When it comes to college, affordability isn’t cheap – keeping costs down and student loan debt low is every student’s worry. That’s why College Consensus is ranking the best value colleges and universities for 2021!
In the age of rapidly rising tuition – college costs have risen far faster than the rate of inflation in the 21st century, and even faster than financial aid – affordability is no joke. With our 2021 Consensus Ranking of the 100 Best Value Colleges & Universities, College Consensus is lighting up the way to a college education students can actually afford. With student debt representing the second-largest consumer debt class (after mortgages), earning a college degree without setting yourself up for a life of loan repayment – which never goes away, not even in bankruptcy – has turned into the Holy Grail: much sought, found by only a lucky few. If you’re interested in an affordable online degree, be sure to check out our ranking of the Best Value Online Colleges & Universities.
Recommended Online Colleges & Universities
To create our ranking of the 100 Best Value Colleges & Universities we started with schools that qualified for a College Consensus score and then ordered them from lowest to highest according to the most recent out-of-state tuition & fee information published by the National Center for Education Statistics. College Consensus is happy to show prospective students and their families where to find a school that not only won’t break the bank, but will also provide a quality, respected degree to take into the marketplace.
1
Brigham Young University-ProvoProvo, UT
2
North Dakota State University-Main CampusFargo, ND
3
Eastern Illinois UniversityCharleston, IL
4
CUNY City CollegeNew York, NY
5
Truman State UniversityKirksville, MO
6
CUNY Hunter CollegeNew York, NY
7
CUNY Lehman CollegeBronx, NY
8
CUNY Brooklyn CollegeBrooklyn, NY
9
CUNY Bernard M Baruch CollegeNew York, NY
10
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal JusticeNew York, NY
11
CUNY Queens CollegeQueens, NY
12
University of Minnesota-MorrisMorris, MN
13
Winona State UniversityWinona, MN
14
University of North DakotaGrand Forks, ND
15
Fitchburg State UniversityFitchburg, MA
16
Westfield State UniversityWestfield, MA
17
University of Wisconsin-Stevens PointStevens Point, WI
18
University of Wisconsin-Eau ClaireEau Claire, WI
19
University of South Florida-Main CampusTampa, FL
20
University of Wisconsin-StoutMenomonie, WI
21
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical UniversityTallahassee, FL
22
University of Wisconsin-La CrosseLa Crosse, WI
23
University of WyomingLaramie, WY
24
Birmingham-Southern CollegeBirmingham, AL
25
State University of New York at New PaltzNew Paltz, NY
26
SUNY Polytechnic InstituteUtica, NY
27
SUNY Maritime CollegeThroggs Neck, NY
28
Farmingdale State CollegeFarmingdale, NY
29
California State University-FresnoFresno, CA
30
SUNY College at BrockportBrockport, NY
31
SUNY College at OswegoOswego, NY
32
California State University-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
33
SUNY OneontaOneonta, NY
34
California State University-Channel IslandsCamarillo, CA
35
California State University-Long BeachLong Beach, CA
36
SUNY CortlandCortland, NY
37
California State University-San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CA
38
SUNY College at PlattsburghPlattsburgh, NY
39
Florida State UniversityTallahassee, FL
40
California State University-FullertonFullerton, CA
41
California State University-Dominguez HillsCarson, CA
42
SUNY at Purchase CollegePurchase, NY
43
SUNY College at GeneseoGeneseo, NY
44
California State University-NorthridgeNorthridge, CA
45
California State University-East BayHayward, CA
46
University of Minnesota-DuluthDuluth, MN
47
Florida International UniversityMiami, FL
48
California State University Maritime AcademyVallejo, CA
49
California State University-Monterey BaySeaside, CA
50
SUNY College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuse, NY
51
San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, CA
52
The University of West FloridaPensacola, FL
53
California State University-SacramentoSacramento, CA
54
Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, TX
55
California State Polytechnic University-PomonaPomona, CA
56
California State University-BakersfieldBakersfield, CA
57
San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, CA
58
California State University-StanislausTurlock, CA
59
University of Maine at FarmingtonFarmington, ME
60
California State University-San MarcosSan Marcos, CA
61
College of the OzarksPoint Lookout, MO
62
California State University-ChicoChico, CA
63
San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, CA
64
Sonoma State UniversityRohnert Park, CA
65
Salisbury UniversitySalisbury, MD
66
University of Alabama at BirminghamBirmingham, AL
67
Montclair State UniversityMontclair, NJ
68
University of Northern IowaCedar Falls, IA
69
University of North Carolina WilmingtonWilmington, NC
70
University of HoustonHouston, TX
71
Appalachian State UniversityBoone, NC
72
West Chester University of PennsylvaniaWest Chester, PA
73
University of Central FloridaOrlando, FL
74
Lincoln Memorial UniversityHarrogate, TN
75
Concordia University-Saint PaulSaint Paul, MN
76
Rhode Island CollegeProvidence, RI
77
Radford UniversityRadford, VA
78
Brescia UniversityOwensboro, KY
79
East Carolina UniversityGreenville, NC
80
New Mexico Institute of Mining and TechnologySocorro, NM
81
Keene State CollegeKeene, NH
82
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA
83
Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State, MS
84
Central Washington UniversityEllensburg, WA
85
Wesleyan CollegeMacon, GA
86
Ramapo College of New JerseyMahwah, NJ
87
Towson UniversityTowson, MD
88
Iowa State UniversityAmes, IA
89
Western Washington UniversityBellingham, WA
90
Massachusetts Maritime AcademyBuzzards Bay, MA
91
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusDenver, CO
92
University of Nebraska-LincolnLincoln, NE
93
Illinois State UniversityNormal, IL
94
Washington State UniversityPullman, WA
95
University of Michigan-DearbornDearborn, MI
96
University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusNorman, OK
97
Howard UniversityWashington, DC
98
University of UtahSalt Lake City, UT
99
Indiana Wesleyan University-MarionMarion, IN
100
University of Missouri-St LouisSaint Louis, MO
What Makes the Most Affordable Colleges and Universities?
