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.
Mississippi Valley State University
- Public 4 Year
- Itta Bena, MS
-
| 0 reviews
Mississippi Valley State is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate education and business. The rural campus sits in the Mississippi Delta near Greenwood.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 2.9
- Acceptance Rate 92%
- Net Price $10,232
University of Southern Mississippi
- Public 4 Year
- Hattiesburg, MS
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
Southern Miss is a public university known for undergraduate polymer science and music. The main campus sits in the college town of Hattiesburg in southern Mississippi.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $15,095
Tougaloo College
- Private 4 Year
- Tougaloo, MS
-
| 0 reviews
Tougaloo is a private historically Black liberal arts college known for undergraduate programs in the sciences and social sciences. The historic campus just outside Jackson was a key site in the Civil Rights Movement.
- SAT Range 790-1090
- Avg GPA 2.8
- Acceptance Rate 60%
- Net Price $14,328
Avila University
- Private 4 Year
- Kansas City, MO
-
| 0 reviews
Avila is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The compact campus sits in southern Kansas City.
- SAT Range 800-960
- Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $17,004
Central Methodist University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Private 4 Year
- Fayette, MO
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Central Methodist is a private Methodist university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and music. The historic campus sits in the small college town of Fayette.
- SAT Range 960-1045
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 57%
- Net Price $22,929
University of Central Missouri
- Public 4 Year
- Warrensburg, MO
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| 0 reviews
Central Missouri is a public university known for undergraduate aviation, criminal justice, and education. The campus sits in the college town of Warrensburg east of Kansas City.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.68
- Acceptance Rate 64%
- Net Price $14,943
Culver Stockton College
- Private 4 Year
- Canton, MO
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Culver-Stockton is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate business, education, and equestrian studies. The campus sits on bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River.
- SAT Range 970-1080
- Avg GPA 3.37
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $21,996
Evangel University
- Private 4 Year
- Springfield, MO
-
3.5 | 4 reviews
Evangel is a private Christian university known for undergraduate ministry, music, and education. It is the national university of the Assemblies of God.
- SAT Range 1040-1260
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $19,261
Lindenwood University
- Private 4 Year
- Saint Charles, MO
-
| 0 reviews
Lindenwood is a private university known for undergraduate business, education, and communications. The residential campus is in historic St. Charles near St. Louis.
- SAT Range 1023-1230
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 57%
- Net Price $20,901
Missouri Baptist University
- Private 4 Year
- Saint Louis, MO
-
| 0 reviews
Missouri Baptist is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and Christian ministry. The suburban campus sits in Creve Coeur in the St. Louis metro area.
- SAT Range 910-1170
- Avg GPA 3.4
- Acceptance Rate 69%
- Net Price $27,623
Missouri Southern State University
- Public 4 Year
- Joplin, MO
-
| 0 reviews
Missouri Southern is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, business, and health sciences. The campus is in Joplin in southwest Missouri.
- SAT Range 1150-1420
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $11,626
Missouri Valley College
- Private 4 Year
- Marshall, MO
-
| 0 reviews
Missouri Valley is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The residential campus sits in the small town of Marshall in central Missouri.
- SAT Range 895-1115
- Avg GPA 3.04
- Acceptance Rate 69%
- Net Price $18,923
Northwest Missouri State University
- Public 4 Year
- Maryville, MO
-
| 0 reviews
Northwest Missouri State is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, business, and agriculture. The residential campus is in the small college town of Maryville.
- SAT Range 976-1193
- Avg GPA 3.45
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $16,790
Southeast Missouri State University
- Public 4 Year
- Cape Girardeau, MO
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jul 1 application deadline
SEMO is a public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and business. The campus overlooks the Mississippi River in Cape Girardeau.
- SAT Range 850-1030
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 74%
- Net Price $16,185
Missouri State University Springfield
- Public 4 Year
- Springfield, MO
-
4.0 | 3 reviews
Missouri State is a large public university known for undergraduate business, education, and health professions. The Springfield campus lies in the Ozarks region of southwest Missouri.
- SAT Range 1020-1270
- Avg GPA 3.73
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $17,181
Webster University
- Private 4 Year
- Saint Louis, MO
-
4.0 | 2 reviews
Webster is a private university known for undergraduate communications, theatre, and media arts. The main campus sits in suburban Webster Groves near St. Louis.
- SAT Range 1110-1310
- Avg GPA 3.64
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $29,503
Montana State University
- Public 4 Year
- Bozeman, MT
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
Montana State is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, agriculture, and architecture. Bozeman is a mountain college town near the Bridger Mountains and Yellowstone National Park.
- SAT Range 1065-1285
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 82%
- Net Price $20,142
The University of Montana
- Public 4 Year
- Missoula, MT
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
- Aug 18 application deadline
Montana is a public university known for undergraduate wildlife biology, forestry, and creative writing. The campus sits in Missoula, a college town in the northern Rockies.
- SAT Range 1070-1280
- Avg GPA 3.36
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $17,370