2024 Best Schools for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in the United States for Bachelor's Degrees
1,448
Colleges
$1,304
Avg Net Price (With Aid)*
98%
Discount Rate*
With all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take when you want to pursue a degree. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Best Schools For The Money For Those Making $0-$30k for a Bachelor's ranking - to help you make that decision. Due to the amount of income-based financial aid available, many 'high-priced' schools are more affordable than you think.
In This Year's Value Report:
Choosing the Best School for You
Our analysis looked at 1,448 schools in the United States to determine which ones have the best value Bachelor's Degree programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best value schools. More specifically, the following explains what we consider and why.
Our Methodology
To calculate the value of a school in our Best Bachelor's Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking, we first consider its average net price of students from families making $0-$30k a year. The net price is the sum of room and board, tuition, and fees minus any financial aid that that the student receives.
In addition, the overall quality of a school is important to ensure a good education, not just how much it costs.
To make it into this list a school must offer a quality education like the schools in our Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considers factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
To learn more, visit our best value ranking methodology page.
Additional Rankings
You can scroll down to see the top schools for this ranking, but you may also want to view some of the other ranking methods listed below.
To get a better picture of the best value schools for your income range or for whether or not you'll receive aid, click on one of the tiles above. Are you more interested in the best value schools in your area? Try narrowing this list
by location. In addition, we've put together a number of other
college rankings that may help you in your search.
Know what field you want to major in? Make sure you check out our best value schools by major. In addition, you can select one of the links below to see the best value colleges for other degree levels.
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Schools (Income $0-$30k) in the United States
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology tops this year’s ranking as the best value (income $0-$30k) school for bachelor’s degrees in the United States for overall quality. MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and has a fairly large student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Massachusetts Institute of Technology is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Massachusetts.
Learn More About Value at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Out of the 1,448 bachelor’s degree schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pennsylvania landed the #2 spot on the list. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. It is a private not-for-profit school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University of Pennsylvania is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Pennsylvania.
Read full value report on University of Pennsylvania
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #3 on our 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) list. Stanford is located in Stanford, California and has a fairly large student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
Stanford University has the honor of being ranked #1 in California for overall quality on top of being a good value.
Read full value report on Stanford University
Out of the 1,448 bachelor’s degree schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #4 spot on the list. Columbia is located in New York, New York and has a large student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
Not only is Columbia University in the City of New York a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in New York for overall quality.
Full Columbia University in the City of New York Value Report
The quality degree programs at Johns Hopkins University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k). Baltimore, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. It is a private not-for-profit school.
Not only is Johns Hopkins University a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Maryland for overall quality.
Read full value report on Johns Hopkins University
Harvard University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) list. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the school is a large private not-for-profit institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Harvard University is ranked #2 for quality in the state of Massachusetts. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $1,754.
Learn More About Value at Harvard University
Yale University did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking, coming in at #7. Yale is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in New Haven, Connecticut.
Yale University has the honor of being ranked #1 in Connecticut for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $1,717.
Read full value report on Yale University
Claremont McKenna College did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking, coming in at #8. Claremont McKenna is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California.
Not only is Claremont McKenna College a great value, but it is also ranked #5 in California for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $249.
Learn More About Value at Claremont McKenna College
University of Chicago landed the #9 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking. UChicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and has a fairly large student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
University of Chicago has the honor of being ranked #1 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $2,993.
Learn More About Value at University of Chicago
Georgetown University did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking, coming in at #10. Washington, District of Columbia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. It is a private not-for-profit school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Georgetown University is ranked #1 for quality in the state of District of Columbia. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $596.
Learn More About Value at Georgetown University
With a ranking of #11, Duke University did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) list. Duke University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Durham, North Carolina.
Not only is Duke University a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in North Carolina for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,945.
Full Duke University Value Report
Cornell University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking. Cornell is located in Ithaca, New York and has a large student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
Not only is Cornell University a great value, but it is also ranked #2 in New York for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $1,862.
Full Cornell University Value Report
Washington University in St Louis ranked #13 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) list. WUSTL is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Not only is Washington University in St Louis a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Missouri for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $3,263.
Full Washington University in St Louis Value Report
University of Florida came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking. UF is located in Gainesville, Florida and has a large student population. It is a public school.
Not only is University of Florida a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Florida for overall quality.
Learn More About Value at University of Florida
Vanderbilt University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking. Vanderbilt University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Nashville, Tennessee.
Vanderbilt University has the honor of being ranked #1 in Tennessee for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $4,752.
Read full value report on Vanderbilt University
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #16 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking. This large public school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Michigan. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $4,692.
Full University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Value Report
Williams College landed the #17 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking. Williamstown, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a private not-for-profit school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Williams College is ranked #8 for quality in the state of Massachusetts. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $718.
Learn More About Value at Williams College
Washington and Lee University did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking, coming in at #17. Lexington, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a private not-for-profit school.
Washington and Lee University has the honor of being ranked #3 in Virginia for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $769.
Full Washington and Lee University Value Report
Brown University did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking, coming in at #19. Brown is located in Providence, Rhode Island and has a fairly large student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Brown University is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Rhode Island. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,849.
Read full value report on Brown University
Michigan State University landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking. Michigan State University is a large public school located in East Lansing, Michigan.
Michigan State University has the honor of being ranked #2 in Michigan for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $129.
Read full value report on Michigan State University
University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking, coming in at #21. UW - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University of Wisconsin - Madison is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Wisconsin. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $3,753.
Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Value Report
Rice University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) list. Located in Houston, Texas, the school is a medium-sized private not-for-profit institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Rice University is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Texas. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $5,578.
Full Rice University Value Report
did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) ranking, coming in at #23.
Read full value report on
With a ranking of #24, Princeton University did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) list. Princeton University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Princeton, New Jersey.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Princeton University is ranked #1 for quality in the state of New Jersey. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,761.
Read full value report on Princeton University
With a ranking of #25, Dartmouth College did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) list. Dartmouth is a private not-for-profit institution located in Hanover, New Hampshire.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Dartmouth College is ranked #1 for quality in the state of New Hampshire. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $6,376.
Full Dartmouth College Value Report
