# Hidden gem colleges: easy admission, high earnings, lower price

> Four-year colleges that admit most applicants and whose former students earn over $75,000 ten years after entry, cheapest average net price first. U.S. College Scorecard, latest data.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/data/hidden-gem-colleges
- Data (CSV): https://www.collegesref.com/data/hidden-gem-colleges.csv
- Source data: latest College Scorecard release
- Snapshot updated: November 15, 2026

## Key findings

1. 99 four-year colleges in 30 states meet every criterion on this page.
2. University of Florida-Online (Florida) ranks first, with an average net price of $4,336.
3. The median qualifying college has an average net price of $27,308.
4. 26 qualifying colleges are public and 73 private nonprofit.


## The ranking

| College | State and type | Rank | Avg. net price | Admit rate | Median earnings | Grad. rate |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [University of Florida-Online](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-florida-online-484473) | Florida · Public | 1 | $4,336 | 61% | $78,456 | 83% |
| [Farmingdale State College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/farmingdale-state-college-941) | New York · Public | 2 | $6,146 | 63% | $75,278 | 49% |
| [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona-362) | California · Public | 3 | $9,404 | 75% | $77,464 | 68% |
| [University of Washington-Tacoma Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-washington-tacoma-campus-3076) | Washington · Public | 4 | $11,900 | 83% | $83,105 | 60% |
| [Brigham Young University-Provo BYU Utah](https://www.collegesref.com/college/brigham-young-university-provo-byu-utah-302) | Utah · Private nonprofit | 5 | $13,397 | 68% | $80,228 | 81% |
| [Michigan Technological University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/michigan-technological-university-1678) | Michigan · Public | 6 | $13,446 | 92% | $84,681 | 70% |
| [University of Washington-Bothell Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-washington-bothell-campus-3074) | Washington · Public | 7 | $13,802 | 91% | $83,105 | 68% |
| [San Jose State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/san-jose-state-university-2364) | California · Public | 8 | $14,241 | 85% | $83,493 | 68% |
| [George Mason University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/george-mason-university-1065) | Virginia · Public | 9 | $14,697 | 87% | $79,923 | 66% |
| [Virginia Military Institute](https://www.collegesref.com/college/virginia-military-institute-3132) | Virginia · Public | 10 | $15,585 | 71% | $85,178 | 72% |
| [Rutgers University-Camden](https://www.collegesref.com/college/rutgers-university-camden-2278) | New Jersey · Public | 11 | $15,732 | 66% | $80,490 | 61% |
| [Missouri University of Science and Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology-1739) | Missouri · Public | 12 | $15,772 | 73% | $85,917 | 67% |
| [Rutgers University-Newark](https://www.collegesref.com/college/rutgers-university-newark-2280) | New Jersey · Public | 13 | $16,013 | 71% | $80,490 | 65% |
| [University of Delaware](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-delaware-2905) | Delaware · Public | 14 | $16,337 | 71% | $83,800 | 78% |
| [University of Massachusetts-Lowell](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-massachusetts-lowell-2953) | Massachusetts · Public | 15 | $17,362 | 83% | $77,989 | 69% |
| [Oregon Institute of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/oregon-institute-of-technology-2034) | Oregon · Public | 16 | $17,499 | 95% | $78,398 | 46% |
| [Colorado State University Global](https://www.collegesref.com/college/colorado-state-university-global-476975) | Colorado · Public | 17 | $17,732 | 98% | $82,047 | 26% |
| [California State University Maritime Academy](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-state-university-maritime-academy-363) | California · Public | 18 | $17,793 | 95% | $105,475 | 58% |
| [Regis University-Colorado](https://www.collegesref.com/college/regis-university-colorado-2206) | Colorado · Private nonprofit | 19 | $18,133 | 86% | $79,971 | 55% |
| [New Jersey Institute of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/new-jersey-institute-of-technology-1848) | New Jersey · Public | 20 | $18,783 | 65% | $90,769 | 72% |
| [South Dakota School of Mines and Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/south-dakota-school-of-mines-and-technology-2444) | South Dakota · Public | 21 | $20,827 | 80% | $78,487 | 52% |
| [Washington & Jefferson College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/washington-jefferson-college-3165) | Pennsylvania · Private nonprofit | 22 | $21,629 | 81% | $75,646 | 66% |
| [University at Buffalo](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-at-buffalo-2857) | New York · Public | 23 | $21,775 | 74% | $75,679 | 73% |
| [Bradley University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/bradley-university-291) | Illinois · Private nonprofit | 24 | $22,469 | 77% | $76,013 | 73% |
| [New York Institute of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/new-york-institute-of-technology-1864) | New York · Private nonprofit | 25 | $22,613 | 81% | $77,833 | 59% |
| [SUNY Maritime College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/suny-maritime-college-2656) | New York · Public | 26 | $22,888 | 72% | $100,966 | 54% |
| [Simmons University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/simmons-university-2419) | Massachusetts · Private nonprofit | 27 | $23,444 | 70% | $79,784 | 77% |
| [James Madison University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/james-madison-university-1324) | Virginia · Public | 28 | $23,550 | 72% | $75,482 | 80% |
| [University of Colorado Boulder Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-colorado-boulder-main-campus-2899) | Colorado · Public | 29 | $23,708 | 78% | $77,574 | 74% |
| [Massachusetts Maritime Academy](https://www.collegesref.com/college/massachusetts-maritime-academy-1616) | Massachusetts · Public | 30 | $23,759 | 95% | $104,098 | 73% |
| [Ohio Northern University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ohio-northern-university-1997) | Ohio · Private nonprofit | 31 | $23,969 | 74% | $82,743 | 71% |
| [University of the Pacific](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-the-pacific-3061) | California · Private nonprofit | 32 | $24,186 | 71% | $88,053 | 73% |
| [St. John's University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/st-john-s-university-new-york-2579) | New York · Private nonprofit | 33 | $24,508 | 83% | $77,281 | 69% |
| [Linfield College-McMinnville Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/linfield-college-mcminnville-campus-1505) | Oregon · Private nonprofit | 34 | $24,882 | 85% | $81,101 | 62% |
| [Manhattan College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/manhattan-college-1583) | New York · Private nonprofit | 35 | $25,074 | 79% | $92,904 | 68% |
| [Muhlenberg College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/muhlenberg-college-1804) | Pennsylvania · Private nonprofit | 36 | $25,253 | 72% | $76,444 | 83% |
| [Thomas Jefferson University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/thomas-jefferson-university-2781) | Pennsylvania · Private nonprofit | 37 | $25,555 | 81% | $78,311 | 71% |
| [Wilkes University-Pennsylvania](https://www.collegesref.com/college/wilkes-university-pennsylvania-3268) | Pennsylvania · Private nonprofit | 38 | $25,799 | 91% | $75,038 | 59% |
| [Widener University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/widener-university-3265) | Pennsylvania · Private nonprofit | 39 | $26,151 | 71% | $76,782 | 67% |
| [Iona College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/iona-college-1302) | New York · Private nonprofit | 40 | $26,250 | 87% | $76,994 | 59% |
| [California Lutheran University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-lutheran-university-359) | California · Private nonprofit | 41 | $26,445 | 76% | $77,620 | 69% |
| [Adelphi University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/adelphi-university-8) | New York · Private nonprofit | 42 | $26,646 | 66% | $80,969 | 71% |
| [Norwich University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/norwich-university-1970) | Vermont · Private nonprofit | 43 | $26,676 | 74% | $78,407 | 61% |
| [Mount Saint Mary College-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/mount-saint-mary-college-new-york-1793) | New York · Private nonprofit | 44 | $26,680 | 89% | $75,320 | 55% |
| [Molloy College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/molloy-college-1749) | New York · Private nonprofit | 45 | $26,735 | 82% | $86,212 | 69% |
| [Saint Johns University-Minnesota](https://www.collegesref.com/college/saint-johns-university-minnesota-2305) | Minnesota · Private nonprofit | 46 | $26,748 | 91% | $79,644 | 71% |
| [The College of New Jersey](https://www.collegesref.com/college/the-college-of-new-jersey-2736) | New Jersey · Public | 47 | $26,752 | 62% | $79,651 | 85% |
| [Western New England University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/western-new-england-university-3234) | Massachusetts · Private nonprofit | 48 | $27,077 | 83% | $81,107 | 64% |
| [Mount Saint Mary's University-California](https://www.collegesref.com/college/mount-saint-mary-s-university-california-1794) | California · Private nonprofit | 49 | $27,235 | 73% | $78,572 | 56% |
| [DePaul University-Illinois](https://www.collegesref.com/college/depaul-university-illinois-795) | Illinois · Private nonprofit | 50 | $27,308 | 76% | $75,602 | 67% |

