Lowest net price for middle-income families
Colleges with the lowest average yearly price after grants for families earning $30,000 to $75,000.
Lowest net price for middle-income families682 schools
682 schools qualify, ranked by net price for families earning $30,000–$75,000. 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 net price for families earning $30,000 to $75,000 from federal data (College Scorecard); it covers students who receive federal aid.
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by that net price, lowest first.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Illinois
- $549 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 96% graduate
- 2
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Massachusetts
- $719 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 96% graduate
- 3
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll#1 in New Jersey
- $832 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 98% graduate
- 4
Stanford University
Stanford, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- $1,562 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 92% graduate
- 5
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll#1 in New Hampshire
- $1,793 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 96% graduate
- 6
Rice University
Houston, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Texas
- $1,965 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 95% graduate
- 7
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Maryland
- $2,205 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 94% graduate
- 8
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- $2,469 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 98% graduate
- 9
Colby College
Waterville, ME · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- $2,551 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 89% graduate
- 10
Washington and Lee University
Lexington, VA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Virginia
- $2,855 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 94% graduate
- 11
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Tennessee
- $3,351 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 94% graduate
- 12
Duke University
Durham, NC · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in North Carolina
- $3,355 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 97% graduate
- 13
William & Mary
Williamsburg, VA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- $3,451 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 89% graduate
- 14
University of Minnesota-Morris
Morris, MN · PublicTop 12% for low net price
- $3,555 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 63% graduate
- 15
CUNY Hunter College
New York, NY · PublicTop 2% for low net price
- $3,637 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 57% graduate
- 16
University of Florida-Online
Gainesville, FL · PublicHonor RollTop 4% for low net price
- $3,644 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 85% graduate
- 17
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- $3,690 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 93% graduate
- 18
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
New York, NY · PublicHonor RollTop 2% for low net price
- $3,769 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 72% graduate
- 19
Northeastern University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 3% for earnings
- $3,792 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 91% graduate
- 20
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Missouri
- $4,090 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 94% graduate
- 21
Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollTop 2% for graduation
- $4,193 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 96% graduate
- 22
New College of Florida
Sarasota, FL · PublicTop 8% for low net price
- $4,367 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 67% graduate
- 23
Brown University
Providence, RI · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll#1 in Rhode Island
- $4,445 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 96% graduate
- 24
CUNY City College
New York, NY · PublicTop 2% for low net price
- $4,588 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 57% graduate
- 25
Humphreys University-Stockton and Modesto Campuses
Stockton, CA · Private nonprofitTop 5% for low net price
- $4,724 a year for families earning $30,000–$75,000
- 62% graduate
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Chicago | $14,860 | $15,000 | $91,885 | 96% |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $20,111 | $14,768 | $143,372 | 96% |
| Princeton University | $6,128 | $10,320 | $110,066 | 98% |
| Stanford University | $13,807 | $12,000 | $124,080 | 92% |
| Dartmouth College | $29,519 | $17,500 | $97,434 | 96% |
| Rice University | $13,370 | $11,000 | $89,718 | 95% |
| Johns Hopkins University | $18,809 | $10,250 | $87,555 | 94% |
| Harvard University | $19,066 | $14,000 | $101,817 | 98% |
| Colby College | $17,180 | $19,157 | $80,490 | 89% |
| Washington and Lee University | $23,781 | $19,500 | $94,810 | 94% |
| Vanderbilt University | $15,846 | $14,000 | $91,565 | 94% |
| Duke University | $29,612 | $13,000 | $97,800 | 97% |
| William & Mary | $19,096 | $18,500 | $73,490 | 89% |
| University of Minnesota-Morris | $8,837 | $18,995 | $50,919 | 63% |
| CUNY Hunter College | $2,984 | $11,000 | $63,163 | 57% |
| University of Florida-Online | $4,815 | $15,000 | $71,588 | 85% |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $13,138 | $19,500 | $83,648 | 93% |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | $3,033 | $11,512 | $75,971 | 72% |
| Northeastern University | $30,915 | $24,250 | $92,538 | 91% |
| Washington University in St. Louis | $21,786 | $17,500 | $86,182 | 94% |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | $21,590 | $21,500 | $102,491 | 96% |
| New College of Florida | $7,195 | $17,375 | $48,082 | 67% |
| Brown University | $25,184 | $11,428 | $93,487 | 96% |
| CUNY City College | $3,776 | $11,990 | $66,039 | 57% |
| Humphreys University-Stockton and Modesto Campuses | $5,524 | $35,500 | $39,248 | 62% |
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 20
- Indiana 21
- Iowa 16
- Kansas 4
- Kentucky 7
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 9
- Maryland 15
- Massachusetts 45
- Michigan 20
- Minnesota 19
- Missouri 17
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 5
- New Jersey 17
- New York 79
- North Carolina 17
- Ohio 33
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 11
- Pennsylvania 60
- Rhode Island 9
- South Carolina 10
- Tennessee 10
- Texas 20
- Utah 4
- Vermont 6
- Virginia 18
- Washington 13
- Wisconsin 15