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.
North Carolina Wesleyan University
- Private 4 Year
- Rocky Mount, NC
-
| 0 reviews
North Carolina Wesleyan is a small private university known for undergraduate business, education, and criminal justice. The residential campus is located in Rocky Mount in eastern North Carolina.
- SAT Range 860-1120
- Avg GPA 3.2
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $18,472
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
- Public 4 Year
- Pembroke, NC
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
UNC Pembroke is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and nursing. The campus was founded to serve Native American students and remains closely tied to the Lumbee community.
- SAT Range 970-1200
- Avg GPA 3.44
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $9,723
Wingate University
- Private 4 Year
- Wingate, NC
-
| 0 reviews
Wingate is a private university known for undergraduate programs in the health sciences, business, and education. The residential campus sits in a small town east of Charlotte.
- SAT Range 1010-1210
- Avg GPA 3.33
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $21,282
Winston Salem State University
- Public 4 Year
- Winston-Salem, NC
-
| 0 reviews
- Feb 15 application deadline
Winston-Salem State is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate nursing and health sciences. The urban campus is part of the University of North Carolina system.
- SAT Range 830-1020
- Avg GPA 3.01
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $12,989
Western Carolina University
- Public 4 Year
- Cullowhee, NC
-
4.6 | 10 reviews
- Mar 1 application deadline
Western Carolina is a public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and criminal justice. The campus sits in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Cullowhee.
- SAT Range 1080-1270
- Avg GPA 3.44
- Acceptance Rate 82%
- Net Price $13,767
Dickinson State University
- Public 4 Year
- Dickinson, ND
-
| 0 reviews
Dickinson State is a small public university known for undergraduate teacher education and nursing. The campus is in the small city of Dickinson in western North Dakota.
- SAT Range 875-1130
- Avg GPA 3.11
- Acceptance Rate 37%
- Net Price $14,698
University of Jamestown
- Private 4 Year
- Jamestown, ND
-
| 0 reviews
University of Jamestown is a private university known for undergraduate nursing and teacher education. The residential campus sits in the small city of Jamestown in central North Dakota.
- SAT Range 900-1140
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.25
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $20,510
Mayville State University
- Public 4 Year
- Mayville, ND
-
| 0 reviews
Mayville State is a small public university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The campus sits in the rural town of Mayville in eastern North Dakota.
- SAT Range 880-1250
- Avg GPA 3.14
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $11,069
Minot State University
- Public 4 Year
- Minot, ND
-
| 0 reviews
- Jun 30 application deadline
Minot State is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and business. The compact campus sits in the small city of Minot in north-central North Dakota.
- SAT Range 930-1140
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 65%
- Net Price $13,092
North Dakota State University Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Fargo, ND
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
NDSU is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture, engineering, and pharmacy. The main campus sits in Fargo along the Red River.
- SAT Range 968-1216
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 95%
- Net Price $15,596
Valley City State University
- Public 4 Year
- Valley City, ND
-
| 0 reviews
Valley City State is a small public university known for undergraduate teacher education. The campus sits in the small town of Valley City along the Sheyenne River.
- SAT Range 830-1070
- Avg GPA 3.31
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $12,442
University of Akron Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Akron, OH
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3.5 | 4 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
University of Akron is a large public university known for undergraduate polymer science and engineering. The urban campus sits near downtown Akron.
- SAT Range 900-1190
- Avg GPA 3.47
- Acceptance Rate 60%
- Net Price $14,693
Ashland University
- Private 4 Year
- Ashland, OH
-
| 0 reviews
Ashland is a private university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and business. The residential campus sits in the small college city of Ashland in north-central Ohio.
- SAT Range 1035-1208
- Avg GPA 3.54
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $22,610
Bowling Green State University Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- Bowling Green, OH
-
| 0 reviews
- Jul 15 application deadline
BGSU is a large public university known for undergraduate education, aviation, and popular culture studies. Most students live on a residential campus in the college town of Bowling Green.
- SAT Range 1000-1210
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $24,283
Central State University
- Public 4 Year
- Wilberforce, OH
-
| 0 reviews
Central State is a public HBCU known for undergraduate education and manufacturing engineering. The residential campus sits in the small town of Wilberforce.
- SAT Range 770-950
- Avg GPA 2.8
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $11,398
Cleveland State University
- Public 4 Year
- Cleveland, OH
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Cleveland State is a public university known for undergraduate urban affairs, engineering, and business. The urban campus sits in downtown Cleveland.
- SAT Range 880-1130
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.31
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $16,230
Heidelberg University
- Private 4 Year
- Tiffin, OH
-
| 0 reviews
Heidelberg is a private liberal arts university known for undergraduate education and business. The residential campus is in the small city of Tiffin in northwest Ohio.
- SAT Range 1030-1162
- Avg GPA 3.33
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $19,447
Hiram College
- Private 4 Year
- Hiram, OH
-
| 0 reviews
Hiram is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate sciences and biomedical humanities. Students follow the Hiram Plan of 12-week terms paired with intensive three-week courses.
- SAT Range 890-1100
- Avg GPA 3.28
- Acceptance Rate 94%
- Net Price $21,868