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.
The University of Texas at San Antonio
- Public 4 Year
- San Antonio, TX
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
- Jun 1 application deadline
UTSA is a large public university known for undergraduate cybersecurity and business. The main campus sits in northwest San Antonio near the Texas Hill Country.
- SAT Range 1000-1220
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.36
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $10,959
Texas Southern University
- Public 4 Year
- Houston, TX
-
3.0 | 3 reviews
- Jul 15 application deadline
Texas Southern is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate pharmacy, business, and criminal justice. The urban campus is located in Houston's Third Ward.
- SAT Range 800-1000
- Avg GPA 3.0
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $13,584
Texas Wesleyan University
- Private 4 Year
- Fort Worth, TX
-
3.0 | 1 reviews
Texas Wesleyan is a private Methodist university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The historic campus sits in Fort Worth's Polytechnic Heights neighborhood.
- SAT Range 1020-1100
- Avg GPA 3.35
- Acceptance Rate 69%
- Net Price $26,416
Texas Woman's University
- Public 4 Year
- Denton, TX
-
4.7 | 3 reviews
TWU is a public university primarily for women, known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and education. The main campus is in Denton, a college town north of Dallas-Fort Worth.
- SAT Range 930-1140
- Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $11,636
West Texas A & M University
- Public 4 Year
- Canyon, TX
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
West Texas A&M is a public university known for undergraduate agriculture, nursing, and business. The campus is in Canyon, a small college town in the Texas Panhandle.
- SAT Range 950-1170
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $15,572
Brigham Young University
- Private 4 Year
- Provo, UT
-
4.3 | 16 reviews
- Dec 16 application deadline
BYU is a private university known for undergraduate accounting, business, and foreign languages. Most students are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and follow a campus honor code.
- SAT Range 1270-1460
- Avg GPA 3.89
- Acceptance Rate 68%
- Net Price $16,694
Southern Utah University
- Public 4 Year
- Cedar City, UT
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
- Sep 8 application deadline
Southern Utah is a public university known for undergraduate theater, performing arts, and education. Cedar City is a small college town near southern Utah national parks.
- SAT Range 1030-1240
- Avg GPA 3.58
- Acceptance Rate 82%
- Net Price $11,840
Averett University
- Private 4 Year
- Danville, VA
-
1.8 | 4 reviews
Averett is a private university known for undergraduate aviation and business programs. The small campus sits in the city of Danville near the North Carolina border.
- SAT Range 926-1143
- Avg GPA 3.07
- Acceptance Rate 57%
- Net Price $23,471
Bridgewater College
- Private 4 Year
- Bridgewater, VA
-
| 0 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
Bridgewater is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate programs in biology, business, and education. The Church of the Brethren-affiliated campus sits in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley.
- SAT Range 1020-1360
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 92%
- Net Price $11,316
Regent University
- Private 4 Year
- Virginia Beach, VA
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Regent is a private Christian university known for undergraduate communication, government, and the arts. The suburban campus is in Virginia Beach near the Atlantic coast.
- SAT Range 990-1250
- Avg GPA 3.34
- Acceptance Rate 38%
- Net Price $20,512
Emory & Henry University
- Private 4 Year
- Emory, VA
-
| 0 reviews
Emory & Henry is a private liberal arts university known for undergraduate teacher education and the social sciences. The rural campus sits in the Appalachian Mountains of southwestern Virginia.
- SAT Range 1051-1223
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $21,446
Eastern Mennonite University
- Private 4 Year
- Harrisonburg, VA
-
| 0 reviews
Eastern Mennonite is a private Mennonite university known for undergraduate peacebuilding and nursing. Students attend a residential campus in Harrisonburg in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley.
- SAT Range 1040-1590
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $25,021
Hampton University
- Private 4 Year
- Hampton, VA
-
3.8 | 6 reviews
- Mar 1 application deadline
Hampton is a private HBCU known for undergraduate journalism, business, and nursing. The waterfront campus sits along the Hampton River near the Chesapeake Bay.
- SAT Range 790-1090
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 62%
- Net Price $27,428
Liberty University
- Private 4 Year
- Lynchburg, VA
-
4.7 | 3 reviews
Liberty is a private Christian university known for undergraduate aviation, nursing, and business. The Lynchburg campus sits in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
- SAT Range 1040-1250
- Avg GPA 3.56
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $29,532
Longwood University
- Public 4 Year
- Farmville, VA
-
| 0 reviews
Longwood is a public university known for undergraduate education, business, and nursing. The residential campus sits in the small college town of Farmville.
- SAT Range 1030-1210
- Avg GPA 3.59
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $20,847
Mary Baldwin University
- Private 4 Year
- Staunton, VA
-
| 0 reviews
Mary Baldwin is a private university known for undergraduate liberal arts programs and the Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership. The residential campus is in the historic Shenandoah Valley city of Staunton.
- SAT Range 940-1120
- Avg GPA 3.57
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $17,810
Norfolk State University
- Public 4 Year
- Norfolk, VA
-
| 0 reviews
- May 31 application deadline
Norfolk State is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate nursing, social work, and communications. The urban campus sits in Norfolk near downtown and the Elizabeth River.
- SAT Range 823-1030
- Avg GPA 2.9
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $9,124
University of Virginia's College at Wise
- Public 4 Year
- Wise, VA
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
UVA Wise is a public liberal arts college known for undergraduate nursing and teacher education. The rural campus sits in the Appalachian Mountains of southwestern Virginia.
- SAT Range 945-1120
- Avg GPA 3.57
- Acceptance Rate 29%
- Net Price $14,378