Most affordable colleges in the US

Net price is the average amount students receiving federal aid actually pay per year after grants and scholarships — not the sticker price. We compared 1,103 US colleges with at least 1,000 students and a published net price. The median is $20,077; the top 50 range from $1,300 to $8,484.

Colleges compared1,103

Ranked #1$1,300

Median, all compared$20,077

Ranked #50$8,484

The top 50

#	College	Acceptance	Net price	Earnings	Grad rate
1	Texas A&M University-Central TexasKilleen, TX · Public · 1,750 students	100%	$1,300	—	—
2	CUNY Hunter CollegeNew York, NY · Public · 16,289 students	54%	$2,984	$63,163	57%
3	CUNY Bernard M Baruch CollegeNew York, NY · Public · 16,154 students	48%	$3,033	$75,971	72%
4	CUNY Brooklyn CollegeBrooklyn, NY · Public · 10,543 students	58%	$3,103	$60,752	54%
5	CUNY Lehman CollegeBronx, NY · Public · 10,696 students	57%	$3,148	$58,013	51%
6	CUNY John Jay College of Criminal JusticeNew York, NY · Public · 11,590 students	57%	$3,203	$56,195	56%
7	Texas A & M International UniversityLaredo, TX · Public · 6,667 students	44%	$3,637	$48,386	47%
8	CUNY City CollegeNew York, NY · Public · 12,505 students	60%	$3,776	$66,039	57%
9	California State University-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA · Public · 19,562 students	91%	$3,967	$59,211	53%
10	Indiana University-KokomoKokomo, IN · Public · 2,352 students	87%	$3,968	$49,917	46%
11	CUNY Queens CollegeQueens, NY · Public · 12,550 students	64%	$4,195	$62,763	53%
12	CUNY York CollegeJamaica, NY · Public · 4,345 students	64%	$4,456	$56,945	32%
13	California State University-San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CA · Public · 15,023 students	94%	$4,564	$59,977	55%
14	University of Florida-OnlineGainesville, FL · Public · 4,627 students	61%	$4,815	$71,588	85%
15	The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyEdinburg, TX · Public · 28,666 students	94%	$4,831	$49,620	51%
16	Eastern New Mexico University-Main CampusPortales, NM · Public · 3,357 students	92%	$4,904	$38,550	45%
17	CUNY New York City College of TechnologyBrooklyn, NY · Public · 13,580 students	80%	$5,127	$49,365	22%
18	Indiana University-NorthwestGary, IN · Public · 2,661 students	73%	$5,130	$43,361	37%
19	College of Staten Island CUNYStaten Island, NY · Public · 9,657 students	92%	$5,579	$53,501	34%
20	California State University-BakersfieldBakersfield, CA · Public · 8,577 students	94%	$5,652	$59,009	50%
21	CUNY Medgar Evers CollegeBrooklyn, NY · Public · 3,233 students	86%	$5,718	$46,498	20%
22	California State University-StanislausTurlock, CA · Public · 8,385 students	98%	$6,067	$63,188	53%
23	Purdue University NorthwestHammond, IN · Public · 5,671 students	72%	$6,079	$48,318	43%
24	College of the OzarksPoint Lookout, MO · Private · 1,444 students	12%	$6,100	$41,592	64%
25	Berea CollegeBerea, KY · Private · 1,513 students	19%	$6,106	$43,150	58%
26	Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ · Private · 5,709 students	5%	$6,128	$110,066	98%
27	Elizabeth City State UniversityElizabeth City, NC · Public · 1,975 students	64%	$6,364	$40,026	44%
28	University of North Texas at DallasDallas, TX · Public · 2,878 students	85%	$6,420	—	42%
29	University of FloridaGainesville, FL · Public · 35,629 students	24%	$6,541	$71,588	91%
30	California State University-FullertonFullerton, CA · Public · 38,546 students	91%	$6,555	$62,951	70%
31	Abraham Baldwin Agricultural CollegeTifton, GA · Public · 3,208 students	76%	$6,842	$34,996	36%
32	California State University-FresnoFresno, CA · Public · 21,605 students	95%	$7,000	$61,244	57%
33	University of Michigan-FlintFlint, MI · Public · 4,411 students	71%	$7,007	$53,230	40%
34	California State University-NorthridgeNorthridge, CA · Public · 32,691 students	94%	$7,021	$59,115	57%
35	Louisiana State University-ShreveportShreveport, LA · Public · 2,153 students	51%	$7,022	$47,477	38%
36	University of Maine at Presque IslePresque Isle, ME · Public · 1,913 students	100%	$7,035	$40,956	52%
37	Louisiana State University at AlexandriaAlexandria, LA · Public · 5,632 students	92%	$7,065	$42,205	34%
38	University of the Virgin IslandsCharlotte Amalie, VI · Public · 1,518 students	99%	$7,469	$38,681	28%
39	Marshall UniversityHuntington, WV · Public · 7,266 students	96%	$7,502	$46,354	51%
40	University of Puerto Rico-AguadillaAguadilla, PR · Public · 1,883 students	81%	$7,765	$27,997	46%
41	Indiana University-SoutheastNew Albany, IN · Public · 3,170 students	85%	$7,888	$47,596	39%
42	Fayetteville State UniversityFayetteville, NC · Public · 5,762 students	82%	$7,892	$40,144	39%
43	Southeastern Oklahoma State UniversityDurant, OK · Public · 3,018 students	76%	$8,039	$45,079	32%
44	Kentucky State UniversityFrankfort, KY · Public · 1,309 students	96%	$8,040	$36,382	32%
45	Gordon State CollegeBarnesville, GA · Public · 2,544 students	86%	$8,105	$37,871	20%
46	Texas A&M University-VictoriaVictoria, TX · Public · 2,513 students	96%	$8,109	$54,467	26%
47	Indiana University-EastRichmond, IN · Public · 2,589 students	67%	$8,134	$47,156	40%
48	Northern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights, KY · Public · 8,246 students	68%	$8,191	$50,220	52%
49	Clayton State UniversityMorrow, GA · Public · 4,348 students	69%	$8,365	$49,179	40%
50	University of Puerto RicoBayamon, PR · Public · 2,851 students	35%	$8,484	$34,409	37%

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Includes colleges with at least 1,000 students and a published net price. Net price is the average annual cost after grants for students receiving federal aid. Earnings are median earnings 10 years after entering. A dash means the figure isn’t published for that school.

Common questions

What is the most affordable college in the US?

Texas A&M University-Central Texas has the lowest average net price of any US college with at least 1,000 students: $1,300 a year after grants and scholarships. CUNY Hunter College ($2,984) is next.

What is the typical net price at a US college?

Across the 1,103 US colleges with at least 1,000 students and a published net price, the median is $20,077. The top 50 range from $1,300 to $8,484.

How was this list made?

We took every US college with at least 1,000 students and a published net price in the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and ranked them. Net price is the average amount students receiving federal aid actually pay per year after grants and scholarships — not the sticker price. Schools without the figure published are left out rather than estimated.

More college rankings

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