Best value colleges in America

Isabel Sepulveda
Students walking on campus at Farmingdale State College.
Steve Pfost/Newsday RM // Getty Images

- Location: Farmingdale, NY
- College type: Public
- Acceptance rate: 69%
- Overall Niche grade: B
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $8,224
- Typical SAT range: 1020-1200

#50. SUNY Farmingdale State College
No Automated Backlink
Off
A college lecture.
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock

- Location: Morristown, NJ
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 77%
- Overall Niche grade: B
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $18,412
- Typical SAT range: 890-1100

#49. Saint Elizabeth University
No Automated Backlink
Off
An aerial view of Golden, Colorado and CSM.
Framalicious // Shutterstock

- Location: Golden, CO
- College type: Public
- Acceptance rate: 60%
- Overall Niche grade: A
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $29,785
- Typical SAT range: 1320-1470

#48. Colorado School of Mines
No Automated Backlink
Off
A red brick building at Bowdoin College.
EQRoy // Shutterstock

- Location: Brunswick, ME
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 8%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $23,110
- Typical SAT range: 1480-1550

#47. Bowdoin College
No Automated Backlink
Off
A modern building at Cal Poly SLO.
Claudine Van Massenhove // Shutterstock

- Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
- College type: Public
- Acceptance rate: 30%
- Overall Niche grade: A
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $16,888
- Typical SAT range: 1220-1410

#46. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
No Automated Backlink
Off
A red brick UF sign lined with palm trees.
Katherine Welles // Shutterstock

- Location: Gainesville, FL
- College type: Public
- Acceptance rate: 24%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $11,521
- Typical SAT range: 1300-1480

#45. University of Florida
No Automated Backlink
Off
Fall at Berea College.
Minh Truong // Shutterstock

- Location: Berea, KY
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 33%
- Overall Niche grade: B+
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $4,379
- Typical SAT range: 1160-1340

#44. Berea College
No Automated Backlink
Off
Students in a college class.
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

- Location: Philadelphia, PA
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 74%
- Overall Niche grade: B-
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $13,016
- Typical SAT range: 950-1140

#43. Holy Family University
No Automated Backlink
Off
Sayles Hall at Brown University.
iroqin // Shutterstock

- Location: Providence, RI
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 5%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $26,608
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1570

#42. Brown University
No Automated Backlink
Off
Students from the Missouri University of Science and Technology relax in their almost completed house in preparation for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.
Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post // Getty Images

- Location: Rolla, MO
- College type: Public
- Acceptance rate: 73%
- Overall Niche grade: A-
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $14,414
- Typical SAT range: 1150-1380

#41. Missouri University of Science and Technology
No Automated Backlink
Off
A young woman on a laptop.
Ground Picture // Shutterstock

- Location: 4 Year (Online)
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 100%
- Overall Niche grade: B+
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $10,322
- Typical SAT range: not available

#40. American Public University System
No Automated Backlink
Off
An abstract stone and glass library at UCSD.
tokar // Shutterstock

- Location: La Jolla, CA
- College type: Public
- Acceptance rate: 25%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $13,293
- Typical SAT range: not available

#39. University of California - San Diego
No Automated Backlink
Off
A historic red brick building with white columns at Washington and Lee.
Kristi Blokhin // Shutterstock

- Location: Lexington, VA
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 17%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $24,667
- Typical SAT range: 1410-1530

#38. Washington and Lee University
No Automated Backlink
Off
A Michigan Technological University sign.
ehrlif // Shutterstock

- Location: Houghton, MI
- College type: Public
- Acceptance rate: 88%
- Overall Niche grade: A
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $17,928
- Typical SAT range: 1120-1330

#37. Michigan Technological University
No Automated Backlink
Off
An aerial view of UC Berkeley.
Sundry Photography // Shutterstock

- Location: Berkeley, CA
- College type: Public
- Acceptance rate: 12%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $16,997
- Typical SAT range: 1310-1530

#36. University of California - Berkeley
No Automated Backlink
Off
A historic gothic building in snow at Lehigh University.
ros516 // Shutterstock

- Location: Bethlehem, PA
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 29%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $33,289
- Typical SAT range: 1350-1490

