1
New College of Florida
FL · Acceptance Rate: 68%
Tuition: $6,916
Est. Net Cost: $3,416
Avg. Merit Aid: $3,500
Enrollment: 700
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Top 20 Best-Value Private Colleges
Private colleges with the lowest estimated net cost after merit aid.
How we ranked these schools
Effective cost is calculated as published tuition minus the average maximum merit award. Only private colleges with published merit scholarship data are included. Lower effective cost ranks higher. Data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (the federal government's education data authority), Princeton Review, Niche, and My School List's own school database. All figures reflect the most recently available data and are updated periodically. Rankings are for informational purposes only.
2
Wayne State College
NE · Acceptance Rate: 88%
Tuition: $7,512
Est. Net Cost: $4,137
Avg. Merit Aid: $3,375
Enrollment: 3,500
3
Alcorn State University
MS · Acceptance Rate: 72%
Tuition: $7,564
Est. Net Cost: $4,189
Avg. Merit Aid: $3,375
Enrollment: 2,800
4
Minot State University
ND · Acceptance Rate: 85%
Tuition: $7,592
Est. Net Cost: $4,217
Avg. Merit Aid: $3,375
Enrollment: 3,000
5
Delta State University
MS · Acceptance Rate: 88%
Tuition: $8,254
Est. Net Cost: $4,754
Avg. Merit Aid: $3,500
Enrollment: 2,500
6
Bemidji State University
MN · Acceptance Rate: 82%
Tuition: $8,890
Est. Net Cost: $5,140
Avg. Merit Aid: $3,750
Enrollment: 4,500
7
Minnesota State University Moorhead
MN · Acceptance Rate: 82%
Tuition: $9,026
Est. Net Cost: $5,151
Avg. Merit Aid: $3,875
Enrollment: 5,000
8
Rust College
MS · Acceptance Rate: 50%
Tuition: $10,800
Est. Net Cost: $5,300
Avg. Merit Aid: $5,500
Enrollment: 600
9
Tougaloo College
MS · Acceptance Rate: 55%
Tuition: $11,508
Est. Net Cost: $5,508
Avg. Merit Aid: $6,000
Enrollment: 700
10
Lane College
TN · Acceptance Rate: 55%
Tuition: $11,430
Est. Net Cost: $5,597
Avg. Merit Aid: $5,833
Enrollment: 1,200
11
Alice Lloyd College
KY · Acceptance Rate: 55%
Tuition: $12,500
Est. Net Cost: $5,833
Avg. Merit Aid: $6,667
Enrollment: 600
12
Stillman College
AL · Acceptance Rate: 65%
Tuition: $12,574
Est. Net Cost: $5,907
Avg. Merit Aid: $6,667
Enrollment: 700
13
Saginaw Valley State University
MI · Acceptance Rate: 82%
Tuition: $10,868
Est. Net Cost: $6,118
Avg. Merit Aid: $4,750
Enrollment: 7,000
14
Philander Smith University
AR · Acceptance Rate: 60%
Tuition: $14,230
Est. Net Cost: $6,897
Avg. Merit Aid: $7,333
Enrollment: 800
15
Voorhees University
SC · Acceptance Rate: 72%
Tuition: $14,920
Est. Net Cost: $7,253
Avg. Merit Aid: $7,667
Enrollment: 500
16
Central Michigan University
MI · Acceptance Rate: 78%
Tuition: $13,010
Est. Net Cost: $7,260
Avg. Merit Aid: $5,750
Enrollment: 15,000
17
Talladega College
AL · Acceptance Rate: 55%
Tuition: $15,284
Est. Net Cost: $7,451
Avg. Merit Aid: $7,833
Enrollment: 700
18
Wilberforce University
OH · Acceptance Rate: 65%
Tuition: $15,340
Est. Net Cost: $7,507
Avg. Merit Aid: $7,833
Enrollment: 500
19
Eastern Michigan University
MI · Acceptance Rate: 82%
Tuition: $13,344
Est. Net Cost: $7,594
Avg. Merit Aid: $5,750
Enrollment: 15,000
20
Lake Superior State University
MI · Acceptance Rate: 88%
Tuition: $13,368
Est. Net Cost: $7,618
Avg. Merit Aid: $5,750
Enrollment: 2,000
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