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.
Rhode Island College
- Public 4 Year
- Providence, RI
-
2.5 | 2 reviews
- Mar 15 application deadline
Rhode Island College is a public college known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and social work. The campus sits in a residential area on the north side of Providence.
- SAT Range 870-1120
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.08
- Acceptance Rate 92%
- Net Price $10,346
Anderson University
- Private 4 Year
- Anderson, SC
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
A private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. Most students live on its residential campus in Anderson in South Carolina's Upstate region.
- SAT Range 1100-1280
- Avg GPA 3.72
- Acceptance Rate 55%
- Net Price $24,434
Charleston Southern University
- Private 4 Year
- Charleston, SC
-
| 0 reviews
Charleston Southern is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The suburban campus sits in North Charleston in the greater Charleston area.
- SAT Range 930-1160
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $21,080
Benedict College
- Private 4 Year
- Columbia, SC
-
3.0 | 2 reviews
- Feb 15 application deadline
Benedict is a private historically Black college known for undergraduate business and criminal justice. The urban campus sits in South Carolina's capital city of Columbia.
- SAT Range 820-1010
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $18,665
Claflin University
- Private 4 Year
- Orangeburg, SC
-
| 0 reviews
Claflin is a private historically Black university known for undergraduate biology, business, and education. The residential campus is located in Orangeburg in central South Carolina.
- SAT Range 840-1040
- Avg GPA 3.28
- Acceptance Rate 65%
- Net Price $17,272
Coker University
- Private 4 Year
- Hartsville, SC
-
| 0 reviews
Coker is a private university known for undergraduate liberal arts programs and round-table classroom teaching. The historic campus sits in the small town of Hartsville.
- SAT Range 940-1160
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.1
- Acceptance Rate 94%
- Net Price $19,823
Columbia International University
- Private 4 Year
- Columbia, SC
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
CIU is a private Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies and intercultural studies. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in Columbia.
- SAT Range 990-1195
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 94%
- Net Price $26,056
Columbia College
- Private 4 Year
- Columbia, SC
-
| 0 reviews
Columbia College is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate education and nursing. Students study on an urban campus in South Carolina's capital.
- SAT Range 850-1140
- Avg GPA 3.56
- Acceptance Rate 94%
- Net Price $18,790
Converse University
- Private 4 Year
- Spartanburg, SC
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Converse is a private university known for undergraduate music and the visual and performing arts. Its historic campus in Spartanburg was long a women's college and is now coeducational.
- SAT Range 1010-1250
- Avg GPA 3.89
- Acceptance Rate 68%
- Net Price $19,061
Francis Marion University
- Public 4 Year
- Florence, SC
-
| 0 reviews
Francis Marion is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The wooded campus sits on the edge of Florence.
- SAT Range 870-1115
- Avg GPA 3.89
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $11,727
Lander University
- Public 4 Year
- Greenwood, SC
-
| 0 reviews
Lander is a public university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The campus is in the small city of Greenwood in South Carolina's Upstate.
- SAT Range 950-1178
- Avg GPA 3.66
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $15,520
Limestone University
- Private 4 Year
- Gaffney, SC
-
| 0 reviews
Limestone is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The campus is in the small town of Gaffney in upstate South Carolina.
- SAT Range 980-1160
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $19,369
Newberry College
- Private 4 Year
- Newberry, SC
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
Newberry is a private liberal arts college with undergraduate programs in education and business. The residential campus sits in the small town of Newberry and has long ties to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
- SAT Range 820-1060
- Avg GPA 3.58
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $21,943
North Greenville University
- Private 4 Year
- Tigerville, SC
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 22 application deadline
North Greenville is a private Christian university known for undergraduate programs in Christian studies, education, and business. The residential campus lies in the Blue Ridge foothills of rural Tigerville.
- SAT Range 1060-1240
- Avg GPA 3.84
- Acceptance Rate 67%
- Net Price $21,346
University of South Carolina Aiken
- Public 4 Year
- Aiken, SC
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
USC Aiken is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The suburban campus is located in the smaller city of Aiken near the South Carolina-Georgia border.
- SAT Range 980-1220
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.19
- Acceptance Rate 79%
- Net Price $12,236
University of South Carolina Beaufort
- Public 4 Year
- Bluffton, SC
-
| 0 reviews
A public university known for undergraduate nursing, hospitality management, and biology. The Bluffton campus sits in South Carolina's Lowcountry near Hilton Head Island.
- SAT Range 940-1110
- Avg GPA 3.82
- Acceptance Rate 73%
- Net Price $15,363
Coastal Carolina University
- Public 4 Year
- Conway, SC
-
4.7 | 3 reviews
Coastal Carolina is a public university known for undergraduate marine science and PGA golf management. The Conway campus lies a short drive from Myrtle Beach and the Atlantic coast.
- SAT Range 1050-1220
- Avg GPA 3.72
- Acceptance Rate 75%
- Net Price $14,379
South Carolina State University
- Public 4 Year
- Orangeburg, SC
-
| 0 reviews
- Jul 31 application deadline
SC State is a public HBCU known for undergraduate education, business, and biological sciences. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in the small city of Orangeburg.
- SAT Range 800-1050
- Avg GPA 3.17
- Acceptance Rate 83%
- Net Price $17,965