20 Colleges That Give You the Most Bang For Your Buck
Thinking about college? Think about these stats:
- Tuition price in America has seen a staggering 1,000% increase over the last 30 years.
- A college budget for an in-state public college for the 2012–2013 academic year averaged $22,261. A moderate budget at a private college averaged $43,289.
- American student debt has reached $1 trillion.
- Unemployment for recent grads has seen all-time highs, at 15% last month.
Phew.
College, now more than ever, is an investment, and it's time you started thinking about your college education as the most important investment of your life.. If you want to avoid being buried by a mountain of debt upon graduation, look no further than this 2013 Best Bang for the Buck college ranking, which compiles the country's most financially convenient colleges according to criteria that includes the following:
- Percentage of students with a household income of $50,000, or less, who receive Pell Grants;
- Graduation rate (percentage of students who successfully finish their degrees, increasing the chances of getting employment);
- Default rate (percentage of students who have defaulted on their student debt loans);
- Net price (the average tuition that first-time, full-time students pay after subtracting the need-based financial aid);
Here are the best choices:
1. Amherst College
Location: Massachusetts
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 23%
Graduation rate: 96%
Default rate: 1%
Net price: $843.
2. CUNY Queens College
Location: Kew Gardens Hills, Queens in New York City
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 45%
Graduation rate: 53%
Default rate: 5%
Net price: $2,757.
3. CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College
Location: Flatiron District of Manhattan, New York City
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 51%
Graduation rate: 63%
Default rate: 3%
Net Price: $3,429
4. CA State University-Fullerton
Location: Fullerton, California
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 38%
Graduation rate: 50%
Default rate: 6%
Net Price: $3,489
5. University of Florida
Location: Gainesville, Florida
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 29%
Graduation rate: 84%
Default rate: 3%
Net Price: $4,132
6. CA State University-Long Beach
Location: Long Beach, California
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 47%
Graduation rate: 54%
Default rate: 5%
Net Price: $5,699
7. University of Georgia
Location: Athens, Georgia
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 22%
Graduation rate: 82%
Default rate: 3%
Net Price: $6,335
8. University of NC-Chapel Hill
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 20%
Graduation rate: 89%
Default rate: 1%
Net Price: $6,949
9. Appalachian State University
Location: Boone, North Carolina
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 23%
Graduation rate: 65%
Default rate: 3%
Net Price: $7,077
10. NC State University-Raleigh
Location: Raleight, North Carolina
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 25%
Graduation rate: 72%
Default rate: 3%
Net Price: $7,345
11. Texas A&M University-College Station
Location: College Station, Texas
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 23%
Graduation rate: 81%
Default rate: 5%
Net Price: $7,383
12. Brigham Young University-Idaho
Location: Rexburg, Idaho
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 28%
Graduation rate: 52%
Default rate: 2%
Net Price: $7,480
13. University of NC-Wilmington
Location: Wilmington, North Carolina
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 22%
Graduation rate: 67%
Default rate: 5%
Net Price: $7,790
14. San Diego State University
Location: San Diego, California
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 29%
Graduation rate: 66%
Default rate: 4%
Net Price: $8,066
15. Arizona State University
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 35%
Graduation rate: 57%
Default rate: 6%
Net Price: $8,088
16. Williams College
Location: Williamstown, Massachusetts
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 21%
Graduation rate: 95%
Default rate: 1%
Net Price: $8,093
17. Indiana University-Bloomington
Location: Bloomington, Indiana
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 21%
Graduation rate: 72%
Default rate: 3%
Net Price: $8,129
18. Rutgers University-Camden
Location: Camden, New Jersey
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 37%
Graduation rate: 61%
Default rate: N/A
Net Price: $8,202
19. University of Washington-Seattle
Location: Seattle, Washington
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 24%
Graduation rate: 80%
Default rate: 3%
Net Price: $8,334
20. Florida State University
Location: Tallahassee, Florida
Percentage of students who receive Pell Grants: 28%
Graduation rate: 74%
Default rate: 5%
Net Price: $8,447
