Colleges with the lowest student debt
Colleges whose graduates leave with the least federal student debt.
Colleges with the lowest student debt684 schools
684 schools qualify, ranked by median debt. 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 the median federal loan debt of graduates from federal data (College Scorecard).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by median debt, lowest first.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
- 2
Boricua College
New York, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 2% for low debt
- Median debt $6,733
- 81% graduate
- 3
United States Merchant Marine Academy
Kings Point, NY · PublicHonor RollTop 4% for earnings
- Median debt $8,833
- 82% graduate
- 4
Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music
San Juan, PR · Public#3 in Puerto Rico
- Median debt $8,875
- 67% graduate
- 5Tie
Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe
Tempe, AZ · Private for-profit#1 in Arizona
- Median debt $9,500
- 89% graduate
- 5Tie
Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV · Private for-profitTop 6% for low debt
- Median debt $9,500
- 82% graduate
- 7
Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Median debt $10,000
- 92% graduate
- 8
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Maryland
- Median debt $10,250
- 94% graduate
- 9
InterCoast Colleges-West Covina
West Covina, CA · Private for-profitTop 2% for graduation
- Median debt $10,313
- 97% graduate
- 10
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll#1 in New Jersey
- Median debt $10,320
- 98% graduate
- 11Tie
- 11Tie
- 11Tie
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Syracuse, NY · PublicTop 10% for low debt
- Median debt $11,000
- 66% graduate
- 14
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Utah
- Median debt $11,069
- 81% graduate
- 15
Brown University
Providence, RI · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll#1 in Rhode Island
- Median debt $11,428
- 96% graduate
- 16
Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Cape Girardeau, MO · Private nonprofitTop 11% for low debt
- Median debt $11,500
- 75% graduate
- 17
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
New York, NY · PublicHonor RollTop 2% for low net price
- Median debt $11,512
- 72% graduate
- 18
Pomona College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Median debt $11,782
- 93% graduate
- 19
- 20Tie
Stanford University
Stanford, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Median debt $12,000
- 92% graduate
- 20Tie
Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY · PublicTop 10% for graduation
- Median debt $12,000
- 81% graduate
- 20Tie
Ranken Technical College
Saint Louis, MO · Private nonprofit#5 in Missouri
- Median debt $12,000
- 53% graduate
- 20Tie
- 20Tie
The Modern College of Design
Kettering, OH · Private for-profitTop 11% for low debt
- Median debt $12,000
- 69% graduate
- 25
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berea College | $6,106 | $3,591 | $43,150 | 58% |
| Boricua College | $15,245 | $6,733 | $35,348 | 81% |
| United States Merchant Marine Academy | $6,174 | $8,833 | $90,610 | 82% |
| Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music | $7,260 | $8,875 | $19,474 | 67% |
| Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe | $31,681 | $9,500 | $34,657 | 89% |
| Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas | $30,921 | $9,500 | $34,657 | 82% |
| Wellesley College | $25,496 | $10,000 | $84,803 | 92% |
| Johns Hopkins University | $18,809 | $10,250 | $87,555 | 94% |
| InterCoast Colleges-West Covina | $27,536 | $10,313 | $36,089 | 97% |
| Princeton University | $6,128 | $10,320 | $110,066 | 98% |
| Rice University | $13,370 | $11,000 | $89,718 | 95% |
| CUNY Hunter College | $2,984 | $11,000 | $63,163 | 57% |
| SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry | $18,952 | $11,000 | $55,763 | 66% |
| Brigham Young University | $15,564 | $11,069 | $75,790 | 81% |
| Brown University | $25,184 | $11,428 | $93,487 | 96% |
| Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences | $19,390 | $11,500 | $60,918 | 75% |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | $3,033 | $11,512 | $75,971 | 72% |
| Pomona College | $19,285 | $11,782 | $77,779 | 93% |
| CUNY City College | $3,776 | $11,990 | $66,039 | 57% |
| Stanford University | $13,807 | $12,000 | $124,080 | 92% |
| Fashion Institute of Technology | $19,095 | $12,000 | $62,696 | 81% |
| Ranken Technical College | $18,795 | $12,000 | $55,955 | 53% |
| Hesston College | $26,299 | $12,000 | $47,495 | 61% |
| The Modern College of Design | $39,359 | $12,000 | $42,187 | 69% |
| Parker University | $29,135 | $12,288 | $42,091 | 74% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
By state
- Alabama 5
- Arizona 4
- Arkansas 5
- California 61
- Colorado 6
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 21
- Georgia 9
- Illinois 21
- Indiana 21
- Iowa 16
- Kansas 4
- Kentucky 7
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 9
- Maryland 15
- Massachusetts 46
- Michigan 20
- Minnesota 19
- Missouri 19
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 5
- New Jersey 16
- New York 75
- North Carolina 18
- Ohio 33
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 11
- Pennsylvania 60
- Rhode Island 9
- South Carolina 10
- Tennessee 10
- Texas 20
- Utah 4
- Vermont 6
- Virginia 21
- Washington 13
- Wisconsin 15