#35. Lehigh University
No Automated Backlink
Off
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
tzm23 // Shutterstock

- Location: Champaign, IL
- College type: Public
- Acceptance rate: 44%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $14,297
- Typical SAT range: 1270-1510

#34. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
No Automated Backlink
Off
Western Governors University.
JHVEPhoto // Shutterstock

- Location: 4 Year (Online)
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 100%
- Overall Niche grade: B-
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $9,555
- Typical SAT range: not available

#33. Western Governors University
No Automated Backlink
Off
An aerial view of Cornell University.
TW Farlow Media // Shutterstock

- Location: Ithaca, NY
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 8%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $26,455
- Typical SAT range: 1480-1560

#32. Cornell University
No Automated Backlink
Off
A nursing student.
PeopleImages // Shutterstock

- Location: New York, NY
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 24%
- Overall Niche grade: unavailable
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $37,732
- Typical SAT range: not available

#31. Helene Fuld College of Nursing
No Automated Backlink
Off
A stone building with a clocktower on the Vanderbilt campus.
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

- Location: Nashville, TN
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 6%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $26,689
- Typical SAT range: 1510-1560

#30. Vanderbilt University
No Automated Backlink
Off
Flanagan Hall at Massachusetts Maritime Academy with a ship in the background.
Erik Clegg // Shutterstock

- Location: Buzzards Bay, MA
- College type: Public
- Acceptance rate: 95%
- Overall Niche grade: B-
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $20,759
- Typical SAT range: not available

#29. Massachusetts Maritime Academy
No Automated Backlink
Off
A telephone statue on campus at New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Hasan Memon // Shutterstock

- Location: Newark, NJ
- College type: Public
- Acceptance rate: 67%
- Overall Niche grade: A-
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $16,736
- Typical SAT range: 1210-1470

#28. New Jersey Institute of Technology
No Automated Backlink
Off
University of Notre Dame campus.
Chuck W Walker // Shutterstock

- Location: Notre Dame, IN
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 12%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $29,083
- Typical SAT range: 1440-1540

#27. University of Notre Dame
No Automated Backlink
Off
An aerial view of a chapel at Williams College.
K. Issa // Shutterstock

- Location: Williamstown, MA
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 10%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $16,988
- Typical SAT range: 1470-1560

#26. Williams College
No Automated Backlink
Off
A view of Northwestern from across the water.
Eugene Moerman // Shutterstock

- Location: Evanston, IL
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 7%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A
- Net price: $23,341
- Typical SAT range: 1490-1560

#25. Northwestern University
No Automated Backlink
Off
The historic stone library of Columbia University.
Popova Valeriya // Shutterstock

- Location: New York, NY
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 4%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $20,869
- Typical SAT range: 1490-1570

#24. Columbia University
No Automated Backlink
Off
A college library.
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

- Location: Bronx, NY
- College type: Public
- Acceptance rate: 55%
- Overall Niche grade: B+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $4,076
- Typical SAT range: 860-1220

#23. Lehman College - City University of New York (CUNY)
No Automated Backlink
Off
Wyman Quad at Johns Hopkins.
Bo Shen // Shutterstock

- Location: Baltimore, MD
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 8%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $22,844
- Typical SAT range: 1530-1580

#22. Johns Hopkins University
No Automated Backlink
Off
Colorful flowers in front of Swarthmore College.
Spiroview Inc // Shutterstock

- Location: Swarthmore, PA
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 7%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $17,930
- Typical SAT range: 1460-1560

#21. Swarthmore College
No Automated Backlink
Off
A white clocktower and American flag.
Mark Yarchoan // Shutterstock

- Location: Amherst, MA
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 10%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $17,965
- Typical SAT range: 1360-1550

#20. Amherst College
No Automated Backlink
Off
The iconic chapel at Duke University.
Wirestock Creators // Shutterstock

- Location: Durham, NC
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 7%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $23,422
- Typical SAT range: 1510-1570

#19. Duke University
No Automated Backlink
Off
A large ship at California State University Maritime Academy.
Jim Feliciano // Shutterstock

