U.S. Academic Quality per Dollar Ranking

The Best Value Colleges in America by Academic Quality per Dollar for 2023

Best Value Colleges in America by Academic Quality per Dollar

These colleges are CollegeCalc's 2022 ranking of the best value colleges in America based on academic value per tuition dollar. While many of these schools don't have low list prices, attractive net prices through generous financial aid combined with academic excellence offer students great returns on investment. In order to be considered, schools must possess high academic standing coupled with costs commensurate to the education provided. Yale University leads the list with a 98/100 academic rating and a $17,511 average net price.

Academic Rating is a CollegeCalc rating of a college's overall academics and effectiveness. The score ranges from zero to one hundred, with fifty being the median for all eligible colleges. Dollar value is a measure of a school's academic rating compared with the average price paid by students. Colleges which are ranked "n/a" didn't report sufficient data to formulate a score. Learn more about our rating methodology.

All price data are reprinted from the U.S. Department of Education's 2021/2022 IPEDS Survey and reflect reported costs for the 2021/2022 academic year.

America's Best Value Colleges by Academic Quality per Dollar
College Net Price Rating Value
#1 Yale University

Connecticut, Private

$17,511 98 99
#2 Harvard University

Massachusetts, Private

$18,037 98 100
#3 Princeton University

New Jersey, Private

$18,685 99 99
#4 Amherst College

Massachusetts, Private

$18,832 96 99
#5 Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Massachusetts, Private

$19,998 98 99
#6 Stanford University

California, Private

$20,023 99 99
#7 Rice University

Texas, Private

$19,215 98 99
#8 Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, Private

$22,126 95 99
#9 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

North Carolina, Public

$10,038 84 99
#10 Claremont McKenna College

California, Private

$22,004 96 99
#11 Colby College

Maine, Private

$18,552 91 98
#12 Wellesley College

Massachusetts, Private

$21,614 95 98
#13 Dartmouth College

New Hampshire, Private

$24,525 97 98
#14 University of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania, Private

$24,167 96 98
#15 Swarthmore College

Pennsylvania, Private

$20,360 91 98
#16 Johns Hopkins University

Maryland, Private

$25,241 97 98
#17 University of Michigan

Michigan, Public

$17,832 89 98
#18 Duke University

North Carolina, Private

$26,932 98 98
#19 California Institute of Technology

California, Private

$26,591 98 97
#20 Wesleyan University

Connecticut, Private

$22,845 92 97
#21 Emory University

Georgia, Private

$25,672 94 97
#22 Northwestern University

Illinois, Private

$28,344 96 97
#23 Hamilton College

New York, Private

$23,936 94 97
#24 Vanderbilt University

Tennessee, Private

$25,804 96 97
#25 University of Florida

Florida, Public

$10,075 82 97
#26 Washington University in St Louis

Missouri, Private

$27,233 96 97
#27 Colgate University

New York, Private

$25,935 93 97
#28 Haverford College

Pennsylvania, Private

$25,215 92 96
#29 Brown University

Rhode Island, Private

$27,659 97 97
#30 Middlebury College

Vermont, Private

$24,517 93 97
#31 Trinity College

Connecticut, Private

$26,233 90 96
#32 Cornell University

New York, Private

$27,522 96 96
#33 University of Virginia Main Campus

Virginia, Public

$19,043 86 96
#34 Washington and Lee University

Virginia, Private

$27,148 93 96
#35 Pomona College

California, Private

$30,392 96 96
#36 Vassar College

New York, Private

$26,028 90 96
#37 University of Richmond

Virginia, Private

$25,700 90 96
#38 University of California Irvine

California, Public

$13,106 81 95
#39 University of Notre Dame

Indiana, Private

$29,981 93 95
#40 Skidmore College

New York, Private

$26,995 88 95
#41 Davidson College

North Carolina, Private

$28,615 91 96
#42 University of Washington Seattle Campus

Washington, Public

$9,661 82 95
#43 University of California San Diego

California, Public

$15,222 82 94
#44 Georgetown University

District Of Columbia, Private

$30,710 93 95
#45 University of Chicago

Illinois, Private

$36,584 98 95
#46 Smith College

Massachusetts, Private

$28,422 84 95
#47 Carleton College

Minnesota, Private

$30,843 91 95
#48 Barnard College

New York, Private

$30,572 92 95
#49 College of William and Mary

Virginia, Public

$18,588 86 94
#50 University of California Davis

California, Public

$17,026 80 94
#51 Boston College

Massachusetts, Private

$30,192 88 94
#52 Lehigh University

Pennsylvania, Private

$29,098 88 94
#53 University of California Berkeley

California, Public

$19,329 85 94
#54 University of California Los Angeles

California, Public

$16,474 86 94
#55 University of California Santa Barbara

California, Public

$17,223 79 94
#56 University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Illinois, Public

