Free or Low-Cost Colleges for Families Under $75k

Colleges with the lowest net price for students from families earning $48,000-$75,000 per year.

Under $30k Under $75k Under $100k

Understanding This Data

What is Net Price? The actual out-of-pocket cost after all grants and scholarships are applied. This is what families actually paid, not the "sticker price."

Data Source: U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, based on actual payments by students who received federal financial aid (2022-2023 academic year).

Income Bracket: This ranking uses the $48k-$75k family income bracket. Your actual cost may vary based on assets, family size, and other factors.

Negative values mean students received more in grants than the cost of attendance (they got money back for living expenses).

#1
W

Williams College

Williamstown, MA · Private

+$1,978
$48-75k Income
<$30k: +$2,610
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 10.0%
Earnings: $88,665
#2
T

Texas A&M University-Central Texas

Killeen, TX · Public

+$1,325
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $509
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 100.0%
#3
M

Moorpark College

CA · Public

+$143
$48-75k Income
<$30k: +$4,158
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $49,044
#4
U

University of Chicago

Chicago, IL · Private

$226
$48-75k Income
<$30k: +$1,264
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 4.8%
Earnings: $91,885
#5
C

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA · Private

$431
$48-75k Income
<$30k: +$2,133
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 3.1%
Earnings: $128,566
#6
Y

Yeshiva Karlin Stolin

Brooklyn, NY · Private

$895
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $181
$75-110k: $8,177
Acceptance: N/A
#7
P

Princeton University

Princeton, NJ · Private

$1,217
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $41
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 4.5%
Earnings: $110,066
#8
S

Stanford University

Stanford, CA · Private

$1,323
$48-75k Income
<$30k: +$79
$75-110k: $8,816
Acceptance: 3.9%
Earnings: $124,080
#9
R

Rice University

Houston, TX · Private

$1,348
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $3,221
$75-110k: $18,783
Acceptance: 7.9%
Earnings: $89,718
#10
M

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA · Private

$1,480
$48-75k Income
<$30k: +$2,533
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 4.7%
Earnings: $143,372
#11
T

Talmudical Seminary of Bobov

Brooklyn, NY · Private

$1,600
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $1,399
$75-110k: $2,650
Acceptance: 98.1%
Earnings: $22,432
#12
G

Gods Bible School and College

Cincinnati, OH · Private

$1,632
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $2,794
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 64.0%
Earnings: $37,722
#13
H

Henry Ford College

MI · Public

$1,768
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $46
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $34,795
#14
U

United Tribes Technical College

ND · Private

$1,856
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $2,000
$75-110k: $5,998
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $25,292
#15
H

Harvard University

Cambridge, MA · Private

$2,091
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $8,697
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 3.5%
Earnings: $101,817
#16
I

Indiana University-Kokomo

Kokomo, IN · Public

$2,375
$48-75k Income
<$30k: +$583
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 84.7%
Earnings: $49,917
#17
N

Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College

ND · Public

$2,594
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $2,177
$75-110k: $9,011
Acceptance: N/A
#18
A

Alpena Community College

MI · Public

$2,630
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $590
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $36,442
#19
N

New College of Florida

Sarasota, FL · Public

$2,632
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $1,528
$75-110k: $6,901
Acceptance: 74.0%
Earnings: $48,082
#20
D

Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH · Private

$2,695
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $41
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 6.2%
Earnings: $97,434
#21
T

Texas A & M International University

Laredo, TX · Public

$2,791
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $2,677
$75-110k: $5,119
Acceptance: 46.0%
Earnings: $48,386
#22
H

Haskell Indian Nations University

Lawrence, KS · Public

$3,061
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $3,007
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 88.3%
Earnings: $37,043
#23
U

University of Minnesota-Rochester

Rochester, MN · Public

$3,168
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $3,010
$75-110k: $16,790
Acceptance: 71.8%
Earnings: $69,020
#24
U

University of Minnesota-Morris

Morris, MN · Public

$3,213
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $1,694
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 70.5%
Earnings: $50,919
#25
N

North Florida College

FL · Public

$3,223
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $4
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $33,929
#26
S

South Texas College

TX · Public

$3,261
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $895
$75-110k: $4,304
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $36,788
#27
C

Chipola College

FL · Public

$3,279
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $210
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $37,378
#28
C

Clover Park Technical College

WA · Public

$3,365
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $3,264
$75-110k: $9,998
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $41,787
#29
B

Blackfeet Community College

MT · Private

$3,461
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $6,643
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $22,953
#30
S

