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Families often start saving nearly as soon as their children are out of the womb, and some even begin planning where to live before that, aiming to get the best value within their home state. However, with the right research and accurate data, college planning doesn’t have to be such a daunting task.
To assist with this process, EDsmart—a website that helps guide learners to the most valuable college degrees—collected data from College Scorecard to identify some of the least expensive colleges in the United States.
We filtered the data focusing on schools that offer Bachelor’s degrees at minimum. Special-focus institutions (e.g., performing arts, health, faith-related), online/distance education institutions, and institutions located in U.S. territories were filtered out. We then sorted the results by net price to identify the 15 least and 15 most expensive colleges in the U.S.
Net price represents the average annual cost that a student who receives federal financial aid pays to cover expenses, including tuition and living costs, after subtracting any grants and scholarships. This metric gives a clearer picture of the actual financial burden on families compared to just looking at the sticker price (tuition).
Read on to discover where you can get the best and worst bang for your buck in the U.S., whether you live there or want to spend four years of your life in a new setting.
Least Expensive Colleges
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1. Texas A&M University-Central Texas (Texas)
- Average Net Price: $2,457
- Location: Killeen, TX
- Acceptance Rate: 96%
- Graduation Rate: 59%
- Median Salary: Not specified
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s and Master’s
2. Berea College (Kentucky)
- Average Net Price: $2,601
- Location: Berea, KY
- Acceptance Rate: 25%
- Graduation Rate: 69%
- Median Salary: $43,150
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s Degrees
3. CUNY Hunter College (New York)
- Average Net Price: $3,296
- Location: New York, NY
- Acceptance Rate: 48%
- Graduation Rate: 56%
- Median Salary: $63,163
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral, and Professional
4. CUNY City College (New York)
- Average Net Price: $3,434
- Location: New York, NY
- Acceptance Rate: 67%
- Graduation Rate: 57%
- Median Salary: $66,039
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral, and Professional
5. CUNY Bernard M Baruch College (New York)
- Average Net Price: $3,644
- Location: New York, NY
- Acceptance Rate: 50%
- Graduation Rate: 68%
- Median Salary: $75,971
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral
6. CUNY Brooklyn College (New York)
- Average Net Price: $3,700
- Location: Brooklyn, NY
- Acceptance Rate: 55%
- Graduation Rate: 56%
- Median Salary: $60,752
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s and Master’s, Graduate/Professional and Post-baccalaureate Certificates, and Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
7. Elizabeth City State University (North Carolina)
- Average Net Price: $3,959
- Location: Elizabeth City, NC
- Acceptance Rate: 74%
- Graduation Rate: 44%
- Median Salary: $40,026
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s and Master’s
8. CUNY Lehman College (New York)
- Average Net Price: $4,034
- Location: Bronx, NY
- Acceptance Rate: 55%
- Graduation Rate: 58%
- Median Salary: $58,013
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s and First Professional Degrees, Graduate/Professional Certificates, and Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
9. California State University-Dominguez Hills (California)
- Average Net Price: $4,058
- Location: Carson, CA
- Acceptance Rate: 89%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Median Salary: $57,162
- Degrees Offered: Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees, Graduate/Professional and Post-baccalaureate Certificates, and Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
10. Texas A&M International University (Texas)
- Average Net Price: $4,778
- Location: Laredo, TX
- Acceptance Rate: 48%
- Graduation Rate: 54%
- Median Salary: $48,386
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s
11. CUNY Queens College (New York)
- Average Net Price: $4,921
- Location: Queens, NY
- Acceptance Rate: 69%
- Graduation Rate: 56%
- Median Salary: $62,763
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s Degrees, Master’s Degrees, Graduate/Professional Certificates, Post-baccalaureate Certificates, Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas
12. Dalton State College (Georgia)
- Average Net Price: $5,066
- Location: Dalton, GA
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Graduation Rate: 37%
- Median Salary: $40,251
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s Degrees, Associate’s Degrees, and Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas
13. Peirce College (Pennsylvania)
- Average Net Price: $5,301
- Location: Philadelphia, PA
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Graduation Rate: 25%
- Median Salary: $50,660
- Degrees Offered: Associate’s Degrees, Bachelor’s Degrees, Master’s Degrees, Post-baccalaureate Certificates, Graduate/Professional Certificates, Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
14. California State University-Los Angeles (California)
- Average Net Price: $5,385
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Acceptance Rate: 87%
- Graduation Rate: 70%
- Median Salary: $59,211
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral, Associate’s Degrees, Graduate/Professional Certificates, Post-baccalaureate Certificates, and Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas.