$13,517 79 94
#57 Grinnell College

Iowa, Private

$32,091 88 93
#58 Centre College

Kentucky, Private

$22,748 75 94
#59 Tufts University

Massachusetts, Private

$32,720 93 93
#60 Lafayette College

Pennsylvania, Private

$28,735 85 93
#61 Mercer University

Georgia, Private

$21,693 69 93
#62 Boston University

Massachusetts, Private

$29,154 83 93
#63 Purdue University Main Campus

Indiana, Public

$12,294 78 93
#64 Florida State University

Florida, Public

$12,815 68 92
#65 University of Miami

Florida, Private

$31,726 86 92
#66 DePauw University

Indiana, Private

$30,183 81 92
#67 Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri, Public

$13,476 69 91
#68 Truman State University

Missouri, Public

$12,621 67 92
#69 Saint Louis University Main Campus

Missouri, Private

$27,872 77 91
#70 University of Tulsa

Oklahoma, Private

$25,333 73 92
#71 Austin College

Texas, Private

$24,085 70 91
#72 Trinity University

Texas, Private

$31,141 85 92
#73 University of Vermont

Vermont, Public

$20,235 72 91
#74 Mount Holyoke College

Massachusetts, Private

$31,165 82 90
#75 St Olaf College

Minnesota, Private

$27,838 75 90
#76 The College of Saint Scholastica

Minnesota, Private

$23,215 70 90
#77 University of Rochester

New York, Private

$36,254 87 90
#78 North Carolina State University at Raleigh

North Carolina, Public

$14,600 78 91
#79 Case Western Reserve University

Ohio, Private

$36,002 89 91
#80 Rhodes College

Tennessee, Private

$29,852 78 91
#81 Union University

Tennessee, Private

$26,906 72 90
#82 University of California Riverside

California, Public

$11,948 66 89
#83 University of Southern California

California, Private

$39,759 92 90
#84 Georgia Institute of Technology Main Campus

Georgia, Public

$17,410 78 89
#85 University of Illinois at Chicago

Illinois, Public

$12,614 69 89
#86 Illinois Institute of Technology

Illinois, Private

$28,161 72 89
#87 College of the Holy Cross

Massachusetts, Private

$32,061 82 90
#88 Simmons University

Massachusetts, Private

$29,021 75 89
#89 University of Detroit Mercy

Michigan, Private

$18,376 67 88
#90 Rider University

New Jersey, Private

$29,396 69 88
#91 Yeshiva University

New York, Private

$35,603 87 89
#92 Carnegie Mellon University

Pennsylvania, Private

$36,983 91 90
#93 Gettysburg College

Pennsylvania, Private

$34,850 84 88
#94 Washington & Jefferson College

Pennsylvania, Private

$27,477 73 90
#95 The University of Texas at Austin

Texas, Public

$16,892 81 88
#96 Eastern Mennonite University

Virginia, Private

$22,766 69 89
#97 Lawrence University

Wisconsin, Private

$26,594 69 87
#98 University of Connecticut

Connecticut, Public

$22,233 82 87
#99 Indiana University Bloomington

Indiana, Public

$13,191 70 86
#100 Wheaton College

Massachusetts, Private

$28,518 69 86
#101 Rutgers University New Brunswick

New Jersey, Public

$17,835 78 85
#102 New York Institute of Technology

New York, Private

$21,912 69 87
#103 St Lawrence University

New York, Private

$31,578 75 87
#104 The College of Wooster

Ohio, Private

$27,923 70 87
#105 Allegheny College

Pennsylvania, Private

$26,376 67 87
#106 Muhlenberg College

Pennsylvania, Private

$35,152 81 86
#107 Wofford College

South Carolina, Private

$30,431 77 87
#108 Westminster College

Utah, Private

$25,278 73 85
#109 University of Wisconsin Madison

