When it comes to higher education, definitions of what constitutes a valuable collegiate experience and reasons for enrolling are as varied as the people providing the answers. For some, it's tied to affordability and measured in terms of how many scholarships and grants are available to offset the overall cost. For others, value is measured by the quality of the education and is determined by factors such as class sizes, faculty qualifications, and access to research opportunities. While others still measure value by post-grad career outcomes, prioritizing alumni networks, internship placements, career services, and the potential for social mobility.
A tuition-to-salary comparison is generally not sufficient in assessing the value a school offers. It's essential to consider both the immediate financial costs and benefits, as well as the quality of life and campus culture that it can offer its students. In an age where student debt is skyrocketing, reaching $1.841 trillion as of December 2025, many students in the U.S. are anxious about whether their degree will be worthwhile in the long run. The average debt carried by one of the 45 million student-loan borrowers after graduation is around $42,673. As the student debt crisis grows alongside the staggering rise of college tuition, a school's overall value matters: namely, where scholarly investments will pay off with less debt to start and a higher-paying career within reach after graduation.
Stacker used Niche's 2026 list of the Best Value Colleges in America to report the best value college in every U.S. state. Community colleges and online colleges were not included. The methodology included student surveys, cost, post-graduate financial earnings, and a handful of other factors that capture a school's well-rounded value. (You can read the full methodology here.)
While some colleges may lure students in with a vibrant campus life or famous professors, these details are generally not indicators of a school's value to a student's lifelong career prospects.
Read on to see if your alma mater is the best value college in its state.
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1 / 50- Location: Birmingham, AL
- Niche value grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 9,841
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 4:1
- Acceptance rate: 88%
- Typical SAT range: 1130-1400
- Athletic conference: American Athletic Conference (The American)
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2 / 50- Location: Anchorage, AK
- Niche value grade: B-
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 4,211
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1
- Acceptance rate: 67%
- Typical SAT range: not available
- Athletic conference: Great Northwest Athletic Conference
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3 / 50- Location: Tempe, AZ
- Niche value grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 59,707
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 16:1
- Acceptance rate: 90%
- Typical SAT range: 1100-1320
- Athletic conference: Big 12 Conference (Big 12)
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4 / 50- Location: Clarksville, AR
- Niche value grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 786
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 14:1
- Acceptance rate: 58%
- Typical SAT range: 1020-1160
- Athletic conference: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference
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5 / 50- Location: Pasadena, CA
- Niche value grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 982
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 3:1
- Acceptance rate: 3%
- Typical SAT range: 1530-1580
- Athletic conference: Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
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6 / 50- Location: Golden, CO
- Niche value grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 5,924
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 16:1
- Acceptance rate: 60%
- Typical SAT range: 1320-1470
- Athletic conference: Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
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7 / 50- Location: New Haven, CT
- Niche value grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,805
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 2:1
- Acceptance rate: 5%
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1580
- Athletic conference: Ivy League
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8 / 50- Location: Newark, DE
- Niche value grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 18,084
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 15:1
- Acceptance rate: 65%
- Typical SAT range: 1200-1360
- Athletic conference: Coastal Athletic Association (CAA)
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9 / 50- Location: Gainesville, FL
- Niche value grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 31,571
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 24%
- Typical SAT range: 1300-1480
- Athletic conference: Southeastern Conference (SEC)
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10 / 50- Location: Atlanta, GA
- Niche value grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 17,171
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1
- Acceptance rate: 16%
- Typical SAT range: 1330-1530
- Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
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11 / 50- Location: Honolulu, HI
- Niche value grade: B
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 12,068
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 70%
- Typical SAT range: 1020-1240
- Athletic conference: Big West Conference (Big West)
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12 / 50- Location: Lewiston, ID
- Niche value grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,021
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 16:1
- Acceptance rate: 90%
- Typical SAT range: 850-1110
- Athletic conference: Cascade Collegiate Conference
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13 / 50- Location: Evanston, IL
- Niche value grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 9,020
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 4:1
- Acceptance rate: 7%
- Typical SAT range: 1490-1560
- Athletic conference: Big Ten Conference (Big Ten)
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14 / 50- Location: Notre Dame, IN
- Niche value grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 8,866
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 6:1
- Acceptance rate: 12%
- Typical SAT range: 1440-1540
- Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
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15 / 50- Location: Ames, IA
- Niche value grade: A-
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 25,628
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 17:1
- Acceptance rate: 89%
- Typical SAT range: 1110-1350
- Athletic conference: Big 12 Conference (Big 12)
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16 / 50- Location: Wichita, KS
- Niche value grade: A-
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 964
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 11:1
- Acceptance rate: 56%
- Typical SAT range: 920-1090
- Athletic conference: Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
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17 / 50- Location: Berea, KY
- Niche value grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,471
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 33%
- Typical SAT range: 1160-1340
- Athletic conference: USA South Athletic Conference
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18 / 50- Location: Thibodaux, LA
- Niche value grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 4,282
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 18:1
- Acceptance rate: 96%
- Typical SAT range: 930-1150
- Athletic conference: Southland Conference (Southland)
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19 / 50- Location: Brunswick, ME
- Niche value grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,873
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 8%
- Typical SAT range: 1480-1550
- Athletic conference: New England Small College Athletic Conference
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20 / 50- Location: Baltimore, MD
- Niche value grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 5,607
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 1:1
- Acceptance rate: 8%
- Typical SAT range: 1530-1580
- Athletic conference: Centennial Conference
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21 / 50- Location: Cambridge, MA
- Niche value grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 4,543
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 3:1
- Acceptance rate: 5%
- Typical SAT range: 1510-1580
- Athletic conference: New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference
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22 / 50- Location: Houghton, MI
- Niche value grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 5,765
