Cost
These private nonprofit colleges have the lowest average net price in our dataset. 180 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 Wilberforce University (Ohio).
Across all 180 qualifying colleges the net price runs from $5,567 (Wilberforce University) to $53,517 (Beacon College), with a median of $28,618. For comparison, the median across the 347 colleges in the full dataset that report it is $19,857.
| # | College | State | Net price | In-state tuition | Graduation rate | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wilberforce University | OH | $5,567 | $16,448 | 12.0% | 40.5% |
| 2 | College of the Ozarks | MO | $6,100 | $22,320 | 63.7% | 12.0% |
| 3 | Berea College | KY | $6,106 | $51,658 | 58.2% | 19.3% |
| 4 | Princeton University | NJ | $6,128 | $62,688 | 97.6% | 4.6% |
| 5 | Brescia University | KY | $8,709 | $31,550 | 53.7% | 35.2% |
| 6 | Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla | PR | $8,742 | $5,742 | 42.9% | 41.8% |
| 7 | Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Ponce | PR | $9,026 | $5,780 | 41.4% | 33.7% |
| 8 | Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German | PR | $9,148 | $5,780 | 43.2% | 42.5% |
| 9 | Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo | PR | $9,217 | $5,780 | 38.9% | 38.2% |
| 10 | Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Fajardo | PR | $9,230 | $5,780 | 37.7% | 26.5% |
| 11 | Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon | PR | $9,284 | $5,780 | 34.9% | 39.6% |
| 12 | Hallmark University | TX | $12,513 | — | 66.3% | 51.3% |
| 13 | Paul Quinn College | TX | $12,709 | $13,498 | 26.9% | 40.3% |
| 14 | The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | NY | $13,269 | $46,820 | 81.1% | 20.7% |
| 15 | Rice University | TX | $13,370 | $64,144 | 94.6% | 8.0% |
| 16 | Stanford University | CA | $13,807 | $65,910 | 91.9% | 3.6% |
| 17 | Bowdoin College | ME | $14,398 | $67,832 | 95.3% | 7.1% |
| 18 | University of Chicago | IL | $14,860 | $70,662 | 95.9% | 4.5% |
| 19 | Brigham Young University | UT | $15,564 | $6,688 | 81.0% | 67.8% |
| 20 | Belhaven University | MS | $15,676 | $30,250 | 48.5% | 49.8% |
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 180 qualifying colleges, 0 are public and 180 are private nonprofit. Within the table, Puerto Rico appears 6 times, Texas appears 3 times, Kentucky appears 2 times. The median in-state tuition among the 19 listed colleges that report it is $22,320, against $18,045 for the whole dataset. The median graduation rate among the 20 listed colleges that report it is 56.0%, against 73.1% for the whole dataset. 10 of the 20 listed colleges report an SAT range, and the midpoints of those ranges have a median near 1450.
Private colleges often have a high sticker price and large discounts, so net price can be far lower than tuition. This list ranks private nonprofits by what aided students actually paid on average.
Each column in the table means the following.
Many private colleges give larger awards to students with higher test scores or grades, and those awards are not visible in one average figure.
To see how your own score compares, read what a 1450 SAT or a 32 ACT means for a college list, then check college costs by state for price context.
Wilberforce University is first on this list, with net price of $5,567. It leads 180 qualifying colleges in the dataset, so check what the number measures before treating it as a recommendation.
180 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; AcadYr 2022-23; Fall 2016 or AcadYr 2016-17 entry cohort, as applicable; Fall 2022. Full definitions are on the methodology page, and the numbers are available as an open download.
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