Peter's "100 Best Value Small Private Colleges"

Peter’s “100 Best Value Small Private Colleges”

Hello from The Small College Guy.

I just finished updating my “small private college” database. In doing so, I found these 100 colleges that cost most families (even very high-income families), on average, less than the $40Ks (without having to take out loans). In fact, almost half of them cost most families, on average, less than the $30Ks, and ten colleges even fall in the mid-$20Ks.

These are quality institutions with bright futures. The average Forbes score for financial strength is A-, and the average Niche score for overall quality is a strong B.

Despite an average sticker price for these colleges of $61K, the average overall cost for all families (after federal, state, and institutional gift assistance, without taking out loans) is $24K. For very wealthy families (even $500K or more), the average cost is about $33K, and for low-income families, the cost tends to hover in the teens.

Admission to most of these colleges is accessible to a wide range of students (from C+ to A+), and most are test-optional. The average acceptance rate is 73%. The average merit scholarship (usually awarded with the letter of acceptance) is $24K.

The ten least expensive, after merit, for higher-income families are:

Westminster College PA

John Brown University AR

Freed-Hardeman University TN

Illinois College IL

North Park University IL

Monmouth College IL

Cottey College MO

Goldey-Beacom College DE

Trinity Washington University DC

University of the Cumberlands KY

All numbers are based on averages, so some pay more and some pay less. The below list is not a ranking of any kind. It is listed alphabetically by state and, within each state, alphabetically by the name of the college.

Enjoy!

Hendrix College AR

John Brown University AR

Biola University CA

La Sierra University CA

SOKA University of America CA

University of Saint Joseph CT

Trinity Washington University DC

Goldey-Beacom College DE

Florida Southern College FL

Stetson University FL

Agnes Scott College GA

Berry College GA

Covenant College GA

Dordt University IA

Drake University IA

Luther College IA

Northwestern College IA

St. Ambrose University IA

Augustana College IL

Blackburn College IL

Elmhurst University IL

Illinois College IL

Illinois Wesleyan University IL

Knox College IL

Monmouth College IL

North Park University IL

Principia College IL

Wheaton College IL

DePauw University IN

Earlham College IN

Franklin College IN

Goshen College IN

Hanover College IN

Indiana Wesleyan Univ-Marion IN

Saint Mary's College IN

Taylor University IN

Trine University IN

Wabash College IN

Friends University KS

Centre College KY

Transylvania University KY

University of the Cumberlands KY

Bay Path University MA

Gordon College MA

Stonehill College MA

Wheaton College MA

Goucher College MD

Hood College MD

McDaniel College MD

Washington College MD

Calvin University MI

Hillsdale College MI

Hope College MI

Kalamazoo College MI

College of St. Benedict MN

Concordia College--Moorhead MN

Gustavus Adolphus College MN

Saint Catherine University MN

St. John's University MN

Cottey College MO

Millsaps College MS

Carroll College MT

Doane University NE

Alfred University NY

Le Moyne College NY

St. John Fisher ny

College of Wooster OH

John Carroll University OH

Ohio Wesleyan University OH

Otterbein University OH

University of Mount Union OH

Oklahoma Baptist University OK

University of Tulsa OK

Linfield University OR

Allegheny College PA

Grove City College PA

King's College - Pennsylvania PA

Lycoming College PA

Misericordia University PA

Muhlenberg College PA

Saint Vincent College PA

Susquehanna University PA

Thomas Jefferson University PA

Washington & Jefferson College PA

Westminster College PA

York College of Pennsylvania PA

Salve Regina University RI

Freed-Hardeman University TN

Johnson University TN

Rhodes College TN

Abilene Christian University TX

St. Mary's University TX

Hollins University VA

Randolph-Macon College VA

University of Lynchburg VA

Norwich University VT

Seattle Pacific University WA

Whitworth University WA

Concordia University-Wisconsin WI

Lawrence University WI

Saint Norbert College WI

West Virginia Wesleyan College WV