Sitting Bull College

ND · Public

$3,580
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $3,351
$75-110k: $9,566
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $28,488
#31
B

Beth Hamedrash Shaarei Yosher Institute

Brooklyn, NY · Private

$3,650
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $3,650
$75-110k: $8,850
Acceptance: 90.3%
#32
C

Colby College

Waterville, ME · Private

$3,666
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $4,049
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 6.8%
Earnings: $80,490
#33
U

University of Michigan-Flint

Flint, MI · Public

$3,752
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $1,517
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 68.8%
Earnings: $53,230
#34
R

Rabbinical Academy Mesivta Rabbi Chaim Berlin

Brooklyn, NY · Private

$3,850
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $4,170
$75-110k: $3,850
Acceptance: 100.0%
#35
B

Bryant & Stratton College-Greece

NY · Private

$3,852
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $11,867
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $32,568
#36
S

Schoolcraft Community College District

MI · Public

$3,900
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $1,083
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $42,722
#37
O

Ohio University-Eastern Campus

OH · Public

$3,973
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $1,679
$75-110k: $7,184
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $52,581
#38
S

Skyline College

CA · Public

$3,984
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $842
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $55,702
#39
T

Taft College

CA · Public

$3,985
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $1,934
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $38,861
#40
S

St Petersburg College

FL · Public

$4,005
$48-75k Income
<$30k: +$716
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $42,557
#41
T

Telshe Yeshiva-Chicago

Chicago, IL · Private

$4,017
$48-75k Income
<$30k: N/A
$75-110k: $7,163
Acceptance: 100.0%
#42
R

Rabbinical Seminary of America

Flushing, NY · Private

$4,090
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $7,977
$75-110k: $7,533
Acceptance: 97.5%
#43
U

University of Maine at Fort Kent

Fort Kent, ME · Public

$4,122
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $8,163
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 99.1%
Earnings: $51,077
#44
J

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD · Private

$4,179
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $428
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 7.6%
Earnings: $87,555
#45
B

Bet Medrash Gadol Ateret Torah

Brooklyn, NY · Private

$4,200
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $4,149
$75-110k: $4,740
Acceptance: 65.3%
#46
N

Northern Marianas College

MP · Public

$4,258
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $2,235
$75-110k: $4,639
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $27,836
#47
Y

Yeshiva Gedolah of Greater Detroit

Oak Park, MI · Private

$4,417
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $5,184
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 92.6%
#48
S

Santa Monica College

CA · Public

$4,440
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $1,896
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $42,193
#49
W

West Virginia University at Parkersburg

WV · Public

$4,538
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $1,859
$75-110k: $7,713
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $35,171
#50
O

Ohio University-Lancaster Campus

OH · Public

$4,674
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $3,301
$75-110k: $9,009
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $52,581
#51
H

Humphreys University-Stockton and Modesto Campuses

CA · Private

$4,724
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $6,324
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $39,248
#52
C

California State University-San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA · Public

$4,735
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $2,681
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 98.3%
Earnings: $59,977
#53
P

Pillar College

NJ · Private

$4,754
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $9,061
$75-110k: $4,801
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $45,577
#54
S

South Florida State College

FL · Public

$4,758
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $3,480
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $39,990
#55
B

Brazosport College

TX · Public

$4,761
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $1,772
$75-110k: $6,850
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $45,910
#56
M

Modesto Junior College

CA · Public

$4,809
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $1,658
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $42,368
#57
D

Dewey University-Carolina

PR · Private

$4,829
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $2,989
$75-110k: $6,561
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $19,761
#58
O

Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus

OH · Public

$4,870
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $5,248
$75-110k: $8,260
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $52,581
#59
U

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI · Public

$4,895
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $1,043
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: 17.9%
Earnings: $83,648
#60
H

Humacao Community College

PR · Private

$4,904
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $2,533
$75-110k: N/A
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $20,064
#61
G

Grays Harbor College

WA · Public

$4,969
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $1,557
$75-110k: $5,259
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $40,865
#62
A

American Samoa Community College

AS · Public

$4,989
$48-75k Income
<$30k: $4,879
$75-110k: $4,439
Acceptance: N/A
Earnings: $30,087

Recent Policy Changes: Many elite schools have recently announced expanded free tuition:

Income brackets: $0-30k, $30-48k, $48-75k, $75-110k, $110k+ (annual family income from FAFSA). See official methodology (PDF)

Data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

College logos from Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA).