The 150 lowest net prices of 928 schools we hold this figure for
Net price is what students actually paid after grants and scholarships were applied — not the sticker price. It is the only cost figure worth comparing across schools, because two colleges advertising the same tuition can be $20,000 apart once aid lands.
The figures below are averages reported to the federal government for families earning $30,000 to $48,000. Your own number depends on your assets and how the school reads your file, so treat this as a shortlist, not a quote.
We hold this figure for 928 schools. The table shows the 150 cheapest; the median across all of them is $15,924.
6 of these schools show an average net price of $0 for this income band. That is real: a small group of well-endowed colleges meet full need without loans, and for families earning $30,000 to $48,000 they can cost less than a state school.
Run each school's own net price calculator before you rely on any of this. Every college is required to publish one.
| School | Net price | Tuition | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|---|---|
|
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA
|
$0 | $63,402 | 3% |
|
Duke University
Durham, NC
|
$0 | $66,325 | 7% |
|
Indiana University-Kokomo
Kokomo, IN
|
$0 | $7,717 | 85% |
|
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
|
$0 | $64,730 | 8% |
|
Stanford University
Stanford, CA
|
$0 | $65,127 | 4% |
|
Williams College
Williamstown, MA
|
$0 | $68,240 | 10% |
|
Washington and Lee University
Lexington, VA
|
$75 | $66,800 | 17% |
|
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA
|
$93 | $61,990 | 5% |
|
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
|
$316 | $60,920 | 6% |
|
Indiana University-Northwest
Gary, IN
|
$331 | $7,717 | 77% |
|
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ
|
$352 | $62,400 | 4% |
|
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH
|
$489 | $66,123 | 6% |
|
Rice University
Houston, TX
|
$563 | $62,874 | 8% |
|
College of William and Mary
Williamsburg, VA
|
$881 | $18,709 | 33% |
|
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
|
$914 | $67,446 | 5% |
|
Colby College
Waterville, ME
|
$1,251 | $66,660 | 7% |
|
Amherst College
Amherst, MA
|
$1,570 | $69,820 | 10% |
|
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
|
$1,876 | $65,008 | 6% |
|
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI
|
$1,878 | $17,404 | 18% |
|
Washington University in St. Louis
University City, MO
|
$1,928 | $64,500 | 12% |
|
CUNY Hunter College
New York, NY
|
$1,935 | $6,930 | 54% |
|
Brown University
Providence, RI
|
$2,031 | $68,612 | 5% |
|
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
New York, NY
|
$2,052 | $6,930 | 50% |
|
Columbia University
New York, NY
|
$2,275 | $68,000 | 4% |
|
University of Florida-Online
Gainesville, FL
|
$2,286 | $3,358 | 64% |
|
CUNY Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, NY
|
$2,287 | $6,930 | 54% |
|
CUNY Lehman College
Bronx, NY
|
$2,374 | $6,930 | 55% |
|
University of Michigan-Flint
Flint, MI
|
$2,386 | $14,022 | 69% |
|
Purdue University Northwest
Hammond, IN
|
$2,428 | $7,823 | 71% |
|
Northeastern University
Boston, MA
|
$2,436 | $64,990 | 6% |
|
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
New York, NY
|
$2,506 | $6,930 | 57% |
|
Colgate University
Hamilton, NY
|
$2,678 | $69,886 | 12% |
|
Texas A & M International University
Laredo, TX
|
$2,745 | $3,818 | 46% |
|
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
|
$2,768 | $4,477 | 24% |
|
Bowdoin College
Brunswick, ME
|
$2,800 | $67,198 | 8% |
|
Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA
|
$2,836 | $66,880 | 14% |
|
CUNY City College
New York, NY
|
$2,990 | $6,930 | 58% |
|
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
|
$2,991 | $56,550 | 3% |
|
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus
Portales, NM
|
$3,080 | $4,194 | 55% |
|
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering
Needham, MA
|
$3,100 | $61,772 | 22% |
|
CUNY Queens College
Queens, NY
|
$3,133 | $6,930 | 69% |
|
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
Chickasha, OK
|
$3,548 | $6,630 | 56% |
|
New College of Florida
Sarasota, FL
|
$3,582 | $5,227 | 74% |
