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

University of West Florida

  • Public 4 Year
  • Pensacola, FL
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jun 1 application deadline

UWF is a public university known for undergraduate marine biology, archaeology, and nursing. The wooded Pensacola campus includes a large nature preserve.

#631 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1020-1230
  • Avg GPA 3.6
  • Acceptance Rate 58%
  • Net Price $10,092
Details

Albany State University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Albany, GA
  • 4.0 | 2 reviews

Albany State is a public HBCU known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus sits in the southwest Georgia city of Albany.

#632 Best Value in America
  • SAT Range 740-900
  • Avg GPA 2.77
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $11,484
Details
Point University Campus
 

Point University

  • Private 4 Year
  • West Point, GA
  • | 0 reviews

Point is a small private Christian university known for undergraduate ministry, business, and education. The campus is in the small town of West Point on the Georgia-Alabama border.

#633 Best Value in America 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 972-1237
  • Avg GPA 3.41
  • Acceptance Rate 44%
  • Net Price $19,545
Details

Clark Atlanta University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Atlanta, GA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Apr 1 application deadline

Clark Atlanta is a private historically Black university known for undergraduate social work, business, and mass media arts. The urban Atlanta campus is part of the Atlanta University Center consortium with neighboring HBCUs.

#634 Best Value in America 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1120
  • Avg GPA 3.28
  • Acceptance Rate 64%
  • Net Price $31,223
Details

Brenau University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Gainesville, GA
  • | 0 reviews

Brenau is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and the arts. Traditional undergraduates enroll in its residential Women's College on a historic campus in Gainesville.

#635 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 930-1200
  • Avg GPA 3.39
  • Acceptance Rate 88%
  • Net Price $19,743
Details
Brewton Parker College Campus
 

Brewton Parker College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Mount Vernon, GA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Brewton-Parker is a small private Baptist college with undergraduate programs in education, business, and Christian studies. The rural campus is located in the small town of Mount Vernon in southeast Georgia.

#636 Best Value in America 2/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1010
  • Avg GPA 3.0
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $25,613
Details

Clayton State University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Morrow, GA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jul 17 application deadline

Clayton State is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and business. The suburban Morrow campus sits beside a lake south of Atlanta.

#637 Best Value in America 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 860-1078
  • Avg GPA 3.0
  • Acceptance Rate 68%
  • Net Price $8,192
Details

Columbus State University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Columbus, GA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jun 30 application deadline

Columbus State is a public university known for undergraduate music through the Schwob School of Music, plus nursing and theater. Arts programs also use a downtown RiverPark campus along the Chattahoochee River.

#638 Best Value in America 2/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 800-1060
  • Avg GPA 3.07
  • Acceptance Rate 99%
  • Net Price $12,420
Details

Fort Valley State University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Fort Valley, GA
  • 5.0 | 2 reviews
  • Jun 15 application deadline

Fort Valley State is a public HBCU known for undergraduate agriculture and animal science. The residential campus is in the small city of Fort Valley in central Georgia.

#639 Best Value in America 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 930-1070
  • Avg GPA 2.87
  • Acceptance Rate 66%
  • Net Price $10,047
Details

Georgia Southwestern State University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Americus, GA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jul 21 application deadline

Georgia Southwestern is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The residential campus sits in the small city of Americus in southwest Georgia.

#640 Best Value in America 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 890-1110
  • Avg GPA 3.17
  • Acceptance Rate 75%
  • Net Price $11,769
Details

Georgia College & State University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Milledgeville, GA
  • 5.0 | 2 reviews
  • Apr 1 application deadline

Georgia College is a public liberal arts university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and the arts and sciences. The residential campus occupies historic grounds in downtown Milledgeville, Georgia's former capital.

#641 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1070-1230
  • Avg GPA 3.53
  • Acceptance Rate 78%
  • Net Price $21,632
Details

Georgia Southern University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Statesboro, GA
  • | 0 reviews
  • May 1 application deadline

Georgia Southern is a large public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and logistics. The main campus anchors the college town of Statesboro in southeast Georgia.

#642 Best Value in America 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 986-1133
  • Avg GPA 3.36
  • Acceptance Rate 88%
  • Net Price $15,971
Details

Georgia State University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Atlanta, GA
  • 5.0 | 2 reviews
  • Apr 1 application deadline

Georgia State is a large public university known for undergraduate business, public health, and public policy. The urban campus sits in downtown Atlanta.

#643 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 940-1180
  • Avg GPA 3.54
  • Acceptance Rate 55%
  • Net Price $16,854
Details

Life University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Marietta, GA
  • | 0 reviews

Life University is a private university known for chiropractic education and undergraduate exercise science and biology. The suburban campus is in Marietta near Atlanta.

#644 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 920-1130
  • Avg GPA 3.11
  • Acceptance Rate 93%
  • Net Price $29,111
Details

Oglethorpe University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Atlanta, GA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jul 15 application deadline

Oglethorpe is a private liberal arts college known for a required undergraduate core curriculum in the humanities and sciences. The wooded campus sits in Atlanta's Brookhaven neighborhood.

#645 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1090-1310
  • Avg GPA 3.73
  • Acceptance Rate 88%
  • Net Price $20,490
Details

Piedmont University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Demorest, GA
  • 2.0 | 2 reviews
  • Jul 15 application deadline

Piedmont is a private university known for undergraduate education and nursing. The campus is set in the small town of Demorest in northeast Georgia's Blue Ridge foothills.

#646 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1038-1245
  • Avg GPA 3.54
  • Acceptance Rate 93%
  • Net Price $22,252
Details

Reinhardt University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Waleska, GA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews

Reinhardt is a private university known for undergraduate business, education, and music. The campus is set in the small North Georgia mountain town of Waleska.

#647 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 940-1160
  • Avg GPA 3.25
  • Acceptance Rate 62%
  • Net Price $24,550
Details

Savannah College of Art and Design

  • Private 4 Year
  • Savannah, GA
  • 4.2 | 4 reviews

SCAD is a private art and design college known for undergraduate fashion, graphic design, and animation. The campus occupies renovated historic buildings in downtown Savannah.

#648 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1030-1270
  • Avg GPA 3.56
  • Acceptance Rate 83%
  • Net Price $50,821
Details