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.
Virginia State University
- Public 4 Year
- Petersburg, VA
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| 0 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
Virginia State is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate agriculture, education, and business. The historic campus is in Petersburg near Richmond.
- SAT Range 840-1070
- Avg GPA 2.85
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $17,840
Virginia Union University
- Private 4 Year
- Richmond, VA
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| 0 reviews
Virginia Union is a private historically Black university known for undergraduate programs in business, education, and social work. The historic urban campus sits on Richmond's North Side.
- SAT Range 850-885
- Avg GPA 2.71
- Acceptance Rate 98%
- Net Price $11,483
Virginia Wesleyan University
- Private 4 Year
- Virginia Beach, VA
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| 0 reviews
Virginia Wesleyan is a private liberal arts university known for undergraduate programs in the arts and sciences. The wooded campus sits in suburban Virginia Beach near the Atlantic coast.
- SAT Range 1140-1350
- Avg GPA 3.39
- Acceptance Rate 73%
- Net Price $21,267
Central Washington University
- Public 4 Year
- Ellensburg, WA
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| 0 reviews
- Mar 1 application deadline
Central Washington is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and aviation. Ellensburg is a residential college town in the Kittitas Valley of central Washington.
- SAT Range 930-1150
- Avg GPA 3.08
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $19,898
Eastern Washington University
- Public 4 Year
- Cheney, WA
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| 0 reviews
- Sep 10 application deadline
Eastern Washington is a public university known for undergraduate education, business, and health sciences. The residential campus is in Cheney, a small college town near Spokane.
- SAT Range 880-1090
- Avg GPA 3.29
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $14,767
The Evergreen State College
- Public 4 Year
- Olympia, WA
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3.7 | 3 reviews
Evergreen is a public liberal arts college known for interdisciplinary programs and environmental studies. The forested campus includes Puget Sound waterfront near Olympia.
- SAT Range 1035-1253
- Avg GPA 3.12
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $18,350
Saint Martin's University
- Private 4 Year
- Lacey, WA
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4.0 | 1 reviews
- Jul 31 application deadline
Saint Martin's is a private Benedictine university known for undergraduate engineering, education, and business. The suburban campus sits in Lacey near Washington's state capital of Olympia.
- SAT Range 1025-1230
- Avg GPA 3.46
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $29,116
Bluefield State University
- Public 4 Year
- Bluefield, WV
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Bluefield State is a public HBCU known for undergraduate nursing, engineering technology, and education. The campus is in Bluefield, a small city in the Appalachian mountains of southern West Virginia.
- SAT Range 870-1080
- Avg GPA 3.41
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $15,814
University of Charleston
- Private 4 Year
- Charleston, WV
-
1.0 | 1 reviews
University of Charleston is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and business. The urban campus sits along the Kanawha River in West Virginia's capital.
- SAT Range 985-1160
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.13
- Acceptance Rate 62%
- Net Price $20,844
Concord University
- Public 4 Year
- Athens, WV
-
| 0 reviews
Concord is a small public university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The residential campus sits in the college town of Athens in southern West Virginia.
- SAT Range 830-1090
- Avg GPA 3.4
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $11,379
Fairmont State University
- Public 4 Year
- Fairmont, WV
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4.0 | 1 reviews
Fairmont State is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and business. The hilltop campus overlooks the small city of Fairmont in north-central West Virginia.
- SAT Range 810-1070
- Avg GPA 3.36
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $11,328
Marshall University
- Public 4 Year
- Huntington, WV
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5.0 | 1 reviews
- Aug 10 application deadline
Marshall is a public university known for undergraduate forensic science, nursing, and business. The urban campus borders the Ohio River in Huntington.
- SAT Range 910-1150
- Avg GPA 3.68
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $8,076
Shepherd University
- Public 4 Year
- Shepherdstown, WV
-
| 0 reviews
Shepherd is a public university known for undergraduate nursing and teacher education. The campus sits in historic Shepherdstown along the Potomac River.
- SAT Range 878-1140
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $11,744
West Virginia State University
- Public 4 Year
- Institute, WV
-
| 0 reviews
West Virginia State is a public historically Black university with undergraduate programs in business, education, and the sciences. The campus is in Institute, near Charleston.
- SAT Range 760-1040
- Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $11,055
West Liberty University
- Public 4 Year
- West Liberty, WV
-
| 0 reviews
West Liberty is a small public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and business. The residential campus is set in a small town in West Virginia's Northern Panhandle.
- SAT Range 890-1123
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $13,655
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
- Public 4 Year
- Beckley, WV
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
WVU Tech is a public college known for undergraduate engineering and technology. The campus sits in Beckley in the mountains of southern West Virginia.
- SAT Range 880-1120
- Avg GPA 3.51
- Acceptance Rate 37%
- Net Price $11,281
West Virginia Wesleyan College
- Private 4 Year
- Buckhannon, WV
-
| 0 reviews
West Virginia Wesleyan is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate nursing and education. Most students live on a residential campus in the college town of Buckhannon.
- SAT Range 892-1160
- Avg GPA 3.52
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $19,218
Carthage College
- Private 4 Year
- Kenosha, WI
-
4.3 | 3 reviews
Carthage is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The campus sits on the western shore of Lake Michigan.
- SAT Range 1000-1205
- Avg GPA 3.36
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $27,066