## Methodology

- **Colleges counted.** Every college published on CollegesRef that is public or private nonprofit, in a four-year Carnegie class (doctoral, master's or baccalaureate), in the 50 states or D.C., with at least 500 undergraduates and both figures reported in the College Scorecard.
- **Criteria.** This list keeps four-year colleges that admit more than 60% of applicants and whose former students' median earnings are above $75,000, then ranks them by average net price. Closed colleges are left out.
- **Exclusions.** For-profit colleges, two-year colleges, special-focus institutions, colleges with fewer undergraduates than the minimum, U.S. territories and colleges missing either figure are left out. Earnings figures without a federal reporting year are excluded.
- **Definitions.** Median earnings are former students' earnings ten years after entry (College Scorecard MD_EARN_WNE_P10). Average net price is cost of attendance minus average grants for aided first-time, full-time students (NPT4). Median debt is federal loan debt at graduation (GRAD_DEBT_MDN). Graduation rate is the IPEDS rate reported in the Scorecard.
- **What it leaves out.** A ranking on federal figures says nothing about teaching, fit or programs. Earnings are before tax and not specific to a major; prices are averages, so your family's price depends on its income and the college's aid.

## Frequently asked questions

### How is this list ranked?

CollegesRef keeps four-year colleges that admit more than 60% of applicants and whose former students' median earnings are above $75,000, and ranks them by average net price, lowest first. 99 colleges qualify; the top 50 are shown and the CSV holds the same rows.

### Which college ranks first?

University of Florida-Online (Florida, public), with average net price of $4,336. The median qualifying college reports $27,308.

### Where does the data come from?

The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (latest data), which reports IPEDS cost and graduation figures and federal earnings and debt records. CollegesRef recomputes the list weekly from the latest snapshot.

## Sources

- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/
- IPEDS (National Center for Education Statistics): https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/
- The federal source data is a U.S. government work in the public domain (https://www.usa.gov/government-copyright).
- CollegesRef methodology: https://www.collegesref.com/methodology

## How to cite

CollegesRef, "Hidden gem colleges: easy admission, high earnings, lower price," analysis of the latest U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data, updated November 15, 2026. https://www.collegesref.com/data/hidden-gem-colleges

---

Source: CollegesRef, https://www.collegesref.com/data/hidden-gem-colleges.