15. CUNY York College (New York)
- Average Net Price: $5,568
- Location: Jamaica, NY
- Acceptance Rate: 59%
- Graduation Rate: 40%
- Median Salary: $56,945
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees, and Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
Most Expensive Colleges
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1. Emerson College (Massachusetts)
- Average Net Price: $49,466
- Location: Boston, MA
- Acceptance Rate: 43%
- Graduation Rate: 81%
- Median Salary: $62,832
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees
2. The New School (New York)
- Average Net Price: $49,086
- Location: New York, NY
- Acceptance Rate: 57%
- Graduation Rate: 72%
- Median Salary: $52,901
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree, Associate’s Degree, Doctoral Degree, Graduate/Professional Certificates, Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
3. Pratt Institute-Main (New York)
- Average Net Price: $46,938
- Location: Brooklyn, NY
- Acceptance Rate: 50%
- Graduation Rate: 72%
- Median Salary: $54,295
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Associate’s Degrees as well as Graduate/Professional Certificates
4. Fairfield University (Connecticut)
- Average Net Price: $45,701
- Location: Fairfield, CT
- Acceptance Rate: 52%
- Graduation Rate: 81%
- Median Salary: $88,794
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral, First Professional Degrees, and Graduate/Professional Certificates
5. Tulane University of Louisiana (Louisiana)
- Average Net Price: $45,582
- Location: New Orleans, LA
- Acceptance Rate: 11%
- Graduation Rate: 70%
- Median Salary: $63,268
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral, Associate’s, First Professional Degrees, Post-baccalaureate Certificates, Graduate/Professional Certificates, and Undergraduate Certificates/Diplomas.
6. Loyola Marymount University (California)
- Average Net Price: $45,394
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Acceptance Rate: 41%
- Graduation Rate: 82%
- Median Salary: $78,349
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral, First Professional Degrees, and Graduate/Professional Certificates
7. Howard University (District of Columbia)
- Average Net Price: $45,180
- Location: Washington, DC
- Acceptance Rate: 53%
- Graduation Rate: 61%
- Median Salary: $63,066
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s Degrees, Master’s Degrees, Doctoral Degrees, First Professional Degrees, Graduate/Professional Certificates, Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
8. Sacred Heart University (Connecticut)
- Average Net Price: $44,554
- Location: Fairfield, CT
- Acceptance Rate: 66%
- Graduation Rate: 70%
- Median Salary: $75,059
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Associate’s, First Professional, Doctoral Degrees, Graduate/Professional Certificates, Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
9. Chapman University (California)
- Average Net Price: $44,342
- Location: Orange, CA 92866
- Acceptance Rate: 73%
- Graduation Rate: 81%
- Median Salary: $70,070
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree, Doctoral Degree, First Professional Degree, Graduate/Professional Certificates, Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
10. Santa Clara University (California)
- Average Net Price: $44,133
- Location: Santa Clara, CA
- Acceptance Rate: 52%
- Graduation Rate: 92%
- Median Salary: $109,183
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral and First Professional Degrees, Graduate/Professional and Post-baccalaureate Certificates
11. Ferrum College (Virginia)
- Average Net Price: $43,803
- Location: Ferrum, VA
- Acceptance Rate: 84%
- Graduation Rate: 34%
- Median Salary: $44,296
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees, as well as Graduate/Professional Certificates
12. American University (District of Columbia)
- Average Net Price: $43,412
- Location: Washington, DC
- Acceptance Rate: 41%
- Graduation Rate: 79%
- Median Salary: $77,370
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral, First Professional and Associate’s Degrees as well as Graduate/Professional Certificates, and Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma.
