87 Excellent Small Colleges That Give Great Merit Aid

Here is a list of excellent small colleges that are very affordable, even if your family does not qualify for income-based financial aid. The average amount of merit aid given by these colleges is in the mid-20K’s. Typical out of pocket cost (after merit aid) for tuition, room, board, and fees ranges from mid-20k’s to the very low 30K's. Acceptance rates vary between 61 and 99 percent (averaging 80%). Many, if not most, accept applications after May 1.

Ouachita Baptist University AR

Agnes Scott College GA

Berry College GA

Covenant College GA

Oglethorpe University GA

Buena Vista University IA

Clarke University IA

Graceland University IA

Loras College IA

Mount Mercy University IA

Northwestern College IA

Simpson College IA

University of Dubuque IA

Northwest Nazarene University ID

Augustana College IL

Elmhurst University IL

Illinois College IL

Millikin University IL

Monmouth College IL

North Central College IL

North Park University IL

Franklin College IN

Goshen College IN

Hanover College IN

Marian University IN

University of Evansville IN

University of St. Francis IN

Valparaiso University IN

Wabash College IN

Centre College KY

Transylvania University KY

Loyola University New Orleans LA

Hood College MD

McDaniel College MD

Washington College MD

Alma College MI

Andrews University MI

Calvin University MI

Gustavus Adolphus College MN

Hamline University MN

Saint Catherine University MN

The College of St. Scholastica MN

Millsaps College MS

Carroll College MT

Mars Hill University NC

Meredith College NC

Doane University NE

Hastings College NE

Nebraska Wesleyan University NE

Le Moyne College NY

Mount Saint Mary College NY

Capital University OH

Muskingum University OH

Otterbein University OH

University of Mount Union OH

Ursuline College OH

Wittenberg University OH

Oklahoma City University OK

Oral Roberts University OK

Cedar Crest College PA

Elizabethtown College PA

King's College - Pennsylvania PA

Lebanon Valley College PA

Lycoming College PA

Saint Vincent College PA

Westminster College PA

Augustana University SD

Christian Brothers University TN

Cumberland University TN

Maryville College TN

Trevecca Nazarene University TN

Hardin-Simmons University TX

Schreiner University TX

St. Mary's University TX

Bridgewater College VA

Eastern Mennonite University VA

Emory and Henry University VA

Hollins University VA

University of Lynchburg VA

Norwich University VT

Beloit College WI

Carroll University WI

Carthage College WI

Milwaukee School of Engineering WI

Mount Mary University WI

Ripon College WI

Saint Norbert College WI

West Virginia Wesleyan College WV