← All best-college lists
Saginaw Valley State UniversityUniversity Center, MI · Public$51,955 median pay · $10,775/yr net
Midwestern State UniversityWichita Falls, TX · Public$55,747 median pay · $11,656/yr net
University of Minnesota-CrookstonCrookston, MN · Public$58,056 median pay · $12,212/yr net
Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York, NY · Private$102,491 median pay · $21,590/yr net
Saint Peter's UniversityJersey City, NJ · Private$57,815 median pay · $12,199/yr net
Holy Family UniversityPhiladelphia, PA · Private$62,235 median pay · $13,143/yr net
University of California-RiversideRiverside, CA · Public$67,699 median pay · $14,304/yr net
Indiana University-IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN · Public$55,198 median pay · $11,668/yr net
Texas Woman's UniversityDenton, TX · Public$56,544 median pay · $11,963/yr net
Colby CollegeWaterville, ME · Private$80,490 median pay · $17,180/yr net
Davidson CollegeDavidson, NC · Private$81,400 median pay · $17,379/yr net
University of Detroit MercyDetroit, MI · Private$71,030 median pay · $15,232/yr net
Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD · Private$87,555 median pay · $18,809/yr net
University of California-Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA · Public$74,915 median pay · $16,109/yr net
American Public University SystemCharles Town, WV · Private (for-profit)$44,409 median pay · $9,597/yr net
Washington State UniversityPullman, WA · Public$68,905 median pay · $14,971/yr net
Oregon Institute of TechnologyKlamath Falls, OR · Public$72,273 median pay · $15,706/yr net
Kean UniversityUnion, NJ · Public$57,237 median pay · $12,447/yr net
Austin Peay State UniversityClarksville, TN · Public$44,301 median pay · $9,735/yr net
SUNY Polytechnic InstituteUtica, NY · Public$64,355 median pay · $14,164/yr net
Worcester State UniversityWorcester, MA · Public$60,624 median pay · $13,381/yr net
The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, TX · Public$63,199 median pay · $13,951/yr net
Virginia Military InstituteLexington, VA · Public$77,369 median pay · $17,113/yr net
University of Connecticut-Hartford CampusHartford, CT · Public$73,997 median pay · $16,403/yr net
Valdosta State UniversityValdosta, GA · Public$49,361 median pay · $10,945/yr net
Illinois Institute of TechnologyChicago, IL · Private$82,592 median pay · $18,425/yr net
University of Missouri-Kansas CityKansas City, MO · Public$59,637 median pay · $13,310/yr net
Indiana State UniversityTerre Haute, IN · Public$48,387 median pay · $10,873/yr net
California State University-ChicoChico, CA · Public$64,172 median pay · $14,480/yr net
University of BaltimoreBaltimore, MD · Public$61,335 median pay · $13,868/yr net
Morehead State UniversityMorehead, KY · Public$43,197 median pay · $9,793/yr net
The University of Texas Permian BasinOdessa, TX · Public$56,073 median pay · $12,723/yr net
Louisiana Tech UniversityRuston, LA · Public$52,279 median pay · $11,864/yr net
University of Connecticut-StamfordStamford, CT · Public$73,997 median pay · $16,798/yr net
Truman State UniversityKirksville, MO · Public$56,280 median pay · $12,780/yr net
New Mexico State University-Main CampusLas Cruces, NM · Public$39,067 median pay · $8,889/yr net
University of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, NC · Public$48,160 median pay · $10,965/yr net
University of HoustonHouston, TX · Public$62,377 median pay · $14,276/yr net
Shepherd UniversityShepherdstown, WV · Public$49,358 median pay · $11,363/yr net
University of Wisconsin-ParksideKenosha, WI · Public$51,129 median pay · $11,772/yr net
Florida Gulf Coast UniversityFort Myers, FL · Public$54,560 median pay · $12,568/yr net
California State University-Monterey BaySeaside, CA · Public$59,247 median pay · $13,663/yr net
Fresno Pacific UniversityFresno, CA · Private$58,896 median pay · $13,630/yr net
Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb, IL · Public$57,808 median pay · $13,391/yr net
SUNY Maritime CollegeThroggs Neck, NY · Public$95,951 median pay · $22,367/yr net
Concord UniversityAthens, WV · Public$42,703 median pay · $9,966/yr net
The University of Texas at TylerTyler, TX · Public$57,053 median pay · $13,323/yr net
George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA · Public$76,343 median pay · $17,915/yr net
Texas A&M University-KingsvilleKingsville, TX · Public$51,450 median pay · $12,090/yr net
University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, WI · Public$73,792 median pay · $17,354/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.
