← All best-college lists
University of ChicagoChicago, IL · Private$91,885 median pay · $14,860/yr net
Marshall UniversityHuntington, WV · Public$46,354 median pay · $7,502/yr net
California State University-Long BeachLong Beach, CA · Public$64,403 median pay · $10,440/yr net
California State University-San MarcosSan Marcos, CA · Public$62,908 median pay · $10,229/yr net
Northern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights, KY · Public$50,220 median pay · $8,191/yr net
Portland State UniversityPortland, OR · Public$57,906 median pay · $9,552/yr net
Rhode Island CollegeProvidence, RI · Public$56,318 median pay · $9,478/yr net
University of South FloridaTampa, FL · Public$57,743 median pay · $9,812/yr net
University of Maine at Presque IslePresque Isle, ME · Public$40,956 median pay · $7,035/yr net
University of Illinois SpringfieldSpringfield, IL · Public$57,103 median pay · $9,833/yr net
Indiana University-EastRichmond, IN · Public$47,156 median pay · $8,134/yr net
Trinity Washington UniversityWashington, DC · Private$53,804 median pay · $9,302/yr net
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN · Private$91,565 median pay · $15,846/yr net
Bowdoin CollegeBrunswick, ME · Private$82,735 median pay · $14,398/yr net
San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, CA · Public$78,988 median pay · $13,760/yr net
University of California-IrvineIrvine, CA · Public$80,735 median pay · $14,251/yr net
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, IL · Public$81,054 median pay · $14,355/yr net
University of Central FloridaOrlando, FL · Public$58,308 median pay · $10,411/yr net
University of Washington-Seattle CampusSeattle, WA · Public$78,466 median pay · $14,091/yr net
University of North FloridaJacksonville, FL · Public$56,343 median pay · $10,154/yr net
San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, CA · Public$68,077 median pay · $12,278/yr net
Michigan Technological UniversityHoughton, MI · Public$78,198 median pay · $14,182/yr net
University of California-DavisDavis, CA · Public$80,838 median pay · $14,741/yr net
Florida State UniversityTallahassee, FL · Public$61,675 median pay · $11,297/yr net
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA · Public$90,768 median pay · $16,665/yr net
The University of Texas at El PasoEl Paso, TX · Public$50,923 median pay · $9,403/yr net
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusDenver, CO · Public$64,270 median pay · $11,900/yr net
University of California-MercedMerced, CA · Public$64,368 median pay · $11,983/yr net
Saint Xavier UniversityChicago, IL · Private$58,656 median pay · $10,970/yr net
Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA · Private$101,817 median pay · $19,066/yr net
University of Nevada-Las VegasLas Vegas, NV · Public$55,037 median pay · $10,359/yr net
University of Maryland-College ParkCollege Park, MD · Public$82,860 median pay · $15,678/yr net
The University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antonio, TX · Public$57,131 median pay · $10,836/yr net
University of West FloridaPensacola, FL · Public$49,137 median pay · $9,364/yr net
Fairmont State UniversityFairmont, WV · Public$46,857 median pay · $9,032/yr net
SUNY Old WestburyOld Westbury, NY · Public$58,526 median pay · $11,282/yr net
Dominican UniversityRiver Forest, IL · Private$60,327 median pay · $11,745/yr net
Sonoma State UniversityRohnert Park, CA · Public$65,986 median pay · $12,885/yr net
New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNewark, NJ · Public$84,276 median pay · $16,504/yr net
Missouri University of Science and TechnologyRolla, MO · Public$82,957 median pay · $16,298/yr net
University of Hawaii-West OahuKapolei, HI · Public$52,075 median pay · $10,327/yr net
Williams CollegeWilliamstown, MA · Private$88,665 median pay · $17,716/yr net
Saint Mary's University of MinnesotaWinona, MN · Private$58,170 median pay · $11,704/yr net
Purdue University-Main CampusWest Lafayette, IN · Public$72,424 median pay · $14,600/yr net
University of GeorgiaAthens, GA · Public$68,726 median pay · $13,936/yr net
University of Virginia's College at WiseWise, VA · Public$45,325 median pay · $9,210/yr net
Murray State UniversityMurray, KY · Public$44,737 median pay · $9,096/yr net
University of St FrancisJoliet, IL · Private$63,926 median pay · $13,006/yr net
Brigham Young UniversityProvo, UT · Private$75,790 median pay · $15,564/yr net
Western Governors UniversitySalt Lake City, UT · Private$60,615 median pay · $12,548/yr netFrequently asked questions
Best value colleges
Colleges that deliver the most earnings power for the lowest real cost.
How we ranked this: Ranked by 10-year median earnings relative to the average net price after aid: a rough return on what you actually pay. Limited to schools that report both, with a graduation rate of 40% or higher and at least 1,000 students.