- Location: Vallejo, CA
- College type: Public
- Acceptance rate: 99%
- Overall Niche grade: B-
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $16,081
- Typical SAT range: not available

#18. California State University - Maritime Academy
No Automated Backlink
Off
Washington University in St. Louis.
Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

- Location: Saint Louis, MO
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 12%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $22,440
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1570

#17. Washington University in St. Louis
No Automated Backlink
Off
CUNY Baruch College.
rblfmr // Shutterstock

- Location: New York, NY
- College type: Public
- Acceptance rate: 50%
- Overall Niche grade: A-
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $3,989
- Typical SAT range: 1210-1410

#16. CUNY Baruch College
No Automated Backlink
Off
Rice University on a sunny day.
Framalicious // Shutterstock

- Location: Houston, TX
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 8%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $20,587
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1570

#15. Rice University
No Automated Backlink
Off
An aerial view of Georgia Institute of Technology at sunset.
Marcus E Jones // Shutterstock

- Location: Atlanta, GA
- College type: Public
- Acceptance rate: 16%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $15,901
- Typical SAT range: 1330-1530

#14. Georgia Institute of Technology
No Automated Backlink
Off
A historic building at University of Pennsylvania.
f11photo // Shutterstock

- Location: Philadelphia, PA
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 6%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $26,017
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1570

#13. University of Pennsylvania
No Automated Backlink
Off
An aerial view of Carnegie Mellon.
photosounds // Shutterstock

- Location: Pittsburgh, PA
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 11%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $32,964
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1570

#12. Carnegie Mellon University
No Automated Backlink
Off
An aerial view of Yale.
Winston Tan // Shutterstock

- Location: New Haven, CT
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 5%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $26,044
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1580

#11. Yale University
No Automated Backlink
Off
A young woman on a laptop.
Ground Picture // Shutterstock

- Location: Socorro, NM
- College type: Public
- Acceptance rate: 54%
- Overall Niche grade: A
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $9,133
- Typical SAT range: 1040-1290

#10. New Mexico Tech
No Automated Backlink
Off
Claremont Mckenna College sign.
Barbara Kalbfleisch // Shutterstock

- Location: Claremont, CA
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 11%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $29,978
- Typical SAT range: 1450-1560

#9. Claremont McKenna College
No Automated Backlink
Off
Dartmouth College.
Dan Lewis // Shutterstock

- Location: Hanover, NH
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 6%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $17,322
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1570

#8. Dartmouth College
No Automated Backlink
Off
The historic Carnegie Library at Pomona College.
Sandra Foyt // Shutterstock

- Location: Claremont, CA
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 7%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $17,423
- Typical SAT range: 1480-1560

#7. Pomona College
No Automated Backlink
Off
Princeton University covered in vines.
Oleg Kovtun Hydrobio // Shutterstock

- Location: Princeton, NJ
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 4%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $19,811
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1580

#6. Princeton University
No Automated Backlink
Off
Sever Hall at Harvard.
ARK NEYMAN // Shutterstock

- Location: Cambridge, MA
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 3%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $17,900
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1580

#5. Harvard University
No Automated Backlink
Off
An aerial view of Stanford.
Craven A // Shutterstock

- Location: Stanford, CA
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 4%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $17,998
- Typical SAT range: 1510-1580

#4. Stanford University
No Automated Backlink
Off
The great dome of Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Leonid Andronov // Shutterstock

- Location: Cambridge, MA
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 5%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $21,519
- Typical SAT range: 1510-1580

#3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
No Automated Backlink
Off
Harvey Mudd College sign.
Jim_Brown_Photography // Shutterstock

- Location: Claremont, CA
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 13%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $42,720
- Typical SAT range: 1480-1560

#2. Harvey Mudd College
No Automated Backlink
Off
Beckman Institute at the California Institute of Technology.
Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

- Location: Pasadena, CA
- College type: Private
- Acceptance rate: 3%
- Overall Niche grade: A+
- Value grade: A+
- Net price: $23,397
- Typical SAT range: 1530-1580

#1. California Institute of Technology
No Automated Backlink
Off
An aerial view of sunrise over Princeton University.
FotosForTheFuture // Shutterstock