University Headquarters (HQ) is an industry-leading, independent educational organization that provides independent college rankings using a proprietary formula to create first class unbiased rankings. The team at University HQ strives to provide accurate and trustworthy rankings that highlights the best & cheapest college programs.
Finding an affordable college education is a priority for many students and families. While the cost of higher education can seem overwhelming, there are numerous colleges and universities in the United States that offer quality education at low tuition rates. These institutions provide an excellent academic experience without the hefty price tag, making them an attractive option for students looking to minimize debt while earning a degree. Below is a list of some of the top low-tuition colleges in the U.S., known for their strong academic programs, value, and commitment to accessible education.
What are the Lowest Cost Colleges in the U.S.?
We researched U.S. colleges to find those with the most affordable tuition rates and overall net prices. While the main focus was on low tuition, we also considered factors that make each school unique and beneficial for students. The survey excluded community colleges and four-year colleges without multiple bachelor’s degree programs.
We observed key trends, such as many states upgrading community colleges to four-year institutions within State University and College Systems. These expansions often provide enhanced resources and educational standards, ensuring quality education.
Tuition costs and post-graduate student debt are pressing issues in American education. This review offers students insights into affordable, high-quality education options, both on-campus and online. Our findings are based on In-State Tuition for undergraduate degrees, helping students find the most cost-effective universities and colleges in the U.S.
Top 25 Lowest Cost Tuition College and University Programs
Pensacola State College
Score: 100
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $2,348
- Out-of-State:$9,407
- Net Price: $3,436
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 69%
- Graduation Rate: 42%
- Total Enrollment: 8,518
- Undergrad Students: 8,518
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $55,000
- Student-to-faculty: 23:1
Valencia College
Score: 98.9
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $2,474
- Out-of-State:$9,383
- Net Price: $9,657
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: N/A
- Graduation Rate: 44%
- Total Enrollment: 42,524
- Undergrad Students: 42,524
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $59,000
- Student-to-faculty: 23:1
Eastern Florida State College
Score: 98.71
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $2,496
- Out-of-State:$9,739
- Net Price: $5,698
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 68%
- Graduation Rate: 51%
- Total Enrollment: 13,601
- Undergrad Students: 13,601
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $36,300
- Student-to-faculty: 20:1
Santa Fe College
Score: 98.13
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $2,563
- Out-of-State:$9,189
- Net Price: $11,790
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: N/A
- Graduation Rate: 52%
- Total Enrollment: 12,698
- Undergrad Students: 12,698
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
St. Petersburg College
Score: 97.09
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $2,682
- Out-of-State:$9,286
- Net Price: $300
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 74%
- Graduation Rate: 37%
- Total Enrollment: 23,350
- Undergrad Students: 23,350
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $63,000
- Student-to-faculty: 25:1
College of Central Florida
Score: 96.85
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $2,710
- Out-of-State:$10,517
- Net Price: $11,173
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 68%
- Graduation Rate: 44%
- Total Enrollment: 5,747
- Undergrad Students: 5,747
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $55,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
East Georgia State College
Score: 96.62
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $2,736
- Out-of-State:$9,088
- Net Price: $9,314
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 50%
- Graduation Rate: 14%
- Total Enrollment: 1,756
- Undergrad Students: 1,756
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $35,800
- Student-to-faculty: 22:1
Broward College
Score: 95.81
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $2,830
- Out-of-State:$8,952
- Net Price: $18,934
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 69%
- Graduation Rate: 36%
- Total Enrollment: 29,140
- Undergrad Students: 29,140
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $61,000
- Student-to-faculty: 30:1
Saint Johns River State College
Score: 95.81
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $2,830
- Out-of-State:$10,352
- Net Price: $7,262
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 66%
- Graduation Rate: 46%
- Total Enrollment: 7,066
- Undergrad Students: 7,066
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $65,000
- Student-to-faculty: 20:1
Miami Dade College
Score: 95.74
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $2,838
- Out-of-State:$9,661
- Net Price: $5,367
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 68%
- Graduation Rate: 45%
- Total Enrollment: 39,139
- Undergrad Students: 39,139
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $61,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