University of ChicagoChicago, IL · Private$91,885 median pay · $14,860/yr netMarshall UniversityHuntington, WV · Public$46,354 median pay · $7,502/yr netCalifornia State University-Long BeachLong Beach, CA · Public$64,403 median pay · $10,440/yr netCalifornia State University-San MarcosSan Marcos, CA · Public$62,908 median pay · $10,229/yr netNorthern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights, KY · Public$50,220 median pay · $8,191/yr netPortland State UniversityPortland, OR · Public$57,906 median pay · $9,552/yr netRhode Island CollegeProvidence, RI · Public$56,318 median pay · $9,478/yr netUniversity of South FloridaTampa, FL · Public$57,743 median pay · $9,812/yr netUniversity of Maine at Presque IslePresque Isle, ME · Public$40,956 median pay · $7,035/yr netUniversity of Illinois SpringfieldSpringfield, IL · Public$57,103 median pay · $9,833/yr netIndiana University-EastRichmond, IN · Public$47,156 median pay · $8,134/yr netTrinity Washington UniversityWashington, DC · Private$53,804 median pay · $9,302/yr netVanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN · Private$91,565 median pay · $15,846/yr netBowdoin CollegeBrunswick, ME · Private$82,735 median pay · $14,398/yr netSan Jose State UniversitySan Jose, CA · Public$78,988 median pay · $13,760/yr netUniversity of California-IrvineIrvine, CA · Public$80,735 median pay · $14,251/yr netUniversity of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, IL · Public$81,054 median pay · $14,355/yr netUniversity of Central FloridaOrlando, FL · Public$58,308 median pay · $10,411/yr netUniversity of Washington-Seattle CampusSeattle, WA · Public$78,466 median pay · $14,091/yr netUniversity of North FloridaJacksonville, FL · Public$56,343 median pay · $10,154/yr netSan Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, CA · Public$68,077 median pay · $12,278/yr netMichigan Technological UniversityHoughton, MI · Public$78,198 median pay · $14,182/yr netFlorida State UniversityTallahassee, FL · Public$61,675 median pay · $11,297/yr netCalifornia Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA · Public$90,768 median pay · $16,665/yr netThe University of Texas at El PasoEl Paso, TX · Public$50,923 median pay · $9,403/yr netUniversity of California-MercedMerced, CA · Public$64,368 median pay · $11,983/yr netSaint Xavier UniversityChicago, IL · Private$58,656 median pay · $10,970/yr netHarvard UniversityCambridge, MA · Private$101,817 median pay · $19,066/yr netUniversity of Nevada-Las VegasLas Vegas, NV · Public$55,037 median pay · $10,359/yr netUniversity of Maryland-College ParkCollege Park, MD · Public$82,860 median pay · $15,678/yr netThe University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antonio, TX · Public$57,131 median pay · $10,836/yr netUniversity of West FloridaPensacola, FL · Public$49,137 median pay · $9,364/yr netFairmont State UniversityFairmont, WV · Public$46,857 median pay · $9,032/yr netSUNY Old WestburyOld Westbury, NY · Public$58,526 median pay · $11,282/yr netSonoma State UniversityRohnert Park, CA · Public$65,986 median pay · $12,885/yr netNew Jersey Institute of TechnologyNewark, NJ · Public$84,276 median pay · $16,504/yr netMissouri University of Science and TechnologyRolla, MO · Public$82,957 median pay · $16,298/yr netWilliams CollegeWilliamstown, MA · Private$88,665 median pay · $17,716/yr netSaint Mary's University of MinnesotaWinona, MN · Private$58,170 median pay · $11,704/yr netUniversity of GeorgiaAthens, GA · Public$68,726 median pay · $13,936/yr netUniversity of Virginia's College at WiseWise, VA · Public$45,325 median pay · $9,210/yr netMurray State UniversityMurray, KY · Public$44,737 median pay · $9,096/yr netUniversity of St FrancisJoliet, IL · Private$63,926 median pay · $13,006/yr net- How are best value colleges ranked?
- Ranked by 10-year median earnings relative to the average net price after aid: a rough return on what you actually pay. Limited to schools that report both, with a graduation rate of 40% or higher and at least 1,000 students. We only rank schools with enough public data to compare fairly.
- Is the net price before or after financial aid?
- Net price is the average yearly cost after grants and scholarships are subtracted, reported across aided students. Your own price depends on your family's finances.
- Where does this ranking data come from?
- All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. No school pays to be listed or ranked.
- How do I find the list that actually fits me?
- These lists use the same data for everyone. Take Blueprint's free Matchmaker to get your personal odds and net price at every school.
Which of these is right for you?
These lists are a great start, but the one list that actually matters is yours. Blueprint builds it in two free steps.
1 Discovery quiz: find your major2 Matchmaker: your odds + net price at every school