Wisconsin, Public

$14,030 79 86
#110 John Brown University

Arkansas, Private

$21,578 66 83
#111 Scripps College

California, Private

$40,259 89 84
#112 University of Georgia

Georgia, Public

$16,580 74 84
#113 Lake Forest College

Illinois, Private

$26,968 66 84
#114 Saint Mary's College

Indiana, Private

$27,121 70 85
#115 Drake University

Iowa, Private

$30,321 75 83
#116 University of Iowa

Iowa, Public

$17,452 70 83
#117 University of Maryland College Park

Maryland, Public

$17,643 81 84
#118 Babson College

Massachusetts, Private

$31,559 78 85
#119 Michigan Technological University

Michigan, Public

$17,356 67 83
#120 University of Missouri Columbia

Missouri, Public

$16,930 67 83
#121 New Jersey Institute of Technology

New Jersey, Public

$18,328 71 83
#122 Rutgers University Newark

New Jersey, Public

$13,832 71 85
#123 Clarkson University

New York, Private

$30,308 72 85
#124 Stony Brook University

New York, Public

$16,478 76 83
#125 University of North Carolina School of the Arts

North Carolina, Public

$11,940 66 85
#126 Ohio State University

Ohio, Public

$18,884 75 84
#127 University of Dallas

Texas, Private

$27,450 69 82
#128 Texas A & M University College Station

Texas, Public

$19,906 78 84
#129 University of Utah

Utah, Public

$12,881 67 84
#130 University of California Santa Cruz

California, Public

$17,842 68 81
#131 University of the Pacific

California, Private

$32,780 76 82
#132 Westmont College

California, Private

$32,418 74 82
#133 Connecticut College

Connecticut, Private

$40,474 84 80
#134 University of Delaware

Delaware, Public

$19,747 75 80
#135 Wheaton College

Illinois, Private

$27,474 74 81
#136 St Mary's College of Maryland

Maryland, Public

$20,237 77 81
#137 Kalamazoo College

Michigan, Private

$27,596 67 82
#138 Michigan State University

Michigan, Public

$16,655 67 79
#139 Macalester College

Minnesota, Private

$35,589 80 82
#140 University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Minnesota, Public

$17,729 75 81
#141 Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

New York, Private

$30,891 80 82
#142 CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

New York, Public

$3,897 70 80
#143 SUNY Institute of Technology at Utica Rome

New York, Public

$14,586 68 80
#144 Linfield University

Oregon, Private

$28,517 70 80
#145 Ursinus College

Pennsylvania, Private

$31,400 70 81
#146 Occidental College

California, Private

$41,102 84 77
#147 University of Redlands

California, Private

$30,240 66 77
#148 University of Denver

Colorado, Private

$38,322 82 79
#149 George Washington University

District Of Columbia, Private

$40,308 84 76
#150 Bradley University

Illinois, Private

$25,850 69 78
#151 Illinois Wesleyan University

Illinois, Private

$32,545 74 77
#152 Saint Johns University

Minnesota, Private

$28,128 67 78
#153 Creighton University

Nebraska, Private

$32,355 77 78
#154 State University of New York at New Paltz

New York, Public

$16,079 68 76
#155 Union College

New York, Private

$37,630 82 75
#156 Kenyon College

Ohio, Private

$40,862 87 78
#157 Ohio Northern University

Ohio, Private

$26,011 68 78
#158 Oklahoma City University

Oklahoma, Private

$25,072 69 79
#159 Bucknell University

Pennsylvania, Private

$39,359 85 79
#160 University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus

