# Colleges with high graduation rates under $15,000 a year

> Four-year colleges whose average net price is $15,000 a year or less, ranked by the share of students who graduate. U.S. College Scorecard, latest data.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/data/high-graduation-rate-colleges-under-15000
- Data (CSV): https://www.collegesref.com/data/high-graduation-rate-colleges-under-15000.csv
- Source data: latest College Scorecard release
- Snapshot updated: November 15, 2026

## Key findings

1. 386 four-year colleges in 47 states meet every criterion on this page.
2. Princeton University (New Jersey) ranks first, with a graduation rate of 97%.
3. The median qualifying college has a graduation rate of 47%.
4. 326 qualifying colleges are public and 60 private nonprofit.


## The ranking

| College | State and type | Rank | Grad. rate | Avg. net price | Median earnings |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Princeton University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/princeton-university-2154) | New Jersey · Private nonprofit | 1 | 97% | $7,815 | $133,523 |
| [Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT](https://www.collegesref.com/college/massachusetts-institute-of-technology-mit-1615) | Massachusetts · Private nonprofit | 2 | 96% | $14,815 | $152,553 |
| [Yale University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/yale-university-3312) | Connecticut · Private nonprofit | 3 | 96% | $11,340 | $118,356 |
| [Rice University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/rice-university-2227) | Texas · Private nonprofit | 4 | 95% | $11,164 | $90,773 |
| [Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus GA Tech](https://www.collegesref.com/college/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus-ga-tech-1072) | Georgia · Public | 5 | 94% | $12,028 | $114,210 |
| [University of California-Berkeley CAL](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-berkeley-cal-2881) | California · Public | 6 | 94% | $14,538 | $100,212 |
| [University of California-Los Angeles UCLA](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-los-angeles-ucla-2884) | California · Public | 7 | 93% | $14,659 | $88,581 |
| [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-main-campus-2956) | Michigan · Public | 8 | 93% | $14,362 | $92,832 |
| [Washington University in St Louis WUSTL](https://www.collegesref.com/college/washington-university-in-st-louis-wustl-3172) | Missouri · Private nonprofit | 9 | 93% | $13,360 | $91,497 |
| [Stanford University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/stanford-university-2589) | California · Private nonprofit | 10 | 92% | $12,307 | $125,340 |
| [University of Florida](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-florida-2910) | Florida · Public | 11 | 92% | $5,969 | $78,456 |
| [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill-main-campus-2990) | North Carolina · Public | 12 | 91% | $11,305 | $81,094 |
| [California Institute of Technology CalTech](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-institute-of-technology-caltech-356) | California · Private nonprofit | 13 | 90% | $8,509 | $166,642 |
| [University of Georgia](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-georgia-2912) | Georgia · Public | 14 | 89% | $13,636 | $77,246 |
| [University of Maryland-College Park Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-maryland-college-park-main-campus-2949) | Maryland · Public | 15 | 88% | $14,296 | $89,228 |
| [University of California-Irvine UCI](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-irvine-uci-2883) | California · Public | 16 | 87% | $13,866 | $83,432 |
| [Florida State University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/florida-state-university-main-campus-985) | Florida · Public | 17 | 86% | $8,605 | $68,225 |
| [University of California-Davis](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-davis-2882) | California · Public | 18 | 86% | $14,318 | $86,999 |
| [University of California-San Diego UCSD](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-san-diego-ucsd-2887) | California · Public | 19 | 86% | $14,794 | $96,197 |
| [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign-main-campus-2927) | Illinois · Public | 20 | 86% | $13,042 | $87,599 |
| [University of Washington-Seattle Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-washington-seattle-main-campus-3075) | Washington · Public | 21 | 85% | $13,663 | $83,105 |
| [Purdue University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/purdue-university-main-campus-2163) | Indiana · Public | 22 | 84% | $14,851 | $80,082 |
| [University of Florida-Online](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-florida-online-484473) | Florida · Public | 23 | 83% | $4,336 | $78,456 |
| [Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cooper-union-for-the-advancement-of-science-and-art-704) | New York · Private nonprofit | 24 | 82% | $12,999 | $76,895 |
| [Brigham Young University-Provo BYU Utah](https://www.collegesref.com/college/brigham-young-university-provo-byu-utah-302) | Utah · Private nonprofit | 25 | 81% | $13,397 | $80,228 |