|
Wesleyan University
Middletown, CT
|
$3,604 | $69,652 | 17% |
|
Smith College
Northampton, MA
|
$3,737 | $64,870 | 20% |
|
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Edinburg, TX
|
$3,877 | $7,857 | 85% |
|
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC
|
$3,918 | $7,019 | 19% |
|
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY
|
$4,070 | $68,380 | 8% |
|
United States Merchant Marine Academy
Kings Point, NY
|
$4,098 | $0 | 32% |
|
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
|
$4,101 | $10,006 | 43% |
|
University of Minnesota-Morris
Morris, MN
|
$4,126 | $13,130 | 70% |
|
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL
|
$4,135 | $2,522 | 73% |
|
CUNY York College
Jamaica, NY
|
$4,161 | $6,930 | 59% |
|
University of Minnesota-Rochester
Rochester, MN
|
$4,256 | $13,854 | 72% |
|
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Tifton, GA
|
$4,299 | $2,616 | 77% |
|
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI
|
$4,315 | $14,582 | 81% |
|
William Jewell College
Liberty, MO
|
$4,356 | $19,320 | 34% |
|
Scripps College
Claremont, CA
|
$4,522 | $65,650 | 34% |
|
Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City, NC
|
$4,538 | $1,000 | 70% |
|
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, MI
|
$4,560 | $15,262 | 70% |
|
Berea College
Berea, KY
|
$4,598 | $50,900 | 33% |
|
CUNY New York City College of Technology
Brooklyn, NY
|
$4,606 | $6,930 | 81% |
|
Louisiana State University-Shreveport
Shreveport, LA
|
$4,836 | $5,522 | 83% |
|
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA
|
$4,951 | $65,058 | 7% |
|
Indiana University-Southeast
New Albany, IN
|
$4,978 | $7,717 | 83% |
|
Wilberforce University
Wilberforce, OH
|
$5,313 | $14,718 | 53% |
|
Davidson College
Davidson, NC
|
$5,354 | $63,580 | 14% |
|
University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL
|
$5,373 | $12,712 | 44% |
|
University of South Florida
Tampa, FL
|
$5,444 | $4,559 | 41% |
|
Indiana University-East
Richmond, IN
|
$5,454 | $7,717 | 71% |
|
CUNY Medgar Evers College
Brooklyn, NY
|
$5,547 | $6,930 | 83% |
|
University of Houston-Victoria
Victoria, TX
|
$5,579 | $5,111 | 77% |
|
University of St Francis
Joliet, IL
|
$5,584 | $38,110 | 64% |
|
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI
|
$5,734 | $15,126 | 85% |
|
Ohio State University-Columbus
Columbus, OH
|
$5,751 | $12,180 | 51% |
|
University of Illinois Springfield
Springfield, IL
|
$5,915 | $9,645 | 84% |
|
Indiana University-Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN
|
$5,995 | $9,518 | 81% |
|
University of Maryland-College Park
College Park, MD
|
$6,051 | $10,087 | 45% |
|
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL
|
$6,099 | $67,158 | 7% |
|
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
Tacoma, WA
|
$6,135 | $11,869 | 83% |
|
College of the Ozarks
Point Lookout, MO
|
$6,140 | $21,800 | 15% |
|
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN
|
$6,241 | $9,718 | 50% |
|
University of Michigan-Dearborn
Dearborn, MI
|
$6,284 | $15,240 | 59% |
|
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC
|
$6,331 | $66,470 | 22% |
|
Southeastern Oklahoma State University
Durant, OK
|
$6,333 | $6,840 | 80% |
|
University of Minnesota-Crookston
Crookston, MN
|
$6,368 | $11,648 | 58% |
|
East Central University
Ada, OK
|
$6,402 | $6,300 | 66% |
|
University of West Florida
Pensacola, FL
|
$6,462 | $4,319 | 57% |
|
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
|
$6,501 | $13,146 | 12% |
|
University of Richmond
University of Richmond, VA
|
$6,507 | $65,230 | 23% |
|
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
|
$6,682 | $13,146 | 9% |
|
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Beckley, WV
|
$6,752 | $8,424 | 61% |
|
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, FL
|
$6,866 | $4,281 | 62% |
|
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
New York, NY
|
$6,904 | $44,550 | 19% |
|
Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville, NC
|
$6,908 | $1,000 | 80% |
|
Florida State University
Tampa, FL
|
$6,963 | $4,022 | 25% |
|
Farmingdale State College
Farmingdale, NY
|
$6,985 | $7,070 | 69% |
|
Rhode Island College
Providence, RI
|
$6,989 | $9,765 | 81% |
