United States based on academic quality, outcomes, net price and financial aid. The rankings are calculated using ratings from the 2025 CollegeSimply Best Colleges ranking factored against the typical net price paid by students - to identify the colleges that offer the best deals. Leading the list for 2025 as the overall best value college in America is Harvard University with a 10 out of 10 academic rating for a comparatively affordable $17,900 average net price. The highest value public state college is University of Virginia Main Campus. Learn how the Best Value Colleges are calculated and ranked on our methodology page.
Public Private 4 year

1,049 results nationwide

Yale University
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Y
New Haven, CT

Yale University

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

#19 Best Value in America

  • 15,081enrollment
  • $26,044net price
  • 5%acceptance rate
  • 1500-1580SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.95Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 2

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Duke University
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D
Durham, NC

Duke University

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

#20 Best Value in America

  • 17,112enrollment
  • $23,422net price
  • 7%acceptance rate
  • 1510-1570SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.94Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 3

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Bowdoin College
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B
Brunswick, ME

Bowdoin College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

#21 Best Value in America

  • 1,850enrollment
  • $23,110net price
  • 8%acceptance rate
  • 1480-1550SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Jan 5

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University of Pennsylvania
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P
Philadelphia, PA

University of Pennsylvania

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

#22 Best Value in America

  • 28,711enrollment
  • $26,017net price
  • 6%acceptance rate
  • 1500-1570SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.95Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 5

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Brown University
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B
Providence, RI

Brown University

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

#23 Best Value in America

  • 11,516enrollment
  • $26,608net price
  • 5%acceptance rate
  • 1500-1570SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.94Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 5

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Vanderbilt University
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V
Nashville, TN

Vanderbilt University

Private 4 Year

5 reviews

#24 Best Value in America

  • 13,456enrollment
  • $26,689net price
  • 6%acceptance rate
  • 1510-1560SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.89Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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Middlebury College
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M
Middlebury, VT

Middlebury College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#25 Best Value in America

  • 2,857enrollment
  • $22,912net price
  • 10%acceptance rate
  • 1430-1550SAT range
  • 33-34ACT range
  • 3.89Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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University of Virginia Main Campus
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V
Charlottesville, VA

University of Virginia Main Campus

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

#26 Best Value in America

  • 25,924enrollment
  • $17,831net price
  • 17%acceptance rate
  • 1410-1530SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 3.85Estimated Avg GPA

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Washington and Lee University
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W
Lexington, VA

Washington and Lee University

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

#27 Best Value in America

  • 2,277enrollment
  • $24,667net price
  • 17%acceptance rate
  • 1410-1530SAT range
  • 32-35ACT range
  • 3.87Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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University of Chicago
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C
Chicago, IL

University of Chicago

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

#28 Best Value in America

  • 18,339enrollment
  • $27,979net price
  • 5%acceptance rate
  • 1510-1570SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.95Estimated Avg GPA

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Cornell University
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C
Ithaca, NY

Cornell University

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

#29 Best Value in America

  • 26,264enrollment
  • $26,455net price
  • 8%acceptance rate
  • 1480-1560SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.9Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 2

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Haverford College
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H
Haverford, PA

Haverford College

Private 4 Year

7 reviews

#30 Best Value in America

  • 1,424enrollment
  • $22,828net price
  • 13%acceptance rate
  • 1430-1540SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.9Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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University of California Los Angeles
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C
Los Angeles, CA

University of California Los Angeles

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

#31 Best Value in America

  • 46,678enrollment
  • $15,166net price
  • 9%acceptance rate
  • 1300-1530SAT range
  • 29-35ACT range
  • 3.92Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

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University of California San Diego
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C
La Jolla, CA

University of California San Diego

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

#32 Best Value in America

  • 42,376enrollment
  • $13,293net price
  • 25%acceptance rate
  • 1270-1480SAT range
  • 28-34ACT range
  • 3.82Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

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University of Michigan
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M
Ann Arbor, MI

University of Michigan

Public 4 Year

5 reviews

#33 Best Value in America

  • 52,065enrollment
  • $19,005net price
  • 18%acceptance rate
  • 1350-1530SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • 3.88Avg GPA

Applications Due Feb 1

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Hamilton College
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H
Clinton, NY

Hamilton College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

#34 Best Value in America

  • 2,048enrollment
  • $26,021net price
  • 12%acceptance rate
  • 1410-1550SAT range
  • 32-35ACT range
  • 3.87Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 5

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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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N
Chapel Hill, NC

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

#35 Best Value in America

  • 32,234enrollment
  • $11,140net price
  • 19%acceptance rate
  • 1370-1530SAT range
  • 30-34ACT range
  • 3.83Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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Washington & Jefferson College
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W
Washington, PA

Washington & Jefferson College

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

#36 Best Value in America

  • 1,162enrollment
  • $26,051net price
  • 82%acceptance rate
  • 1010-1250SAT range
  • 19-28ACT range
  • 3.54Avg GPA

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