13. Villanova University (Pennsylvania)
- Average Net Price: $43,090
- Location: Villanova, PA
- Acceptance Rate: 23%
- Graduation Rate: 89%
- Median Salary: $100,423
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral, First Professional, Associate’s Degrees, Graduate/Professional Certificates, Post-baccalaureate Certificates, and Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas.
14. Saint Francis University (Pennsylvania)
- Average Net Price: $42,530
- Location: Loretto, PA 15940
- Acceptance Rate: 73%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Median Salary: $62,101
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Associate’s, Doctoral and First Professional Degrees, Graduate/Professional Certificates
15. Bucknell University (Pennsylvania)
- Average Net Price: $42,198
- Location: Lewisburg, PA 17837
- Acceptance Rate: 33%
- Graduation Rate: 90%
- Median Salary: $93,807
- Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees
Insights
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The comparison between the least and most expensive colleges offers several revealing insights into the landscape of higher education affordability and value.
Affordability and Accessibility
The data highlights a significant disparity in affordability among U.S. colleges. Texas A&M University-Central Texas emerges as the most affordable option, with an average net price of just $2,457. This institution, with its high acceptance rate of 96%, provides broad accessibility to students from various financial backgrounds. Similarly, Berea College, with a net price of $2,601, combines affordability with a high graduation rate of 69%, illustrating that low-cost education does not necessarily compromise quality.
Return on Investment
Several affordable colleges also demonstrate strong returns on investment. CUNY Bernard M Baruch College, for instance, offers an impressive median salary of $75,971 for graduates, despite its low net price of $3,644. This college’s ability to deliver high post-graduation earnings showcases the potential benefits of choosing a more affordable institution.
Geographical Influence
Geographical trends reveal that many of the least expensive colleges are concentrated in New York and Texas, whereas the most expensive institutions are distributed across states such as Massachusetts, New York, California, and Pennsylvania. This distribution may reflect varying state funding policies and cost of living factors that influence tuition and fees.
Selective Admissions and Outcomes
Some high-cost colleges have more selective admissions processes and higher graduation rates. Santa Clara University and Villanova University, for example, boast graduation rates of 92% and 89%, respectively, alongside their higher net prices. These institutions justify their costs with excellent educational outcomes and high median salaries for graduates, indicating a strong return on investment for students who can afford the higher tuition.
Impact of Financial Aid
The focus on net price, which accounts for financial aid, underscores the crucial role of scholarships, grants, and other financial aid in making higher education accessible. Colleges like Berea College and various CUNY institutions manage to keep net prices low through substantial financial aid packages, easing the financial burden on students and their families.
Public vs. Private Institutions
The analysis reveals a clear distinction between public and private institutions. Most of the least expensive colleges are public, benefiting from state funding that helps lower costs for students. Conversely, the most expensive colleges are predominantly private, relying on tuition and private funding sources. This distinction can drive discussions about the differences in funding models and their impact on tuition rates.
Conclusion
Our team’s analysis of the least and most expensive colleges in the U.S. provides a nuanced understanding of the factors influencing higher education costs and outcomes.
By considering affordability, accessibility, graduation rates, and post-graduation earnings, prospective students and their families can make more informed decisions about their educational investments.
The data also offers valuable insights for policymakers and educational institutions striving to balance cost, quality, and accessibility in higher education.
For complete results, see 15 Least and Most Expensive Colleges in the U.S. on EDsmart.