Below are our rankings of America’s Best Bang for the Buck Colleges—our exclusive list of schools ranked according to how well they help non-wealthy students attain marketable degrees at affordable prices. The list is created by isolating the social mobility metrics from the main rankings of four-year institutions. Click here for detailed methodology, here for all of our other rankings, and here to download the full data set.

Rank	Name	8-year graduation rate	Pell/non-Pell grad rate gap	Number of Pell graduates	Actual vs. predicted Pell enrollment	Median earnings 9 yrs. after entering college	Earnings performance rank	Net price of attendance for families <$75,000 income	Net price rank
1	Stanford University (CA)	97%	-4%	254	4%	106969	3	131	1
2	CA State University–Los Angeles (CA)*	68%	-2%	2959	17%	49310	59	2896	3
3	CA State Univ.–Dominguez Hills (CA)*	66%	-3%	1703	14%	47982	49	3402	5
4	CA State University–Stanislaus (CA)*	71%	-3%	1036	18%	52408	25	4999	6
5	CA State U.–Maritime Academy (CA)*	69%	0%	66	-1%	84873	2	14212	97
6	CA State University–Northridge (CA)*	70%	-7%	4041	10%	49449	62	6998	17
7	Brigham Young University–ID (ID)	64%	-7%	1132	6%	43847	112	3925	2
8	CA State University–Sacramento (CA)*	69%	-6%	3066	8%	54997	65	7957	21
9	CA State Univ.–San Bernardino (CA)*	71%	-4%	2090	14%	49708	27	5078	11
10	University of WA–Tacoma (WA)*	75%	-5%	583	5%	65544	17	6161	10
11	Brigham Young University (UT)	84%	-10%	1066	20%	61864	7	10562	58
12	Claremont McKenna College (CA)	93%	0%	38	4%	89566	4	9518	20
13	CA State University–Fresno (CA)*	69%	-8%	2321	13%	50337	24	5080	12
14	CA State University–Bakersfield (CA)*	59%	-6%	962	15%	48488	29	5911	7
15	CA State University–Long Beach (CA)*	81%	-3%	3694	8%	54096	130	7086	22
16	California State Univ.–Fullerton (CA)*	78%	-5%	3502	3%	53044	109	4623	8
17	CA State University–Chico (CA)*	74%	-12%	1541	4%	55077	30	12095	67
18	California Institute of Tech. (CA)	93%	-3%	28	0%	119183	5	4732	9
19	CA State Poly. Univ.–Pomona (CA)*	78%	-6%	2274	12%	59870	158	10478	42
20	Fresno Pacific University (CA)	67%	-6%	385	20%	49931	22	14319	101
21	Harvey Mudd College (CA)	93%	-4%	26	4%	123761	1	19250	143
22	CA Poly. St. U.–San Luis Obispo (CA)*	85%	-6%	907	-4%	77661	18	13300	89
23	CA State Univ.–Monterey Bay (CA)*	71%	0%	722	6%	48945	116	7388	18
24	CA State Univ.–Channel Islands (CA)*	70%	-5%	672	12%	51117	56	12025	66
25	Evergreen State College (WA)*	63%	-3%	470	12%	37070	20	17132	117
26	Sonoma State University (CA)*	70%	-4%	632	-8%	56381	26	9760	36
27	CA State University–San Marcos (CA)*	67%	-4%	1137	3%	52828	80	10248	40
28	University of California–Davis (CA)*	89%	-5%	2961	5%	66092	101	11129	69
29	Univ. of California–Merced (CA)*	71%	-2%	747	20%	54649	85	10503	56
30	San Francisco State University (CA)*	67%	-4%	2571	0%	57754	44	11269	71
