These Colleges Deliver The Most Value
MONEY.com has released its annual list of Best Value Colleges, where 705 of the nation's top four-year schools are ranked according to education quality, affordability and the post-graduation success of its students. Here's a look at five schools that made the cut:
11. Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Cambridge, Mass. Estimated price for 2016-17 without aid: $63,500 Estimated price for 2016-17 with average aid: $26,300 Average student debt: $13,645 Early career earnings: $74,800 MIT is one of the best known and most respected science colleges in the world. Its competitive selection process and grueling course load produces results, though — recent graduates boast one of the highest average salaries in MONEY’s rankings, according to PayScale data.
10. Stanford University - Stanford, Calif. Estimated price for 2016-17 without aid: $65,300 Estimated price for 2016-17 with average aid: $22,000 Average student debt: $12,224 Early career earnings: $68,800 Stanford isn’t one of the eight members of the elite Ivy League, but the university would fit right in. It’s the hardest school in the country to get into and has generous financial aid policies much like Princeton and Harvard. But here’s a key difference: Recent Stanford graduates report average annual salaries that are $8,000 higher than those of Ivy League grads.
9. University of Virginia - Charlottesville, Va. Estimated price for 2016-17 without aid: $28,100 Estimated price for 2016-17 with average aid: $12,000 Average student debt: $19,500 Early career earnings: $55,400 UVA boasts the highest graduation rate of any public university in the country, at 93%. The university’s academic strengths are wide-ranging, and the campus is the only U.S. college to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to its connection to founder Thomas Jefferson.
8. Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art - New York City Estimated price for 2016-17 without aid: $62,800 Estimated price for 2016-17 with average aid: $22,200 Average student debt: $17,570 Early career earnings: $63,200 Cooper Union is unique — a small, urban school that offers degrees only in art, architecture and engineering. Though Cooper Union no longer has the free tuition policy it was founded with, it’s still much more affordable than other elite private colleges.
7. Amherst College - Amherst, Mass. Estimated price for 2016-17 without aid: $66,600 Estimated price for 2016-17 with aid: $18,000 Average student debt: $11,186 Early career earnings: $53,400 An elite liberal arts college, Amherst is one of a small group of schools that will meet 100% of the demonstrated financial need of students. As a result, more than two-thirds of its students graduate without taking out loans. For the full list, including the top five value colleges, check out MONEY’s College Planner: http://new.time.com/money/best-colleges/rankings/best-colleges/.