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 14:1
- Acceptance rate: 88%
- Typical SAT range: 1120-1330
- Athletic conference: Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Ken Wolter // Shutterstock
23 / 50- Location: Minneapolis, MN
- Niche value grade: A-
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 29,124
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 77%
- Typical SAT range: 1310-1480
- Athletic conference: Big Ten Conference (Big Ten)
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24 / 50- Location: Columbus, MS
- Niche value grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,460
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 100%
- Typical SAT range: 850-1180
- Athletic conference: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
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25 / 50- Location: Saint Louis, MO
- Niche value grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,534
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 4:1
- Acceptance rate: 12%
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1570
- Athletic conference: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
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26 / 50- Location: Butte, MT
- Niche value grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,631
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1
- Acceptance rate: 90%
- Typical SAT range: 1060-1250
- Athletic conference: Frontier Conference
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27 / 50- Location: Omaha, NE
- Niche value grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 502
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
- Acceptance rate: 44%
- Typical SAT range: not available
- Athletic conference: Great Plains Athletic Conference
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28 / 50- Location: Henderson, NV
- Niche value grade: A-
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,252
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 16:1
- Acceptance rate: 86%
- Typical SAT range: not available
- Athletic conference: Independant
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29 / 50- Location: Hanover, NH
- Niche value grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 4,419
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
- Acceptance rate: 6%
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1570
- Athletic conference: Ivy League
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30 / 50- Location: Princeton, NJ
- Niche value grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 5,598
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
- Acceptance rate: 4%
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1580
- Athletic conference: Ivy League
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31 / 50- Location: Socorro, NM
- Niche value grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,065
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
- Acceptance rate: 54%
- Typical SAT range: 1040-1290
- Athletic conference: Club sports
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32 / 50- Location: New York, NY
- Niche value grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 12,947
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 19:1
- Acceptance rate: 50%
- Typical SAT range: 1210-1410
- Athletic conference: City University of New York Athletic Conference
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33 / 50- Location: Durham, NC
- Niche value grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,474
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 1:1
- Acceptance rate: 7%
- Typical SAT range: 1510-1570
- Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock
34 / 50<p>- Location: Fargo, ND
- Niche value grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 8,797
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 17:1
- Acceptance rate: 96%
- Typical SAT range: 1030-1260
- Athletic conference: Summit League (The Summit)
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35 / 50- Location: Marietta , OH
- Niche value grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,019
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 79%
- Typical SAT range: 990-1300
- Athletic conference: Ohio Athletic Conference
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36 / 50- Location: Tulsa, OK
- Niche value grade: A-
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,288
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
- Acceptance rate: 58%
- Typical SAT range: 1150-1490
- Athletic conference: American Athletic Conference (The American)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
37 / 50- Location: Mcminnville, OR
- Niche value grade: A-
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,642
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 11:1
- Acceptance rate: 88%
- Typical SAT range: 1050-1210
- Athletic conference: Northwest Conference
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38 / 50- Location: Pittsburgh, PA
- Niche value grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,133
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
- Acceptance rate: 11%
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1570
- Athletic conference: University Athletic Association
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39 / 50- Location: Providence, RI
- Niche value grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,220
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
- Acceptance rate: 5%
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1570
- Athletic conference: Ivy League
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40 / 50- Location: Charleston, SC
- Niche value grade: A-
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,476
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 98%
- Typical SAT range: 1080-1250
- Athletic conference: Southern Conference (SoCon)
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41 / 50- Location: Rapid City, SD
- Niche value grade: A-
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,737
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1
- Acceptance rate: 85%
- Typical SAT range: 1130-1320
- Athletic conference: Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
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42 / 50- Location: Nashville, TN
- Niche value grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,146
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
- Acceptance rate: 6%
- Typical SAT range: 1510-1560
- Athletic conference: Southeastern Conference (SEC)
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43 / 50- Location: Houston, TX
- Niche value grade: A+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 4,483
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
- Acceptance rate: 8%
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1570
- Athletic conference: American Athletic Conference (The American)
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44 / 50- Location: Provo, UT
- Niche value grade: A-
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 29,261
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 20:1
- Acceptance rate: 69%
- Typical SAT range: 1290-1450
- Athletic conference: Big 12 Conference (Big 12)
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45 / 50- Location: Middlebury, VT
- Niche value grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,778
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 10%
- Typical SAT range: 1430-1550
- Athletic conference: New England Small College Athletic Conference
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46 / 50- Location: Lexington, VA
- Niche value grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,887
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
- Acceptance rate: 17%
- Typical SAT range: 1410-1530
- Athletic conference: Old Dominion Athletic Conference
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47 / 50- Location: Seattle, WA
- Niche value grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 29,863
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 6:1
- Acceptance rate: 43%
- Typical SAT range: not available
- Athletic conference: Big Ten Conference (Big Ten)
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48 / 50- Location: Huntington, WV
- Niche value grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,576
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 96%
- Typical SAT range: 890-1130
- Athletic conference: Sun Belt Conference (SBC)
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49 / 50- Location: Madison, WI
- Niche value grade: A
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 34,278
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 43%
- Typical SAT range: 1360-1510
- Athletic conference: Big Ten Conference (Big Ten)
Ken Wolter // Shutterstock
50 / 50- Location: Laramie, WY
- Niche value grade: B+
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,851
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 98%
- Typical SAT range: 1040-1240
- Athletic conference: Mountain West Conference (MW)
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