31	San Jose State University (CA)*	75%	-5%	2455	0%	65888	168	12471	77
32	Arizona State University (AZ)*	68%	-10%	4167	10%	52547	72	10596	59
33	CA State University–East Bay (CA)*	68%	-8%	1487	6%	59248	33	10329	54
34	University of CA–San Diego (CA)*	89%	-4%	2276	11%	70214	138	10663	62
35	Heritage University (WA)	55%	-10%	126	17%	42233	45	6585	16
36	University of CA–Berkeley (CA)*	94%	-6%	2404	7%	77204	121	10632	60
37	University of California–Irvine (CA)*	87%	-3%	2905	12%	66252	181	8165	30
38	Oregon Institute of Technology (OR)*	53%	-10%	220	-5%	64593	16	12202	63
39	University of California–LA (CA)*	93%	-5%	2894	2%	68444	144	9468	47
40	University of WA–Seattle (WA)*	84%	-6%	1824	-3%	65544	115	6407	19
41	Cal Poly Humboldt (CA)*	64%	-7%	878	12%	40066	137	11366	53
42	University of CA–Riverside (CA)*	80%	-2%	2419	16%	55174	191	9665	50
43	University of Southern CA (CA)	93%	-2%	1185	4%	77715	74	16219	114
44	Saint Martin's University (WA)	67%	-3%	121	0%	54206	41	17189	120
45	University of WA–Bothell (WA)*	77%	-7%	443	23%	65544	184	6570	15
46	Mount St. Mary's Univ.–LA (CA)	68%	7%	302	10%	64400	13	30677	189
47	Soka University of America (CA)	89%	-9%	23	-2%	44187	36	10821	33
48	University of Utah (UT)*	71%	-13%	1315	3%	56162	35	8469	32
49	Warner Pacific University (OR)	50%	7%	64	11%	47921	31	18146	128
50	Utah State University (UT)*	55%	-4%	943	7%	44332	37	10456	55
51	Washington State University (WA)*	64%	-12%	1741	-7%	57844	15	8400	31
52	University of CA–Santa Barbara (CA)*	86%	-5%	2054	6%	61866	141	11473	76
53	Santa Clara University (CA)	92%	2%	171	-6%	90472	10	26060	174
54	Central Washington University (WA)*	64%	-10%	837	-6%	52189	46	13065	82
55	San Diego State University (CA)*	80%	-5%	2680	-8%	54767	164	7134	23
56	Western Washington Univ. (WA)*	73%	-11%	879	1%	52116	113	10538	45
57	Alaska Pacific University (AK)	46%	7%	15	1%	43093	14	19784	141
58	Portland State University (OR)*	53%	-5%	1717	7%	48504	57	13208	98
59	Simpson University (CA)	69%	9%	151	-1%	45642	135	21686	164
60	University of Redlands (CA)	73%	-4%	264	2%	61723	52	18977	131
61	Pomona College (CA)	95%	2%	77	9%	56872	198	5660	4
62	Saint Mary’s College of CA (CA)	77%	1%	180	-6%	65939	43	22282	157
63	Colorado School of Mines (CO)*	83%	-6%	167	0%	85997	28	18757	136
64	University of Hawaii–Hilo (HI)*	43%	-2%	301	-3%	41887	38	11703	79
65	New Mexico Highlands Univ. (NM)*	45%	0%	247	-2%	37364	95	10519	43
66	Eastern Oregon University (OR)*	40%	-7%	271	-3%	42769	19	12568	78
67	Eastern Washington University (WA)*	59%	-10%	845	-12%	49150	81	8909	27
68	California Lutheran University (CA)	73%	-1%	203	5%	57171	99	19602	137
69	ArtCenter College of Design (CA)	74%	10%	136	14%	65093	11	42521	199
70	Brigham Young Univ.–Hawaii (HI)	67%	-1%	108	-13%	40931	84	12763	74
71	Utah Valley University (UT)*	41%	-10%	752	-5%	46510	48	8441	24
