Best Value Colleges
Find schools where you get the most for your money. We measure value by net price (what you actually pay), graduate earnings, and payback period.
Net Price
What you actually pay after grants & scholarships. Varies by family income β always check your bracket.
Graduate Earnings
Median salary 10 years after enrollment. Higher earnings = faster ROI on your education investment.
Payback Period
Years to recoup your investment through higher earnings vs. not attending college.
Best ROI (Earnings-to-Debt)
Highest earnings relative to student debt
Fastest Payback
Recoup your investment quickest
Free for Low-Income Families
$0 net price for families earning <$30k
Hidden Gems
High earnings + easier admission (>40% acceptance)
Best ROI by Income Bracket
Monte Carlo simulation rankings β the best schools change dramatically based on what your family pays. Each ranking runs 10,000 simulations per school.
Best Value by Major
Best value by major β all 294 β
Accounting and Related Services, Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services, Agricultural and Food Products Processing, Agricultural Business and Management, Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Mechanization, Agricultural Production Operations, Agricultural Public Services, Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences, Other, Agriculture, General, Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs, Air Transportation, Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services, Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems, American Sign Language, Animal Sciences, Anthropology, Apparel and Textiles, Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services, Applied Mathematics, Archeology, Architectural Engineering, Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Architectural History and Criticism, Architectural Sciences and Technology, Architecture, Architecture and Related Services, Other, Area Studies, Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians, Behavioral Sciences, Bible/Biblical Studies, Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Bioethics/Medical Ethics, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other, Biological and Physical Sciences, Biological/Biosystems Engineering, Biology Technician/Biotechnology Laboratory Technician, Biology, General, Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Biomedical/Medical Engineering, Biopsychology, Biotechnology, Botany/Plant Biology, Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection, Business Administration, Management and Operations, Business Operations Support and Assistant Services, Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other, Business/Commerce, General, Business/Corporate Communications, Business/Managerial Economics, Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning, Civil Engineering, Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Classical and Ancient Studies, Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology, Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions, Cognitive Science, Communication and Media Studies, Communication Disorders Sciences and Services, Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other, Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services, Other, Communications Technology/Technician, Community Organization and Advocacy, Computational Science, Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other, Computer and Information Sciences, General, Computer Engineering, Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Computer Programming, Computer Science, Computer Software and Media Applications, Computer Systems Analysis, Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications, Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management, Construction Engineering, Construction Engineering Technologies, Construction Management, Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry, Criminal Justice and Corrections, Criminology, Culinary Arts and Related Services, Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis, Curriculum and Instruction, Dance, Data Processing, Dental Support Services and Allied Professions, Design and Applied Arts, Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services, Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology, Economics, Education, General, Education, Other, Educational Administration and Supervision, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research, Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering, Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians, Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians, Engineering Mechanics, Engineering Physics, Engineering Science, Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other, Engineering Technology, General, Engineering-Related Fields, Engineering-Related Technologies, Engineering, General, Engineering, Other, English Language and Literature, General, English Language and Literature/Letters, Other, Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations, Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Environmental Design, Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering, Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies, Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services, Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General, Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Finance and Financial Management Services, Fine and Studio Arts, Fire Protection, Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management, Food Science and Technology, Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services, Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other, Forestry, Funeral Service and Mortuary Science, General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations, Genetics, Geography and Cartography, Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Geological/Geophysical Engineering, Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Gerontology, Graphic Communications, Health and Medical Administrative Services, Health and Physical Education/Fitness, Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other, Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General, Health-Related Knowledge and Skills, Health/Medical Preparatory Programs, Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies, Historic Preservation and Conservation, History, Homeland Security, Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other, Hospitality Administration/Management, Housing and Human Environments, Human Biology, Human Computer Interaction, Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services, Human Resources Management and Services, Human Services, General, Industrial Engineering, Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians, Information Science/Studies, Insurance, Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations, Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies, Interior Architecture, International Agriculture, International and Comparative Education, International Business, International Relations and National Security Studies, International/Global Studies, Journalism, Landscape Architecture, Legal Professions and Studies, Other, Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies, Legal Support Services, Leisure and Recreational Activities, Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Library Science and Administration, Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services, Literature, Management Information Systems and Services, Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Manufacturing Engineering, Marine Sciences, Marine Transportation, Marketing, Materials Engineering, Materials Sciences, Mathematics, Mathematics and Computer Science, Mathematics and Statistics, Other, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians, Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering, Medical Illustration and Informatics, Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions, Metallurgical Engineering, Microbiological Sciences and Immunology, Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Mining and Mineral Engineering, Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians, Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology, Movement and Mind-Body Therapies and Education, Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other, Music, Natural Resources and Conservation, Other, Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Natural Resources Management and Policy, Natural Sciences, Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Neurobiology and Neurosciences, Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate), Nuclear Engineering, Nursing, Nutrition Sciences, Ocean Engineering, Operations Research, Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management, Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies, Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies, Other, Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries, Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, Petroleum Engineering, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration, Philosophy, Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other, Physical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Other, Physics, Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences, Plant Sciences, Political Science and Government, Polymer/Plastics Engineering, Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, Psychology, General, Psychology, Other, Public Administration, Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other, Public Health, Public Policy Analysis, Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians, Radio, Television, and Digital Communication, Real Estate, Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, Religion/Religious Studies, Religious Education, Religious/Sacred Music, Research and Experimental Psychology, Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies, Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Science Technologies/Technicians, Other, Science, Technology and Society, Security Science and Technology, Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Social Sciences, General, Social Sciences, Other, Social Work, Sociology, Sociology and Anthropology, Soil Sciences, Special Education and Teaching, Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations, Statistics, Sustainability Studies, Systems Engineering, Systems Science and Theory, Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language, Theological and Ministerial Studies, Theology and Religious Vocations, Other, Transportation and Materials Moving, Other, Urban Studies/Affairs, Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies, Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians, Visual and Performing Arts, General, Visual and Performing Arts, Other, Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management, Woodworking, Zoology/Animal Biology
Underpriced Colleges
Hidden gems where earnings far exceed net price. Schools with generous aid that deliver exceptional ROI.
View 100 underpriced schools βOverpriced Colleges
Schools charging premium prices relative to outcomes. Worth a second look before committing.
View 100 overpriced schools βExplore Value by Category
Calculate Your Personal ROI
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