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
American International College Campus
 

American International College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Springfield, MA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Sep 7 application deadline

AIC is a private college known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and business. The urban campus sits in a residential section of Springfield.

#739 Best Value in America 0/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 940-1110
  • Avg GPA 2.91
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $23,086
Details

Fisher College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Boston, MA
  • | 0 reviews

Fisher is a private college known for undergraduate business, criminal justice, and hospitality management. The compact urban campus sits in Boston's Back Bay.

#740 Best Value in America 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 800-1070
  • Avg GPA 2.72
  • Acceptance Rate 71%
  • Net Price $28,596
Details

Lasell University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Newton, MA
  • 4.8 | 18 reviews

Lasell is a private university known for undergraduate fashion design, merchandising, and business. The suburban Newton campus sits just outside Boston.

#741 Best Value in America 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1030-1158
  • Avg GPA 3.12
  • Acceptance Rate 81%
  • Net Price $27,773
Details

Nichols College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Dudley, MA
  • | 0 reviews

Nichols is a private college known for undergraduate business, management, and sport management. The residential campus sits in the small town of Dudley in south-central Massachusetts.

#742 Best Value in America
  • SAT Range 1028-1236
  • Avg GPA 2.9
  • Acceptance Rate 81%
  • Net Price $32,337
Details

Salem State University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Salem, MA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jun 1 application deadline

Salem State is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and social work. The campus sits in the historic coastal city of Salem north of Boston.

#743 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1160
  • Avg GPA 3.17
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $17,541
Details

Westfield State University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Westfield, MA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Mar 1 application deadline

Westfield State is a public university known for undergraduate education and criminal justice. The campus sits in the small city of Westfield in western Massachusetts.

#744 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 980-1190
  • Avg GPA 3.3
  • Acceptance Rate 81%
  • Net Price $17,406
Details

Adrian College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Adrian, MI
  • 4.0 | 2 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Adrian is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate business, education, and exercise science. The residential campus sits in the small city of Adrian in southeast Michigan.

#745 Best Value in America 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 873-1140
  • Avg GPA 3.2
  • Acceptance Rate 73%
  • Net Price $25,922
Details

Aquinas College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Grand Rapids, MI
  • | 0 reviews

Aquinas is a private Dominican liberal arts college known for undergraduate education and business. The wooded campus sits in a residential neighborhood of Grand Rapids.

#746 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 910-1140
  • Avg GPA 3.52
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $18,018
Details
Baker College Campus
 

Baker College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Owosso, MI
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 10 application deadline

Baker is a private college known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and business. The Owosso campus sits in a small city in central Michigan.

#747 Best Value in America
  • SAT Range 960-1160
  • Avg GPA 3.2
  • Acceptance Rate 82%
  • Net Price $13,616
Details

Central Michigan University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Mount Pleasant, MI
  • 5.0 | 3 reviews

Central Michigan is a public university known for undergraduate education, business, and health professions. Most students live on a residential campus in the college town of Mount Pleasant.

#748 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 960-1200
  • Avg GPA 3.47
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $17,575
Details
Cleary University Campus
 

Cleary University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Howell, MI
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jul 15 application deadline

Cleary is a private university known for undergraduate business and management programs. The campus is in Howell, a smaller city in southeastern Michigan.

#749 Best Value in America
  • SAT Range 950-1170
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.17
  • Acceptance Rate 68%
  • Net Price $23,705
Details

Concordia University Ann Arbor

  • Private 4 Year
  • Ann Arbor, MI
  • | 0 reviews

Concordia Ann Arbor is a private Lutheran university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and business. The campus sits along the Huron River in Ann Arbor.

#750 Best Value in America 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.19
  • Acceptance Rate 69%
  • Net Price $31,080
Details

Eastern Michigan University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Ypsilanti, MI
  • 4.8 | 4 reviews

EMU is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The campus is in Ypsilanti, just east of Ann Arbor.

#751 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 920-1170
  • Avg GPA 3.37
  • Acceptance Rate 80%
  • Net Price $15,742
Details

Ferris State University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Big Rapids, MI
  • 4.0 | 2 reviews

Ferris State is a public university known for undergraduate pharmacy, optometry, and applied technology programs. The main campus is in the small city of Big Rapids in western Michigan.

#752 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 890-1120
  • Avg GPA 3.3
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $10,825
Details

Cornerstone University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Grand Rapids, MI
  • | 0 reviews

Cornerstone is a private Christian university known for undergraduate ministry, biblical studies, and business. Students live on a compact residential campus in Grand Rapids.

#753 Best Value in America 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1220
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.28
  • Acceptance Rate 78%
  • Net Price $21,335
Details

Lake Superior State University

  • Public 4 Year
  • Sault Ste Marie, MI
  • | 0 reviews

Lake Superior State is a small public university known for undergraduate fisheries and wildlife management and criminal justice. The campus sits along the St. Marys River in Michigan's Upper Peninsula near the Canadian border.

#754 Best Value in America
  • SAT Range 1000-1225
  • Avg GPA 3.2
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $12,339
Details

Madonna University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Livonia, MI
  • | 0 reviews

Madonna is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The suburban campus sits in Livonia in the Detroit metro area.

#755 Best Value in America 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1080
  • Avg GPA 3.35
  • Acceptance Rate 63%
  • Net Price $18,373
Details
Rochester University Campus
 

Rochester University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Rochester Hills, MI
  • | 0 reviews

Rochester University is a private Christian university with undergraduate programs in business, nursing, and education. The suburban campus is in Rochester Hills in metro Detroit.

#756 Best Value in America 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 840-1060
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.13
  • Acceptance Rate 98%
  • Net Price $21,611
Details