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.

1,045 Results
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Public Private 4 Year

Auburn University at Montgomery

  • Public 4 Year
  • Montgomery, AL
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

AUM is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The campus is located in Montgomery, Alabama's capital city.

#577 Best Value in America 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1036-1203
  • Avg GPA 3.4
  • Acceptance Rate 92%
  • Net Price $13,945
Details

Faulkner University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Montgomery, AL
  • | 0 reviews

Faulkner is a private Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies, ministry, and business. The Montgomery campus is affiliated with the Churches of Christ and keeps a residential college focus.

#578 Best Value in America 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 886-1135
  • Avg GPA 3.36
  • Acceptance Rate 73%
  • Net Price $19,920
Details

Jacksonville State University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Jacksonville, AL
  • | 0 reviews

Jacksonville State is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus sits in a small college town in the Appalachian foothills of northeast Alabama.

#579 Best Value in America 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1000-1290
  • Avg GPA 3.43
  • Acceptance Rate 78%
  • Net Price $14,221
Details
University of West Alabama Campus
 

University of West Alabama

  • Public 4 Year
  • Livingston, AL
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 10 application deadline

West Alabama is a public university known for undergraduate education and business programs. The campus sits in the small town of Livingston in western Alabama.

#580 Best Value in America 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 860-1120
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.16
  • Acceptance Rate 43%
  • Net Price $13,954
Details

University of Montevallo

  • Public 4 Year
  • Montevallo, AL
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Aug 15 application deadline

Montevallo is a public liberal arts university known for undergraduate education, fine arts, and the performing arts. The historic campus sits in a small college town in central Alabama.

#581 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1200
  • Avg GPA 3.66
  • Acceptance Rate 54%
  • Net Price $17,890
Details

University of South Alabama

  • Public 4 Year
  • Mobile, AL
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jul 15 application deadline

South Alabama is a public university known for undergraduate nursing and health sciences. The campus is in the coastal city of Mobile near Mobile Bay.

#582 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1190
  • Avg GPA 3.69
  • Acceptance Rate 71%
  • Net Price $16,074
Details

Troy University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Troy, AL
  • 5.0 | 4 reviews

Troy is a public university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and education. The main campus is a residential college-town setting in southeastern Alabama.

#583 Best Value in America 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 940-1210
  • Avg GPA 3.5
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $12,842
Details

Tuskegee University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Tuskegee, AL
  • 4.0 | 5 reviews
  • Apr 15 application deadline

Tuskegee is a private university known for undergraduate engineering, nursing, and veterinary science. The rural campus is a historic HBCU in Alabama.

#584 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 995-1255
  • Avg GPA 3.1
  • Acceptance Rate 49%
  • Net Price $24,344
Details

University of Alaska Fairbanks

  • Public 4 Year
  • Fairbanks, AK
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jun 15 application deadline

UAF is a public university known for undergraduate arctic science, geosciences, and engineering. The Fairbanks campus lies in subarctic Interior Alaska.

#585 Best Value in America
  • SAT Range 1110-1360
  • Avg GPA 3.4
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $11,278
Details
Arizona Christian University Campus
 

Arizona Christian University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Glendale, AZ
  • | 0 reviews

Arizona Christian is a private Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies and education. The suburban campus sits in Glendale in the Phoenix metro area.

#586 Best Value in America 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 960-1170
  • Avg GPA 3.16
  • Acceptance Rate 71%
  • Net Price $32,514
Details

University of Arkansas at Little Rock

  • Public 4 Year
  • Little Rock, AR
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • Aug 17 application deadline

UA Little Rock is a public university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and criminal justice. The urban campus is located in Arkansas's capital city.

#587 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 960-1210
  • Avg GPA 3.42
  • Acceptance Rate 59%
  • Net Price $12,033
Details

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

  • Public 4 Year
  • Pine Bluff, AR
  • | 0 reviews

UAPB is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate aquaculture and agriculture. Students study on a residential campus in Pine Bluff in southeastern Arkansas.

#588 Best Value in America 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 845-1108
  • Avg GPA 2.9
  • Acceptance Rate 41%
  • Net Price $12,373
Details

Arkansas State University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Jonesboro, AR
  • | 0 reviews

Arkansas State is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, agriculture, and business. The campus is located in Jonesboro in northeast Arkansas.

#589 Best Value in America 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1190
  • Avg GPA 3.66
  • Acceptance Rate 82%
  • Net Price $12,410
Details

Arkansas Tech University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Russellville, AR
  • | 0 reviews

Arkansas Tech is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, education, and emergency management. The campus is in Russellville, a small city in the Arkansas River Valley.

#590 Best Value in America 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1100
  • Avg GPA 3.37
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $12,626
Details

University of Central Arkansas

  • Public 4 Year
  • Conway, AR
  • 3.0 | 1 reviews

UCA is a public university known for undergraduate education and nursing programs. The campus sits in Conway, a college town north of Little Rock.

#591 Best Value in America 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 910-1170
  • Avg GPA 3.7
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $16,546
Details

Henderson State University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Arkadelphia, AR
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jul 15 application deadline

Henderson State is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The campus sits in the small college town of Arkadelphia.

#592 Best Value in America
  • SAT Range 903-1073
  • Avg GPA 3.23
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $20,444
Details

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus

  • Public 4 Year
  • Magnolia, AR
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 27 application deadline

SAU is a public university known for undergraduate business, education, and nursing. The campus is in the small college town of Magnolia.

#593 Best Value in America 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 875-1105
  • Avg GPA 3.46
  • Acceptance Rate 75%
  • Net Price $13,442
Details

California Baptist University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Riverside, CA
  • | 0 reviews

California Baptist is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and engineering. The suburban Riverside campus lies in Southern California's Inland Empire.

#594 Best Value in America 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 960-1150
  • Avg GPA 3.58
  • Acceptance Rate 85%
  • Net Price $27,862
Details