Value
These colleges keep at least 85 percent of first-year students and have an average net price under $20,000. 76 of the 354 colleges in our dataset qualify for this list, and colleges with a missing value for the fields used here are left out rather than guessed. The table below shows the top 20, led by Trine University-Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses (Indiana).
Across all 76 qualifying colleges the retention runs from 85.0% (Texas Tech University) to 100.0% (Trine University-Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses), with a median of 92.4%. For comparison, the median across the 354 colleges in the full dataset that report it is 87.1%.
| # | College | State | Retention | Net price | Graduation rate | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trine University-Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses | IN | 100.0% | $15,788 | 0.0% | 39.9% |
| 2 | University of Chicago | IL | 99.3% | $14,860 | 95.9% | 4.5% |
| 3 | Princeton University | NJ | 98.4% | $6,128 | 97.6% | 4.6% |
| 4 | Harvard University | MA | 98.3% | $19,066 | 97.6% | 3.6% |
| 5 | Stanford University | CA | 98.2% | $13,807 | 91.9% | 3.6% |
| 6 | Georgia Institute of Technology | GA | 98.1% | $12,116 | 94.0% | 14.1% |
| 7 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | 98.1% | $18,809 | 93.8% | 6.4% |
| 8 | University of Florida | FL | 97.7% | $6,541 | 91.1% | 24.2% |
| 9 | Pomona College | CA | 97.5% | $19,285 | 93.2% | 7.1% |
| 10 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | 97.5% | $13,138 | 93.2% | 15.6% |
| 11 | California Institute of Technology | CA | 97.4% | $16,075 | 94.4% | 2.6% |
| 12 | Rice University | TX | 97.4% | $13,370 | 94.6% | 8.0% |
| 13 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | 97.3% | $12,548 | 92.6% | 9.0% |
| 14 | Williams College | MA | 96.9% | $17,716 | 93.6% | 8.2% |
| 15 | Bowdoin College | ME | 96.8% | $14,398 | 95.3% | 7.1% |
| 16 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | 96.8% | $13,481 | 92.8% | 11.0% |
| 17 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | 96.7% | $19,857 | 88.9% | 26.6% |
| 18 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | NC | 96.6% | $11,655 | 91.2% | 15.3% |
| 19 | Vanderbilt University | TN | 96.3% | $15,846 | 93.5% | 5.9% |
| 20 | University of Maryland-College Park | MD | 96.2% | $15,678 | 88.6% | 44.8% |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution, May 2026 release (file published 2026-05-26). Data fetched 2026-10-14. Open any row for the full college profile.
Of the 76 qualifying colleges, 56 are public and 20 are private nonprofit. Within the table, California appears 5 times, Massachusetts appears 2 times, Maryland appears 2 times. The median net price among the 20 listed colleges that report it is $14,629, against $19,857 for the whole dataset. The median graduation rate among the 20 listed colleges that report it is 93.3%, against 73.1% for the whole dataset. 16 of the 20 listed colleges report an SAT range, and the midpoints of those ranges have a median near 1530.
The list filters on two Scorecard measures at once, so it highlights colleges where students tend to stay and the average cost after aid is modest.
Each column in the table means the following.
The cutoffs are ours. Net price averages students who received aid, so your own price will differ.
To see how your own score compares, read what a 1530 SAT or a 34 ACT means for a college list, then check college costs by state for price context.
Trine University-Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses is first on this list, with retention of 100.0%. It leads 76 qualifying colleges in the dataset, so check what the number measures before treating it as a recommendation.
76 of the 354 colleges in our dataset qualify, and the table shows the top 20. Colleges with a missing value are excluded.
No. The list sorts on one number. It does not measure teaching, fit, program strength or what you would pay, so use it to find colleges to look at and then check each profile and the college's own website.
Colleges are drawn from the 354-college dataset built from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (May 2026 release (file published 2026-05-26); fetched 2026-10-14). Selection: Four-year public and private nonprofit colleges with at least 500 undergraduates: every college admitting 55% or fewer applicants, plus the 150 largest by undergraduate enrollment. Colleges that do not report test ranges are included with ranges shown as not reported. Reporting periods for the fields on this page: AcadYr 2021-22; Fall 2016 or AcadYr 2016-17 entry cohort, as applicable; Fall 2021 bachelor's-seeking cohort; Fall 2022. Full definitions are on the methodology page, and the numbers are available as an open download.
FunSAT is a free browser-based SAT and ACT prep app: digital SAT and ACT practice tests, unofficial score calculators, a built-in graphing calculator, college admissions chances from official U.S. Department of Education data, and a scholarship search. Start free practice →