by our College Data Analytics TeamWhen pursuing a degree in today's world, there are many different options to choose from. 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 $30-$48k ranking - to help you make that decision. A school that typically has a high sticker price may actually be very affordable, depending on how much need-based financial aid you receive.
See What's Included in This Value Report:
After analyzing 2,177 schools in the United States, we came up with our list of those that offered the best value programs. Instead of depending on subjective information to rank the best value schools, we focus on objective factors in our analysis. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
To calculate the value of a school in our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) ranking, we first consider its average net price of students from families making $30-$48k a year. The net price is the sum of room and board, tuition, and fees minus any financial aid that that the student receives. But, a school that excels in providing value for your money must also be a great school overall as well.
To account for this we consider a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a host of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
We go into more detail on these factors on our best value ranking methodology page.
Keep scrolling for the top schools in this ranking or select one of the other rankings methods below.
If you know what major you want to study, check out our list of the best value schools by major. If you're interested in other degree levels, you can view one of the lists below.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology tops this year’s ranking as the best value (income $30-$48k) school in the United States for overall quality. MIT is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology has the honor of being ranked #1 in Massachusetts for overall quality on top of being a good value.
A rank of #2 on our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) list means University of Pennsylvania is a great place for students working on their degree. UPenn is a private not-for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Not only is University of Pennsylvania a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Pennsylvania for overall quality.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #3 on our 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) list. Located in Stanford, California, the school is a fairly large private not-for-profit institution.
Stanford University has the honor of being ranked #1 in California for overall quality on top of being a good value.
Out of the 2,177 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 University in the City of New York is a large private not-for-profit school located in New York, New York.
Columbia University in the City of New York has the honor of being ranked #1 in New York for overall quality on top of being a good value.
Full Columbia University in the City of New York Value Report
A rank of #5 on our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) list means Harvard University is a great place for students working on their degree. 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.
Johns Hopkins University did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) ranking, coming in at #6. Johns Hopkins is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Baltimore, Maryland.
Not only is Johns Hopkins University a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Maryland for overall quality.
University of Chicago landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the school is a fairly large private not-for-profit institution.
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 $30-$48k per year is $3,316.
California Institute of Technology landed the #8 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) ranking. Pasadena, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a private not-for-profit school.
California Institute of Technology has the honor of being ranked #5 in California for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $1,371.
Cornell University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) ranking. Cornell is a private not-for-profit institution located in Ithaca, New York.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Cornell University is ranked #2 for quality in the state of New York. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $1,953.
Duke University landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) ranking. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is 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. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $4,301.
With a ranking of #11, Georgetown University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) list. Georgetown University is a large private not-for-profit school located in Washington, District of Columbia.
Georgetown University has the honor of being ranked #1 in District of Columbia for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $3,182.
Yale University landed the #12 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) ranking. Yale is located in New Haven, Connecticut 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, Yale University is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Connecticut. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,177.
With a ranking of #13, Northwestern University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) list. Northwestern is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Northwestern University is ranked #2 for quality in the state of Illinois. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $6,236.
With a ranking of #14, Williams College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) list. Williams is a private not-for-profit institution located in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
Not only is Williams College a great value, but it is also ranked #6 in Massachusetts for overall quality. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $360.
Princeton University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) ranking. Princeton is located in Princeton, New Jersey and has a medium-sized student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
Princeton University has the honor of being ranked #1 in New Jersey for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $5,544.
Washington University in St Louis ranked #16 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) list. Washington University in St Louis is a fairly large private not-for-profit school 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 $30-$48k per year is $4,928.
Purdue University - Main Campus ranked #17 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) list. West Lafayette, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Not only is Purdue University - Main Campus a great value, but it is also ranked #2 in Indiana for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $2,955.
Rice University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) list. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Houston, Texas.
Not only is Rice University a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Texas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $5,959.
University of Florida landed the #19 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) ranking. UF is a large public school situated in Gainesville, Florida.
University of Florida has the honor of being ranked #1 in Florida for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $1,385.
Brown University landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) ranking. Brown is located in Providence, Rhode Island and has a fairly large student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
Not only is Brown University a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Rhode Island for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $5,870.
Washington and Lee University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) ranking. Washington and Lee is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lexington, Virginia.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Washington and Lee University is ranked #3 for quality in the state of Virginia. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $743.
With a ranking of #22, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) list. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and has a large student population. It is a public school.
Not only is University of Wisconsin - Madison a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Wisconsin for overall quality. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,697.