So how does College Consensus determine what makes the most affordable colleges and universities? It’s pretty easy to say what makes a college affordable: low tuition, obviously. But as for what makes an affordable college really worthwhile – that takes a little more explanation. After all, it’s no secret that college is more expensive than ever. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average tuition rate for public universities in 2017-2018 academic year was more than $20,000; by contrast, 30 years earlier, the same education would have cost $3800. But everything was cheaper in 1985 – except that, adjusted for inflation, 1985 tuition was less than $8500 in 2018 dollars. That means tuition is going up insanely fast – way faster than inflation.
That raises the question: is a college degree still worth it? The short answer is, yes, almost without a doubt. Why? Because, on average, people still make a lot more money with a college degree than without – more than 60% higher, according to NCES data. Male and female, young and old, every race, the stats hold true: a college degree holder makes more money than a worker without a college degree. However, that average can be a bit misleading. For one, a Georgetown University study shows that the major you choose – and, therefore, the career you go into – makes a huge difference. Engineering and science majors make far more than the average, while social work and education majors make far lower; business majors fall right along the median. Some jobs just make more money than others.
Meanwhile, the average recent graduate is more than $37,000 in student debt, and considering that many people have no student debt, thanks to loans, grants, or helpful parents, that means plenty of graduates are entering with workforce with far more debt than that. So, when you’re thinking about an affordable college degree, the most affordable colleges and universities aren’t just the ones with the lowest tuition – they’re the ones with the most value.(And almost as good as a tuition-free college). So plan carefully; think very seriously about how you are preparing for college, because financial smarts are just as important as book smarts. Reasonable costs, market-ready skills, in-demand professions: these are the things that make the most affordable colleges in the US a smart investment for tomorrow’s professionals and leaders.
How Do We Rank the Most Affordable Colleges & Universities?
College Consensus is the most unique college ranking site you’re likely to see. The Consensus method combines two different sets of data: first, we gather results from the most reputable rankings, including Money, Wall Street Journal, US News & World Report, Wallethub, and Washington Monthly. Then, we pull together the most legitimate, verified student reviews from sites like Students Review, My Plan, Cappex, and others. Combining the Publisher Rating and the Student Review Rating, we calculate the Consensus Rating, which provides a solid average that we use to rank colleges and universities across a wide range of specializations, regions, and other categories.
For the Consensus ranking of the Best Value Colleges & Universities, College Consensus took a long, detailed look at the colleges and universities with the lowest tuition rates. That makes for a highly diverse assortment of colleges, including large regional public universities, small liberal arts colleges, evangelical and Catholic colleges, military academies, historically black colleges and universities, and even some of the fastest-growing up-and-coming universities in the US. The most affordable colleges and universities recognize that college students are real people with real needs, real dreams, and real futures, and they work to make sure students can live up to their potential without being dragged down by debt. They’re the heroes in the higher education landscape, and with the College Consensus ranking, they get to stand on their own merits, recognized not only for excellence and reputation, but for being the most affordable colleges in the US.
What’s Different About the College Consensus Ranking?
Most college rankings don’t take the long view – they look at their own particular criteria and make their rankings from a narrow set of qualifications. That’s precisely where College Consensus is different. Instead of working from its own subjective standards, College Consensus aggregates rankings and reviews to take in all of the perspectives. College Consensus brings together the expert assessment and the lived experience, all treated on an equal plane so that no voice gets the priority. With the Consensus method, every college and university gets its due place in the higher education landscape. Read more about our ranking methodology and sources on our about page.