|
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA
|
$6,994 | $64,596 | 11% |
|
Pomona College
Claremont, CA
|
$7,026 | $65,000 | 7% |
|
Clayton State University
Morrow, GA
|
$7,032 | $4,176 | 71% |
|
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
|
$7,039 | $11,869 | 43% |
|
Morehead State University
Morehead, KY
|
$7,057 | $9,704 | 82% |
|
Central State University
Wilberforce, OH
|
$7,161 | $5,638 | 46% |
|
University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL
|
$7,174 | $4,478 | 40% |
|
Northern Michigan University
Marquette, MI
|
$7,185 | $13,044 | 70% |
|
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA
|
$7,209 | $10,512 | 16% |
|
Southern Utah University
Cedar City, UT
|
$7,235 | $6,186 | 80% |
|
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA
|
$7,253 | $6,084 | 30% |
|
University of Notre Dame
South Bend, IN
|
$7,254 | $64,518 | 12% |
|
University of North Georgia
Dahlonega, GA
|
$7,261 | $4,247 | 72% |
|
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
|
$7,283 | $15,148 | 77% |
|
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA
|
$7,304 | $69,400 | 16% |
|
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, CA
|
$7,360 | $67,630 | 11% |
|
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Las Cruces, NM
|
$7,424 | $6,283 | 76% |
|
Lafayette College
Easton, PA
|
$7,445 | $64,248 | 31% |
|
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Kenosha, WI
|
$7,592 | $6,978 | 73% |
|
Indiana University-Bloomington
Bloomington, IN
|
$7,610 | $10,622 | 80% |
|
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM
|
$7,640 | $7,894 | 54% |
|
Pitzer College
Claremont, CA
|
$7,769 | $64,888 | 17% |
|
Grinnell College
Grinnell, IA
|
$7,789 | $67,560 | 13% |
|
Northwestern Oklahoma State University
Alva, OK
|
$7,828 | $5,448 | 66% |
|
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Winston Salem, NC
|
$7,828 | $6,497 | 33% |
|
California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, CA
|
$7,831 | $6,084 | 47% |
|
Georgetown College
Georgetown, KY
|
$7,834 | $41,840 | 74% |
|
Kean University
Union, NJ
|
$7,859 | $11,859 | 77% |
|
Florida International University
Frostproof, FL
|
$7,873 | $4,721 | 59% |
|
College of Micronesia-FSM
Pohnpei, FM
|
$7,903 | $4,350 | 81% |
|
Truman State University
Kirksville, MO
|
$7,926 | $9,500 | 80% |
|
University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla
Aguadilla, PR
|
$7,993 | $5,024 | 82% |
|
Eastern Kentucky University
Richmond, KY
|
$8,005 | $10,020 | 78% |
|
Dickinson State University
Dickinson, ND
|
$8,094 | $7,470 | 60% |
|
University of Illinois-Chicago
Chicago, IL
|
$8,119 | $11,178 | 79% |
|
University of Minnesota-Duluth
Duluth, MN
|
$8,145 | $12,960 | 82% |
|
University of California-San Diego
San Diego, CA
|
$8,155 | $13,146 | 25% |
|
Florida Gulf Coast University
Fort Myers, FL
|
$8,191 | $4,191 | 77% |
|
Carleton College
Northfield, MN
|
$8,203 | $68,457 | 22% |
|
Middlebury College
Middlebury, VT
|
$8,229 | $67,100 | 10% |
|
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Pomona, CA
|
$8,433 | $6,084 | 74% |
|
University of South Carolina Aiken
Aiken, SC
|
$8,435 | $10,398 | 80% |
|
University of California-Merced
Merced, CA
|
$8,465 | $13,146 | 39% |
|
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
San Juan, PR
|
$8,553 | $5,024 | 53% |
|
University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK
|
$8,616 | $48,340 | 58% |
|
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, IL
|
$8,619 | $10,150 | 68% |
|
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, LA
|
$8,619 | $6,401 | 73% |
|
University of Georgia
Athens, GA
|
$8,686 | $10,034 | 37% |
|
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Whitewater, WI
|
$8,752 | $7,119 | 83% |
|
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC
|
$8,758 | $6,535 | 40% |
|
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
La Crosse, WI
|
$8,766 | $8,333 | 73% |
|
Florida Polytechnic University
Lakeland, FL
|
$8,769 | $3,152 | 56% |
Net price is the federal average for students receiving aid in this income band, and it moves year to year. Every college is required to publish its own net price calculator — use it before relying on this.