72	Grand Canyon University (AZ)	44%	-11%	4338	6%	35393	87	19159	139
73	University of Arizona (AZ)*	64%	-12%	2013	6%	51172	79	12112	83
74	Pacific Lutheran University (WA)	70%	-10%	203	24%	55915	100	17158	119
75	Whitworth University (WA)	77%	-13%	137	8%	49023	78	18546	129
76	University of the Pacific (CA)	75%	-2%	326	12%	68251	103	18332	132
77	Montana State Univ.–Northern (MT)*	42%	-7%	74	-8%	43303	55	11189	48
78	Thomas Aquinas College (CA)	82%	-6%	29	5%	42696	50	19812	148
79	University of Oregon (OR)*	74%	-11%	1098	4%	51423	76	14926	107
80	NM Inst. of Mining and Tech (NM)*	56%	-15%	77	12%	62961	51	8614	25
81	Western Governors University (UT)	54%	-26%	4735	16%	51418	139	10194	39
82	Woodbury University (CA)	63%	-5%	124	12%	53257	34	26759	177
83	Linfield University (OR)	73%	-4%	116	-4%	64794	23	23513	172
84	Idaho State University (ID)*	56%	-11%	2110	-9%	39238	70	16119	113
85	Univ. of Advancing Technology (AZ)	38%	-1%	54	14%	45632	88	16920	115
86	Naropa University (CO)	52%	12%	41	16%	25960	187	22114	155
87	Colorado State University (CO)*	71%	-12%	1186	-6%	51790	82	12715	92
88	Embry-Riddle Aero.–Prescott (AZ)	66%	-5%	94	3%	72813	6	33612	197
89	Westminster University (UT)	64%	-8%	135	9%	55515	39	20286	142
90	Northern Arizona University (AZ)*	60%	-12%	1912	-1%	45521	75	12351	88
91	University of Hawaii–West Oahu (HI)*	49%	-3%	219	-11%	46267	188	9547	26
92	University of Colorado–Denver (CO)*	50%	1%	639	-9%	53789	73	11096	68
93	Warner Pacific Univ. Adult Prog. (OR)	62%	-47%	76	2%	47921	12	14477	100
94	Occidental College (CA)	86%	0%	107	3%	60567	160	16149	108
95	University of CA–Santa Cruz (CA)*	79%	-1%	1775	5%	56473	199	12951	95
96	Pitzer College (CA)	85%	7%	40	-6%	57485	185	13023	75
97	Pepperdine University (CA)	85%	3%	200	-4%	69162	61	30979	190
98	Gonzaga University (WA)	86%	-6%	200	-8%	67545	64	22637	160
99	Southern Utah University (UT)*	52%	-12%	298	1%	41835	106	10326	41
100	Western Oregon University (OR)*	51%	-6%	391	7%	44198	96	15521	105
101	University of NV–Las Vegas (NV)*	53%	-6%	1404	1%	47945	123	10871	64
102	University of San Diego (CA)	81%	-2%	233	-6%	71658	83	20411	147
103	Whittier College (CA)	68%	0%	132	11%	49927	147	19353	145
104	Pacific Union College (CA)	56%	-8%	95	-3%	57463	54	18875	134
105	Carroll College (MT)	66%	-8%	56	-5%	49709	90	17835	125
106	Fort Lewis College (CO)*	46%	-9%	214	3%	39494	163	12657	70
107	Southern Oregon University (OR)*	52%	-11%	341	-6%	41295	117	10530	44
108	Humphreys–Stockton/Modesto (CA)	47%	-11%	49	15%	33584	149	10806	51
109	Azusa Pacific University (CA)	71%	-9%	574	0%	56517	66	22873	162
110	CO Technical Univ. (CO)°	21%	-5%	1214	21%	32522	86	16907	122
111	University of Idaho (ID)*	60%	-11%	596	-6%	45706	77	10995	65
112	Prescott College (AZ)	55%	-9%	48	22%	33648	161	16687	111
113	University of San Francisco (CA)	76%	1%	398	4%	75694	40	32744	192
