Best value colleges

Colleges with an Academic Excellence grade of B+ or better, ranked by Value: net price, graduation rate, earnings, and debt from federal data.

Best value colleges674 schools

674 schools qualify, ranked by Value. The top 25 are shown.

How this list is made

Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
Has a Value score from federal data (College Scorecard).
Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
Ordered by Value, highest first.

Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.

1
United States Merchant Marine Academy
Kings Point, NY · PublicHonor Roll
Top 4% for earnings
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- Net price $6,174 a year
2
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll
#1 in New Jersey
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- Net price $6,128 a year
3
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
New York, NY · PublicHonor Roll
Top 2% for low net price
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- Net price $3,033 a year
4
Rice University
Houston, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll
#1 in Texas
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- Net price $13,370 a year
5
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL · PublicHonor Roll
#1 in Florida
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- Net price $6,541 a year
5
University of Florida-Online
Gainesville, FL · PublicHonor Roll
Top 4% for low net price
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- Net price $4,815 a year
7
CUNY City College
New York, NY · Public
Top 2% for low net price
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- Net price $3,776 a year
8
Stanford University
Stanford, CA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll
Exceptional: Compass grade A+
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- Net price $13,807 a year
9
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA · PublicHonor Roll
Exceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- Net price $12,548 a year
10
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA · PublicHonor Roll
Exceptional: Compass grade A+
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- Net price $13,481 a year
10
CUNY Hunter College
New York, NY · Public
Top 2% for low net price
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- Net price $2,984 a year
12
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC · PublicHonor Roll
Exceptional: Compass grade A+
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- Net price $11,655 a year
13
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT · Private nonprofitHonor Roll
#1 in Utah
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- Net price $15,564 a year
14
University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA · PublicHonor Roll
Exceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- Net price $12,470 a year
15
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM · Public
#2 in New Mexico
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- Net price $9,873 a year
16
University of California-Davis
Davis, CA · PublicHonor Roll
Top 7% for graduation
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- Net price $14,741 a year
17
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
New York, NY · Private nonprofitHonor Roll
Exceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- Net price $13,269 a year
18
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Seattle, WA · PublicHonor Roll
#1 in Washington
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- Net price $14,091 a year
19
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA · PublicHonor Roll
Exceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- Net price $14,251 a year
19
California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, CA · Public
Excellent: Compass grade A-
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- Net price $10,440 a year
21
University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago, IL · Public
Top 16% for earnings
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- Net price $10,974 a year
22
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll
#1 in Illinois
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- Net price $14,860 a year
23
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll
#1 in Tennessee
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- Net price $15,846 a year
24
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD · Private nonprofitHonor Roll
#1 in Maryland
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- Net price $18,809 a year
25
University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA · PublicHonor Roll
Exceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- Net price $16,109 a year

Compare cost and outcomes

School	Net price a year	Median debt	Earnings 10 years out	Graduation rate
United States Merchant Marine Academy	$6,174	$8,833	$90,610	82%
Princeton University	$6,128	$10,320	$110,066	98%
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College	$3,033	$11,512	$75,971	72%
Rice University	$13,370	$11,000	$89,718	95%
University of Florida	$6,541	$15,000	$71,588	91%
University of Florida-Online	$4,815	$15,000	$71,588	85%
CUNY City College	$3,776	$11,990	$66,039	57%
Stanford University	$13,807	$12,000	$124,080	92%
University of California-Los Angeles	$12,548	$14,000	$82,511	93%
University of California-Berkeley	$13,481	$13,000	$92,446	93%
CUNY Hunter College	$2,984	$11,000	$63,163	57%
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	$11,655	$14,000	$72,200	91%
Brigham Young University	$15,564	$11,069	$75,790	81%
University of California-San Diego	$12,470	$15,500	$84,943	86%
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology	$9,873	$19,085	$76,489	57%
University of California-Davis	$14,741	$13,000	$80,838	86%
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art	$13,269	$15,000	$83,847	81%
University of Washington-Seattle Campus	$14,091	$14,615	$78,466	85%
University of California-Irvine	$14,251	$15,000	$80,735	87%
California State University-Long Beach	$10,440	$14,289	$64,403	69%
University of Illinois Chicago	$10,974	$16,704	$68,740	62%
University of Chicago	$14,860	$15,000	$91,885	96%
Vanderbilt University	$15,846	$14,000	$91,565	94%
Johns Hopkins University	$18,809	$10,250	$87,555	94%
University of California-Santa Barbara	$16,109	$13,993	$74,915	83%

Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.

All top school lists →

Best value colleges

How this list is made

United States Merchant Marine Academy

Princeton University

CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

Rice University

University of Florida

University of Florida-Online

CUNY City College

Stanford University

University of California-Los Angeles

University of California-Berkeley

CUNY Hunter College

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Brigham Young University

University of California-San Diego

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

University of California-Davis

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

University of California-Irvine

California State University-Long Beach

University of Illinois Chicago

University of Chicago

Vanderbilt University

Johns Hopkins University

University of California-Santa Barbara

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