# Private colleges that cost less than state schools after aid

> Private nonprofit colleges whose average price after grants is lower than the typical public college in the same state, ranked by how much lower. U.S. College Scorecard, latest data.

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

## Key findings

1. 28 four-year colleges in 17 states meet every criterion on this page.
2. Princeton University (New Jersey) ranks first, with a net price $8,567 below its state's public-college median.
3. The median qualifying college has a net price $2,274 below its state's public-college median.


## The ranking

| College | State and type | Rank | Avg. net price | State public median | Below state publics | Grad. rate |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Princeton University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/princeton-university-2154) | New Jersey · Private nonprofit | 1 | $7,815 | $16,382 | $8,567 | 97% |
| [Saint Peter's University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/saint-peter-s-university-2321) | New Jersey · Private nonprofit | 2 | $8,127 | $16,382 | $8,255 | 55% |
| [Yale University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/yale-university-3312) | Connecticut · Private nonprofit | 3 | $11,340 | $18,628 | $7,288 | 96% |
| [Heritage University-Washington](https://www.collegesref.com/college/heritage-university-washington-1186) | Washington · Private nonprofit | 4 | $10,747 | $17,833 | $7,086 | 57% |
| [Berea College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/berea-college-221) | Kentucky · Private nonprofit | 5 | $5,836 | $12,160 | $6,324 | 66% |
| [Holy Family University-Pennsylvania](https://www.collegesref.com/college/holy-family-university-pennsylvania-1219) | Pennsylvania · Private nonprofit | 6 | $12,882 | $18,328 | $5,446 | 67% |
| [Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary](https://www.collegesref.com/college/southeastern-baptist-theological-seminary-2475) | North Carolina · Private nonprofit | 7 | $8,500 | $13,025 | $4,525 | 50% |
| [California Institute of Technology CalTech](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-institute-of-technology-caltech-356) | California · Private nonprofit | 8 | $8,509 | $11,583 | $3,074 | 90% |
| [Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studies](https://www.collegesref.com/college/drury-university-college-of-continuing-professional-studies-836) | Missouri · Private nonprofit | 9 | $12,743 | $15,554 | $2,811 | 51% |
| [Bob Jones University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/bob-jones-university-276) | South Carolina · Private nonprofit | 10 | $14,632 | $17,345 | $2,713 | 71% |
| [Rice University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/rice-university-2227) | Texas · Private nonprofit | 11 | $11,164 | $13,638 | $2,474 | 95% |
| [Saint Xavier University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/saint-xavier-university-2323) | Illinois · Private nonprofit | 12 | $10,171 | $12,636 | $2,465 | 55% |
| [College of the Ozarks](https://www.collegesref.com/college/college-of-the-ozarks-629) | Missouri · Private nonprofit | 13 | $13,114 | $15,554 | $2,440 | 63% |
| [Western Governors University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/western-governors-university-433387) | Utah · Private nonprofit | 14 | $12,748 | $15,101 | $2,353 | 50% |
| [Washington University in St Louis WUSTL](https://www.collegesref.com/college/washington-university-in-st-louis-wustl-3172) | Missouri · Private nonprofit | 15 | $13,360 | $15,554 | $2,194 | 93% |
| [Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT](https://www.collegesref.com/college/massachusetts-institute-of-technology-mit-1615) | Massachusetts · Private nonprofit | 16 | $14,815 | $16,923 | $2,108 | 96% |
| [Williams College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/williams-college-3281) | Massachusetts · Private nonprofit | 17 | $15,157 | $16,923 | $1,766 | 95% |
| [Brigham Young University-Provo BYU Utah](https://www.collegesref.com/college/brigham-young-university-provo-byu-utah-302) | Utah · Private nonprofit | 18 | $13,397 | $15,101 | $1,704 | 81% |
| [Southern Wesleyan University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/southern-wesleyan-university-2513) | South Carolina · Private nonprofit | 19 | $16,041 | $17,345 | $1,304 | 52% |
| [Caldwell University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/caldwell-university-345) | New Jersey · Private nonprofit | 20 | $15,180 | $16,382 | $1,202 | 57% |
| [Concordia University-Saint Paul](https://www.collegesref.com/college/concordia-university-saint-paul-697) | Minnesota · Private nonprofit | 21 | $16,222 | $17,330 | $1,108 | 50% |
| [Malone University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/malone-university-1576) | Ohio · Private nonprofit | 22 | $12,621 | $13,715 | $1,094 | 56% |
| [Southwestern Adventist University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/southwestern-adventist-university-2527) | Texas · Private nonprofit | 23 | $12,685 | $13,638 | $953 | 50% |
| [Swarthmore College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/swarthmore-college-2664) | Pennsylvania · Private nonprofit | 24 | $17,392 | $18,328 | $936 | 92% |
| [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 | 25 | $12,999 | $13,854 | $855 | 82% |
| [William Carey University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/william-carey-university-3271) | Mississippi · Private nonprofit | 26 | $13,507 | $14,272 | $765 | 57% |
| [College of Our Lady of the Elms](https://www.collegesref.com/college/college-of-our-lady-of-the-elms-614) | Massachusetts · Private nonprofit | 27 | $16,237 | $16,923 | $686 | 63% |
| [Hallmark University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/hallmark-university-1140) | Texas · Private nonprofit | 28 | $13,495 | $13,638 | $143 | 65% |

## 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 private nonprofit four-year colleges that graduate at least 50% of students and whose average net price is below the median average net price of the four-year public colleges in their state, then ranks them by net price below the state's public-college median. 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 private nonprofit four-year colleges that graduate at least 50% of students and whose average net price is below the median average net price of the four-year public colleges in their state, and ranks them by net price below the state's public-college median, highest first. 28 colleges qualify; the top 28 are shown and the CSV holds the same rows.

### Which college ranks first?

Princeton University (New Jersey, private nonprofit), with net price below the state's public-college median of $8,567. The median qualifying college reports $2,274.

### 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, "Private colleges that cost less than state schools after aid," analysis of the latest U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data, updated November 15, 2026. https://www.collegesref.com/data/private-colleges-cheaper-than-state-schools

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Source: CollegesRef, https://www.collegesref.com/data/private-colleges-cheaper-than-state-schools.