114	Weber State University (UT)*	42%	-9%	555	-11%	46690	98	9770	37
115	University of Portland (OR)	83%	-7%	213	-1%	70839	58	28968	186
116	University of La Verne (CA)	62%	-5%	588	4%	54828	63	25225	170
117	St. John's College (NM)	65%	6%	22	5%	35393	69	23226	169
118	Northwest University (WA)	56%	-6%	121	0%	48661	68	17951	123
119	Oregon State University (OR)*	66%	-13%	1347	-1%	54153	119	15660	109
120	John Paul the Great Catholic U. (CA)	58%	-13%	13	2%	47769	9	26170	181
121	University of Wyoming (WY)*	61%	-15%	417	0%	48809	91	7820	29
122	California Baptist University (CA)	61%	-10%	634	0%	51422	97	21701	152
123	University of Phoenix–Phoenix (AZ)°	26%	1%	7261	-6%	32490	175	12949	94
124	Scripps College (CA)	89%	0%	23	-1%	61742	126	19117	140
125	Colorado College (CO)	87%	2%	56	-8%	48346	194	11699	49
126	Willamette University (OR)	73%	-5%	94	7%	54775	60	25192	184
127	University of Colorado–Boulder (CO)*	70%	-9%	897	-6%	58302	124	14686	106
128	Corban University (OR)	60%	-5%	56	-9%	40821	143	18138	126
129	Vanguard Univ. of So. California (CA)	65%	-5%	167	2%	47211	177	17979	124
130	Lewis-Clark State College (ID)*	46%	-27%	193	-14%	39661	127	10335	34
131	Whitman College (WA)	89%	-4%	38	3%	52550	152	20643	156
132	DigiPen Institute of Tech. (WA)°	52%	-9%	37	5%	72929	8	33597	196
133	Chaminade Univ. of Honolulu (HI)	49%	-9%	130	1%	44653	53	27271	179
134	Utah Tech University (UT)*	41%	-8%	219	-6%	37160	171	13162	80
135	Bushnell University (OR)	55%	-12%	61	-9%	42258	71	19633	138
136	University of Alaska–Fairbanks (AK)*	35%	-14%	102	-16%	40765	47	7793	28
137	Amer. InterCont. Univ.–Online (IL)°	18%	-4%	782	21%	31220	176	13616	90
138	CO State University–Pueblo (CO)*	41%	-10%	263	-6%	47338	108	11543	57
139	Univ. of Montana–Western (MT)*	46%	-18%	67	-14%	36343	107	11166	46
140	Metropolitan State U. Denver (CO)*	37%	-5%	982	-10%	44748	148	13243	86
141	Seattle University (WA)	77%	-2%	263	-3%	65855	125	27227	182
142	Point Loma Nazarene University (CA)	76%	-6%	161	3%	54530	153	27987	183
143	Montana Technological Univ. (MT)*	59%	-13%	73	0%	46524	155	13628	91
144	College of Idaho (ID)	67%	-14%	87	-4%	41392	169	18884	135
145	University of Nevada–Reno (NV)*	61%	-12%	850	-4%	51735	129	12982	96
146	University of Puget Sound (WA)	77%	-8%	84	3%	56032	89	23750	173
147	George Fox University (OR)	72%	-11%	201	-3%	52491	110	23451	165
148	Montana State Univ.–Billings (MT)*	35%	-7%	137	-10%	38639	92	12832	81
149	Northwest Nazarene University (ID)	62%	-12%	94	-1%	43564	120	21433	151
150	Colorado Mesa University (CO)*	39%	-10%	310	-9%	39782	154	13519	85
151	University of NM–Main (NM)*	54%	-12%	854	3%	37493	173	14272	103
152	Touro College Los Angeles (CA)	50%	-16%	17	6%	38367	162	17154	118
153	Lewis & Clark College (OR)	75%	0%	89	6%	46518	170	22186	166
154	University of Providence (MT)	56%	-5%	77	-9%	39771	131	22318	158
