"Affordable" Colleges & Universities
Attending college in the U.S. is expensive—"affordable" is a relative term. This website is designed to help families identify colleges likely to fit their budgets, so that their students can graduate with little or no debt. Nearly all schools on this website have an average net cost below $30,000 (per year). They are not necessarily the 100 "best" schools, nor the 100 most affordable, but they are 100 of the better-ranked, more-affordable schools in the U.S.
The site is meant to be more a starting point than an endpoint. Once you have found schools that seem like a good fit based on majors, size, location, and other factors, be sure to use each school's net price calculator, provide accurate information, and review the results carefully. Then, when you apply for schools, be sure to submit your FAFSA® (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and take other necessary steps to apply for financial aid.
Affordable private colleges and universities
Listed below are 75 private colleges universities that provide exceptional need- or merit-based aid, or free tuition in exchange for work. Schools are listed in alphabetical order. Data is from the National Center for Educational Statistics (nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator), 2020-2021 data, accessed March 2023.
School | Location | Full-time undergrad-uates | Net price | Accept-ance Rate | Net Price for incomes $0-$30,000 | Net Price for incomes $30k-$48k | Net Price for incomes $48k-$75k | Net Price for incomes $75k-$110k | Net Price for incomes >$110k | Institution-al Grant or Scholar-ship | Average Award | % freshmen who take loans | Average loan (freshmen) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brown University | Providence, RI | 7,349 | $25,028 | 6% | $4,849 | $5,870 | $8,846 | $21,773 | $43,008 | 45% | $54,314 | 10% | $11,328 |
California Institute of Technology | Pasadena, CA | 987 | $30,162 | 4% | $10,755 | $1,371 | $4,404 | $18,206 | $46,921 | 54% | $45,569 | 18% | $5,240 |
Carroll College | Helena, MT | 1,098 | $24,285 | 84% | $17,135 | $16,991 | $20,334 | $23,627 | $26,734 | 100% | $26,002 | 56% | $6,809 |
Centre | Danville, KY | 1,320 | $22,470 | 68% | $12,849 | $12,870 | $16,205 | $19,225 | $27,398 | 100% | $32,110 | 54% | $6,659 |
Claremont McKenna | Claremont, CA | 1,416 | $21,663 | 11% | $249 | $9,160 | $12,545 | $41,440 | $47,122 | 47% | $39,643 | 29% | $8,065 |
Colby College | Waterville, ME | 2,262 | $17,912 | 9% | $3,982 | $4,519 | $3,314 | $15,255 | $40,947 | 39% | $56,042 | 8% | $7,528 |
Colgate University | Hamilton, NY | 3,164 | $24,500 | 17% | $10,923 | $14,024 | $15,344 | $20,853 | $45,405 | 41% | $51,438 | 13% | $12,538 |
College of St. Mary (women's) | Omaha, NE | 635 | $16,235 | 38% | $10,658 | $9,800 | $14,300 | $19,143 | $21,811 | 100% | $13,977 | 65% | $5,854 |
College of Wooster | Wooster, OH | 1,968 | $24,934 | 61% | $13,382 | $13,744 | $17,792 | $24,202 | $30,187 | 100% | $39,700 | 52% | $7,564 |
College of the Ozarks | Point Lookout, MO | 1,479 | $12,611 | 21% | $7,937 | $6,694 | $7,156 | $5,897 | -- | 100% | $15,603 | 0% | -- |
Columbia University | New York, NY | 8,832 | $12,411 | 4% | -- | -- | -- | $9,939 | $40,584 | 0.52 | $53,589 | 7% | $13,338 |
Cornell College | Mount Vernon, IA | 1,046 | $22,667 | 81% | $17,340 | $16,660 | $17,834 | $23,497 | $26,392 | 100% | $34,441 | 59% | $7,914 |
Affordable public colleges & universities
The list below includes 20 state colleges/universities and 5 national service academies. For most students, your lowest-cost college will be an in-state public college or university. If your state participates in a reciprocal agreement with neighboring states, then your next-lowest-cost option may be a public school in a neighboring state. However, if you wish to go further afield, consider the 25 schools listed below (mostly taken from Michelle Kretzschmar's longer list of "Cheapest Out-of-State Colleges in 34 States"). Most schools in this list have a graduation rate of at least 50% and an out-of-state sticker price below $30,000. For greater geographical representation, I have included a few schools with slightly higher costs. The five service academies offer free tuition, room and board (etc.) in exchange for 5-8 years (typically) of military service.
School | Location | Under- graduates | Total price for out-of-state students | Acceptance Rate | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
U.S. Air Force Academy | USAF, CO | 4,336 | $0 | 12% | 86% |
U.S. Coast Guard Academy | New London, CT | 1,071 | $0 | 21% | 84% |
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy | Kings Point, NY | 1,023 | $4,422 | 25% | 81% |
U.S. Military Academy West Point | West Point, NY | 4,589 | $0 | 11% | 84% |
U.S. Naval Academy | Annapolis, MD | 4,512 | $0 | 8% | 91% |
University of Minnesota-Morris | Morris, MN | 1,171 | $27,654 | 76% | 58% |
University of Nebraska at Kearney | Kearney, NE | 3,946 | $30,552 | 90% | 58% |
University of North Dakota | Grand Forks, ND | 7,510 | $29,205 | 89% | 62% |
University of South Dakota | Vermillion, SD | 4,937 | $27,367 | 87% | 60% |
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | Eau Claire, WI | 9,732 | $29,487 | 77% | 68% |
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | La Crosse, WI | 9,100 | $26,932 | 74% | 73% |
Western Carolina University | Cullowhee, NC | 9,133 | $23,018 | 79% | 61% |