Pennsylvania, Public

$22,346 75 77
#161 Villanova University

Pennsylvania, Private

$38,303 84 76
#162 Sewanee The University of the South

Tennessee, Private

$36,244 80 75
#163 Southern Methodist University

Texas, Private

$41,444 84 76
#164 Southwestern University

Texas, Private

$29,830 71 76
#165 Whitman College

Washington, Private

$38,989 82 76
#166 Milwaukee School of Engineering

Wisconsin, Private

$26,541 68 77
#167 University of Kansas

Kansas, Public

$20,054 66 75
#168 Clark University

Massachusetts, Private

$30,617 72 73
#169 Springfield College

Massachusetts, Private

$29,395 69 74
#170 SUNY at Binghamton

New York, Public

$19,061 76 74
#171 University at Buffalo

New York, Public

$18,119 77 74
#172 Furman University

South Carolina, Private

$37,761 80 75
#173 Regis University

Colorado, Private

$27,785 66 69
#174 Northeastern University

Massachusetts, Private

$37,738 77 71
#175 University of St Thomas

Minnesota, Private

$31,799 70 68
#176 Hobart William Smith Colleges

New York, Private

$38,247 75 69
#177 New York University

New York, Private

$45,417 92 71
#178 Denison University

Ohio, Private

$39,808 80 71
#179 University of Oklahoma Norman Campus

Oklahoma, Public

$21,836 68 70
#180 University of Portland

Oregon, Private

$37,317 77 69
#181 Saint Joseph's University

Pennsylvania, Private

$35,780 74 69
#182 Clemson University

South Carolina, Public

$22,935 76 71
#183 American University

District Of Columbia, Private

$37,319 79 66
#184 Brandeis University

Massachusetts, Private

$41,222 81 66
#185 University of Massachusetts Amherst

Massachusetts, Public

$22,505 72 67
#186 Bethel University

Minnesota, Private

$29,107 66 66
#187 Saint Anselm College

New Hampshire, Private

$33,292 69 66
#188 Ramapo College of New Jersey

New Jersey, Public

$17,286 67 66
#189 Hofstra University

New York, Private

$34,011 71 64
#190 Molloy College

New York, Private

$27,454 71 67
#191 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

New York, Private

$40,661 78 67
#192 Saint John Fisher College

New York, Private

$29,722 72 68
#193 Providence College

Rhode Island, Private

$37,284 76 64
#194 Texas Christian University

Texas, Private

$40,220 80 65
#195 Seattle University

Washington, Private

$36,843 75 67
#196 Samford University

Alabama, Private

$31,322 72 64
#197 Colorado School of Mines

Colorado, Public

$27,675 75 61
#198 Seton Hall University

New Jersey, Private

$33,652 69 59
#199 Stevens Institute of Technology

New Jersey, Private

$40,303 77 63
#200 The College of New Jersey

New Jersey, Public

$24,617 74 59
#201 Adelphi University

New York, Private

$29,821 70 62
#202 Fordham University

New York, Private

$41,569 78 59
#203 SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

New York, Public

$22,133 73 62
#204 SUNY at Geneseo

New York, Public

$18,684 68 61
#205 University of Dayton

Ohio, Private

$32,768 66 61
#206 Drexel University

Pennsylvania, Private

$39,463 76 62
#207 Rhode Island School of Design

Rhode Island, Private

$40,048 81 63
#208 The University of Tennessee

Tennessee, Public

$21,133 68 64
#209 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Virginia, Public

$20,247 78 64
#210 Virginia Military Institute

Virginia, Public

$18,969 75 59
#211 Chapman University

California, Private

$44,327 80 57
#212 University of Colorado Boulder

Colorado, Public

$21,198 70 59
#213 University of Hawaii at Manoa

Hawaii, Public

$15,193 67 58
#214 Bentley University

Massachusetts, Private

$42,759 79 55
#215 Sarah Lawrence College

New York, Private

$41,396 76 57
#216 Oberlin College

Ohio, Private

$42,745 75 55
#217 Lewis & Clark College

Oregon, Private

$37,478 71 58
#218 George Mason University

Virginia, Public

$18,285 67 58
#219 Gonzaga University

Washington, Private

$36,880 73 59
#220 University of Puget Sound

Washington, Private

$38,127 70 54
#221 Marquette University

Wisconsin, Private

$34,732 69 56
#222 Biola University

California, Private

$34,713 66 50
#223 Santa Clara University

California, Private

$48,284 86 54
#224 Rose Hulman Institute of Technology

Indiana, Private

$43,606 77 54
#225 Kettering University

Michigan, Private

$34,713 66 52
#226 Rochester Institute of Technology

New York, Private

$36,514 72 50
#227 Duquesne University

Pennsylvania, Private

$32,408 67 53
#228 University of South Carolina Columbia

South Carolina, Public

$21,784 69 51
#229 Baylor University

Texas, Private

$40,133 73 50
#230 California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo

California, Public

$20,491 74 48
#231 Loyola Marymount University

California, Private

$48,758 84 48
#232 University of San Francisco

California, Private

$42,801 75 47
#233 Saint Marys College of California

California, Private

$40,401 71 49
#234 Pepperdine University

California, Private

$46,550 75 41
#235 Fairfield University

Connecticut, Private

$43,173 76 43
#236 Loyola University Chicago

Illinois, Private

$37,731 70 44
#237 Rowan University

New Jersey, Public

$24,810 66 43
#238 University of the Sciences

Pennsylvania, Private

$31,497 72 45
#239 University of Scranton

Pennsylvania, Private

$36,093 66 44
#240 University of Mary Washington

Virginia, Public

$22,569 67 45
#241 Marist College

New York, Private

$38,797 70 40
#242 Bryant University

Rhode Island, Private

$39,919 69 35
#243 Butler University

Indiana, Private

$42,627 71 33
#244 Syracuse University

New York, Private

$47,177 74 32
#245 Elon University

North Carolina, Private

$39,401 75 30
#246 Emerson College

Massachusetts, Private

$47,594 71 25
#247 Pratt Institute Main

New York, Private

$47,516 70 19
#248 The New School

New York, Private

$50,908 73 17
#249 Brigham Young University Provo

Utah, Private

$13,150 77 88