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #23 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) ranking. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large public school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor has the honor of being ranked #1 in Michigan for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $6,904.
Read full value report on University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) ranking.
University of Washington - Seattle Campus ranked #25 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) list. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a large public school located in Seattle, Washington.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University of Washington - Seattle Campus is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Washington. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $5,082.
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
To learn more about the schools below, just click on their names:
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus | Atlanta, GA | Value Report |
| 52 | Washington State University | Pullman, WA | Value Report |
| 53 | University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | Value Report |
| 54 | Tufts University | Medford, MA | Value Report |
| 55 | John Jay College of Criminal Justice | New York, NY | Value Report |
| 56 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities | Minneapolis, MN | Value Report |
| 57 | Eastern Gateway Community College | Steubenville, OH | Value Report |
| 58 | South Texas College | McAllen, TX | Value Report |
| 59 | California State University - Fullerton | Fullerton, CA | Value Report |
| 60 | William & Mary | Williamsburg, VA | Value Report |
| 61 | California State University - Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | Value Report |
| 62 | Boston University | Boston, MA | Value Report |
| 63 | University of Maryland - Baltimore County | Baltimore, MD | Value Report |
| 64 | West Valley College | Saratoga, CA | Value Report |
| 65 | University of Maryland - College Park | College Park, MD | Value Report |
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 316 | University of California - Merced | Merced, CA | Value Report |
| 316 | Kalamazoo Valley Community College | Kalamazoo, MI | Value Report |
| 318 | Lewis and Clark Community College | Godfrey, IL | Value Report |
| 319 | Kent State University at Stark | North Canton, OH | Value Report |
| 320 | Cochise County Community College District | Sierra Vista, AZ | Value Report |
| 321 | St Cloud Technical and Community College | Saint Cloud, MN | Value Report |
| 322 | Hinds Community College | Raymond, MS | Value Report |
| 323 | Delaware Technical Community College - Terry | Dover, DE | Value Report |
| 323 | University of Iowa | Iowa City, IA | Value Report |
| 325 | University of Missouri - Columbia | Columbia, MO | Value Report |
| 326 | Howard Community College | Columbia, MD | Value Report |
| 326 | Brandeis University | Waltham, MA | Value Report |
All Majors and Fields of Study >
These schools also performed well in our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) ranking:
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 328 | Community College of Baltimore County | Baltimore, MD | Value Report |
| 329 | Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology | Okmulgee, OK | Value Report |
| 329 | Texas Tech University | Lubbock, TX | Value Report |
| 331 | University of Nebraska - Lincoln | Lincoln, NE | Value Report |
| 332 | Rowan College at Burlington County | Mount Laurel, NJ | Value Report |
| 333 | Johnston Community College | Smithfield, NC | Value Report |
| 333 | Central Piedmont Community College | Charlotte, NC | Value Report |
| 333 | Des Moines Area Community College | Ankeny, IA | Value Report |
| 336 | Blue Ridge Community and Technical College | Martinsburg, WV | Value Report |
| 337 | Bismarck State College | Bismarck, ND | Value Report |
| 337 | Indiana University - Southeast | New Albany, IN | Value Report |
| 337 | Saint Mary’s College of California | Moraga, CA | Value Report |
| 340 | Georgia Highlands College | Rome, GA | Value Report |
| 341 | Mt. San Jacinto College | San Jacinto, CA | Value Report |
| 342 | Valley City State University | Valley City, ND | Value Report |
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 423 | North Shore Community College | Danvers, MA | Value Report |
| 424 | California State University - East Bay | Hayward, CA | Value Report |
| 425 | University of Southern Maine | Portland, ME | Value Report |
| 425 | Holmes Community College | Goodman, MS | Value Report |
| 427 | North Dakota State University - Main Campus | Fargo, ND | Value Report |
| 427 | University of Delaware | Newark, DE | Value Report |
| 429 | Montclair State University | Montclair, NJ | Value Report |
| 429 | University of California - Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz, CA | Value Report |
| 431 | Northwestern Michigan College | Traverse City, MI | Value Report |
| 432 | Cape Fear Community College | Wilmington, NC | Value Report |
| 433 | Victoria College | Victoria, TX | Value Report |
| 434 | Trinity Christian College | Palos Heights, IL | Value Report |
| 434 | Northeast Alabama Community College | Rainsville, AL | Value Report |
| 436 | Waukesha County Technical College | Pewaukee, WI | Value Report |
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.