Saginaw Valley State UniversityUniversity Center, MI · Public$51,955 median pay · $10,775/yr netMidwestern State UniversityWichita Falls, TX · Public$55,747 median pay · $11,656/yr netUniversity of Minnesota-CrookstonCrookston, MN · Public$58,056 median pay · $12,212/yr netColumbia University in the City of New YorkNew York, NY · Private$102,491 median pay · $21,590/yr netSaint Peter's UniversityJersey City, NJ · Private$57,815 median pay · $12,199/yr netHoly Family UniversityPhiladelphia, PA · Private$62,235 median pay · $13,143/yr netUniversity of California-RiversideRiverside, CA · Public$67,699 median pay · $14,304/yr netIndiana University-IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN · Public$55,198 median pay · $11,668/yr netTexas Woman's UniversityDenton, TX · Public$56,544 median pay · $11,963/yr netColby CollegeWaterville, ME · Private$80,490 median pay · $17,180/yr netDavidson CollegeDavidson, NC · Private$81,400 median pay · $17,379/yr netUniversity of Detroit MercyDetroit, MI · Private$71,030 median pay · $15,232/yr netJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD · Private$87,555 median pay · $18,809/yr netUniversity of California-Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA · Public$74,915 median pay · $16,109/yr netAmerican Public University SystemCharles Town, WV · Private (for-profit)$44,409 median pay · $9,597/yr netWashington State UniversityPullman, WA · Public$68,905 median pay · $14,971/yr netOregon Institute of TechnologyKlamath Falls, OR · Public$72,273 median pay · $15,706/yr netKean UniversityUnion, NJ · Public$57,237 median pay · $12,447/yr netAustin Peay State UniversityClarksville, TN · Public$44,301 median pay · $9,735/yr netSUNY Polytechnic InstituteUtica, NY · Public$64,355 median pay · $14,164/yr netWorcester State UniversityWorcester, MA · Public$60,624 median pay · $13,381/yr netThe University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, TX · Public$63,199 median pay · $13,951/yr netVirginia Military InstituteLexington, VA · Public$77,369 median pay · $17,113/yr netValdosta State UniversityValdosta, GA · Public$49,361 median pay · $10,945/yr netIllinois Institute of TechnologyChicago, IL · Private$82,592 median pay · $18,425/yr netUniversity of Missouri-Kansas CityKansas City, MO · Public$59,637 median pay · $13,310/yr netIndiana State UniversityTerre Haute, IN · Public$48,387 median pay · $10,873/yr netCalifornia State University-ChicoChico, CA · Public$64,172 median pay · $14,480/yr netUniversity of BaltimoreBaltimore, MD · Public$61,335 median pay · $13,868/yr netMorehead State UniversityMorehead, KY · Public$43,197 median pay · $9,793/yr netLouisiana Tech UniversityRuston, LA · Public$52,279 median pay · $11,864/yr netTruman State UniversityKirksville, MO · Public$56,280 median pay · $12,780/yr netNew Mexico State University-Main CampusLas Cruces, NM · Public$39,067 median pay · $8,889/yr netUniversity of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, NC · Public$48,160 median pay · $10,965/yr netUniversity of HoustonHouston, TX · Public$62,377 median pay · $14,276/yr netShepherd UniversityShepherdstown, WV · Public$49,358 median pay · $11,363/yr netUniversity of Wisconsin-ParksideKenosha, WI · Public$51,129 median pay · $11,772/yr netFlorida Gulf Coast UniversityFort Myers, FL · Public$54,560 median pay · $12,568/yr netCalifornia State University-Monterey BaySeaside, CA · Public$59,247 median pay · $13,663/yr netFresno Pacific UniversityFresno, CA · Private$58,896 median pay · $13,630/yr netNorthern Illinois UniversityDekalb, IL · Public$57,808 median pay · $13,391/yr netSUNY Maritime CollegeThroggs Neck, NY · Public$95,951 median pay · $22,367/yr netConcord UniversityAthens, WV · Public$42,703 median pay · $9,966/yr netThe University of Texas at TylerTyler, TX · Public$57,053 median pay · $13,323/yr netGeorge Mason UniversityFairfax, VA · Public$76,343 median pay · $17,915/yr netTexas A&M University-KingsvilleKingsville, TX · Public$51,450 median pay · $12,090/yr netUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, WI · Public$73,792 median pay · $17,354/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