Florida State College at Jacksonville
Score: 95.39
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $2,878
- Out-of-State:$9,992
- Net Price: $2,789
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 55%
- Graduation Rate: 32%
- Total Enrollment: 20,530
- Undergrad Students: 20,530
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $59,000
- Student-to-faculty: 24:1
Georgia Highlands College
Score: 94.81
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $2,944
- Out-of-State:$9,296
- Net Price: $6,779
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 67%
- Graduation Rate: 21%
- Total Enrollment: 4,955
- Undergrad Students: 4,955
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $52,000
- Student-to-faculty: 20:1
South Georgia State College
Score: 94.59
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $2,970
- Out-of-State:$9,322
- Net Price: $9,222
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 60%
- Graduation Rate: 20%
- Total Enrollment: 1,853
- Undergrad Students: 1,853
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $66,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
Palm Beach State College
Score: 93.89
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $3,050
- Out-of-State:$10,910
- Net Price: $10,320
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: N/A
- Graduation Rate: 41%
- Total Enrollment: 24,369
- Undergrad Students: 24,369
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $59,000
- Student-to-faculty: 29:1
State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota
Score: 93.68
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $3,074
- Out-of-State:$11,595
- Net Price: $22,151
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 79%
- Graduation Rate: 35%
- Total Enrollment: 8,411
- Undergrad Students: 8,411
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $58,000
- Student-to-faculty: 23:1
Atlanta Metropolitan State College
Score: 93.41
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $3,105
- Out-of-State:$9,731
- Net Price: $4,902
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 37%
- Graduation Rate: 14%
- Total Enrollment: 1,551
- Undergrad Students: 1,551
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $59,000
- Student-to-faculty: 22:1
Daytona State College
Score: 93.4
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $3,106
- Out-of-State:$11,994
- Net Price: $6,119
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 51%
- Graduation Rate: 41%
- Total Enrollment: 11,807
- Undergrad Students: 11,807
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $59,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
Chipola College
Score: 93.28
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $3,120
- Out-of-State:$8,950
- Net Price: $2,887
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 62%
- Graduation Rate: 61%
- Total Enrollment: 1,820
- Undergrad Students: 1,820
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $61,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
Pasco-Hernando State College
Score: 92.98
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $3,155
- Out-of-State:$12,032
- Net Price: $5,419
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 69%
- Graduation Rate: 43%
- Total Enrollment: 9,449
- Undergrad Students: 9,449
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $37,000
- Student-to-faculty: 22:1
South Florida State College
Score: 92.89
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $3,165
- Out-of-State:$11,859
- Net Price: $4,499
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 93%
- Graduation Rate: 51%
- Total Enrollment: 2,976
- Undergrad Students: 2,976
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $31,900
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
Seminole State College of Florida
Score: 92.35
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $3,227
- Out-of-State:$11,447
- Net Price: $2,889
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 66%
- Graduation Rate: 42%
- Total Enrollment: 14,104
- Undergrad Students: 14,104
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $62,000
- Student-to-faculty: 26:1
Northwest Florida State College
Score: 92.19
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $3,246
- Out-of-State:$11,625
- Net Price: $6,339
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 60%
- Graduation Rate: 43%
- Total Enrollment: 5,160
- Undergrad Students: 5,160
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $64,000
- Student-to-faculty: 22:1
Dalton State College
Score: 91.86
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $3,283
- Out-of-State:$10,189
- Net Price: $5,083
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 60%
- Graduation Rate: 30%
- Total Enrollment: 4,902
- Undergrad Students: 4,902
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $57,000
- Student-to-faculty: 20:1
University of Hawaii Maui College
Score: 91.86
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $3,284
- Out-of-State:$8,420
- Net Price: $9,479
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 50%
- Graduation Rate: 27%
- Total Enrollment: 2,647
- Undergrad Students: 2,647
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $64,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
Polk State College
Score: 91.14
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $3,366
- Out-of-State:$12,272
- Net Price: $9,832
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 67%
- Graduation Rate: 34%
- Total Enrollment: 7,963
- Undergrad Students: 7,963
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $61,000
- Student-to-faculty: 20:1