| [Florida International University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/florida-international-university-978) | Florida · Public | 26 | 78% | $11,462 | $65,722 |
| [San Diego State University SDSU](https://www.collegesref.com/college/san-diego-state-university-sdsu-2345) | California · Public | 27 | 78% | $13,243 | $73,494 |
| [United States Merchant Marine Academy](https://www.collegesref.com/college/united-states-merchant-marine-academy-2848) | New York · Public | 28 | 78% | $1,516 | $103,283 |
| [University of Central Florida](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-central-florida-2891) | Florida · Public | 29 | 78% | $11,516 | $63,483 |
| [University of South Florida](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-south-florida-3049) | Florida · Public | 30 | 78% | $8,648 | $63,660 |
| [University of California-Riverside](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-riverside-2886) | California · Public | 31 | 75% | $12,672 | $72,974 |
| [Truman State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/truman-state-university-2825) | Missouri · Public | 32 | 74% | $12,317 | $57,751 |
| [University of Detroit Mercy](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-detroit-mercy-2907) | Michigan · Private nonprofit | 33 | 74% | $13,469 | $74,106 |
| [Bob Jones University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/bob-jones-university-276) | South Carolina · Private nonprofit | 34 | 71% | $14,632 | $49,158 |
| [CUNY Bernard M Baruch College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cuny-bernard-m-baruch-college-732) | New York · Public | 35 | 70% | $657 | $83,742 |
| [California State University-Long Beach](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-state-university-long-beach-371) | California · Public | 36 | 70% | $9,426 | $69,554 |
| [Michigan Technological University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/michigan-technological-university-1678) | Michigan · Public | 37 | 70% | $13,446 | $84,681 |
| [University of Mississippi Ole Miss](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-mississippi-ole-miss-2964) | Mississippi · Public | 38 | 70% | $13,752 | $59,112 |
| [University of North Florida](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-north-florida-2997) | Florida · Public | 39 | 69% | $11,689 | $59,626 |
| [University of Tulsa](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-tulsa-3068) | Oklahoma · Private nonprofit | 40 | 69% | $13,511 | $65,590 |
| [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona-362) | California · Public | 41 | 68% | $9,404 | $77,464 |
| [California State University-Fullerton](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-state-university-fullerton-370) | California · Public | 42 | 68% | $5,115 | $69,015 |
| [San Jose State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/san-jose-state-university-2364) | California · Public | 43 | 68% | $14,241 | $83,493 |
| [University of California-Merced](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-merced-2885) | California · Public | 44 | 68% | $11,583 | $69,352 |
| [University of Washington-Bothell Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-washington-bothell-campus-3074) | Washington · Public | 45 | 68% | $13,802 | $83,105 |
| [Arizona State University Campus Immersion](https://www.collegesref.com/college/arizona-state-university-campus-immersion-101) | Arizona · Public | 46 | 67% | $14,694 | $69,111 |
| [Holy Family University-Pennsylvania](https://www.collegesref.com/college/holy-family-university-pennsylvania-1219) | Pennsylvania · Private nonprofit | 47 | 67% | $12,882 | $70,924 |
| [Berea College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/berea-college-221) | Kentucky · Private nonprofit | 48 | 66% | $5,836 | $48,071 |
| [George Mason University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/george-mason-university-1065) | Virginia · Public | 49 | 66% | $14,697 | $79,923 |
| [University of Houston Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-houston-main-campus-2920) | Texas · Public | 50 | 66% | $11,439 | $68,423 |

## 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 with an average net price of $15,000 a year or less, then ranks them by graduation rate. 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 with an average net price of $15,000 a year or less, and ranks them by graduation rate, highest first. 386 colleges qualify; the top 50 are shown and the CSV holds the same rows.

### Which college ranks first?

Princeton University (New Jersey, private nonprofit), with graduation rate of 97%. The median qualifying college reports 47%.

### 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, "Colleges with high graduation rates under $15,000 a year," analysis of the latest U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data, updated November 15, 2026. https://www.collegesref.com/data/high-graduation-rate-colleges-under-15000

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Source: CollegesRef, https://www.collegesref.com/data/high-graduation-rate-colleges-under-15000.