155	Eastern NM University–Main (NM)*	46%	-7%	277	-20%	33706	186	6375	13
156	William Jessup University (CA)	65%	-13%	121	-2%	48533	102	25861	171
157	University of Denver (CO)	75%	-4%	221	-3%	59360	151	22702	161
158	University of Northern CO (CO)*	56%	-13%	584	-11%	44711	67	13910	102
159	National University (CA)	37%	-8%	922	-18%	58331	32	24637	168
160	University of Hawaii–Manoa (HI)*	64%	-5%	882	-8%	49251	196	10641	61
161	Regis University (CO)	57%	-9%	281	-11%	62256	42	20730	149
162	Adams State University (CO)*	35%	0%	137	-2%	36525	190	11223	52
163	Walla Walla University (WA)	64%	-19%	98	-5%	53121	104	19155	133
164	Loyola Marymount University (CA)	83%	0%	313	-9%	64922	132	31352	191
165	Rocky Mountain College (MT)	51%	-12%	56	-2%	42222	140	16601	110
166	Westmont College (CA)	75%	-6%	67	2%	56047	111	24717	180
167	Hope International University (CA)	44%	-7%	41	3%	41095	165	18873	130
168	La Sierra University (CA)	46%	-3%	465	-1%	51101	145	20941	146
169	University of Alaska Southeast (AK)*	37%	-20%	32	-24%	40771	114	6441	14
170	Univ. of CO–Colorado Springs (CO)*	49%	-9%	540	5%	46473	172	12885	93
171	Seattle Pacific University (WA)	67%	-16%	213	4%	53103	136	20813	150
172	University of Alaska–Anchorage (AK)*	33%	-13%	186	-14%	44065	133	9944	38
173	Boise State University (ID)*	55%	-15%	908	-11%	42726	142	14617	104
174	Pacific University (OR)	69%	-10%	135	-1%	50259	157	26408	176
175	Los Angeles Pacific University (CA)	35%	-6%	92	-5%	N/A	134	20456	144
176	University of Montana (MT)*	45%	-14%	363	3%	38094	146	13230	99
177	Rocky Mt. Coll. of Art & Design (CO)	26%	-8%	72	11%	33362	122	21205	154
178	Reed College (OR)	80%	-6%	55	-2%	47189	192	16353	112
179	Western New Mexico Univ. (NM)*	39%	-8%	112	-10%	31963	189	13113	84
180	University of the Southwest (NM)	34%	-13%	31	-3%	41801	94	17426	121
181	NM State Univ.–Main (NM)*	54%	-11%	628	-4%	33479	193	8600	35
182	Sierra Nevada College (NV)	54%	0%	41	-9%	37370	156	30101	187
183	Hawaii Pacific University (HI)	37%	-6%	163	-12%	49927	93	26689	175
184	University of Silicon Valley (CA)°	44%	-7%	43	7%	47944	179	25964	178
185	Bethesda University (CA)	21%	0%	15	-23%	41209	167	16942	116
186	Concordia University–Irvine (CA)	63%	-8%	127	-10%	54647	150	22356	159
187	Colorado Christian University (CO)	31%	-12%	231	-1%	43247	128	21777	153
188	Western Colorado University (CO)*	53%	-12%	102	-15%	40461	197	13288	87
189	Montana State University (MT)*	56%	-12%	601	-7%	44774	174	17457	127
190	Chapman University (CA)	81%	-7%	298	-4%	59840	182	32900	193
191	Nevada State University (NV)*	31%	-30%	178	-16%	45643	118	12712	72
192	Dominican University of CA (CA)	71%	-9%	99	0%	70759	105	38950	198
193	Newschool of Arch. & Design (CA)^^	61%	-16%	28	-4%	59347	21	44000	201
194	University of Arizona–Global (AZ)*	21%	1%	3573	-12%	31268	178	22974	163
195	San Diego Christian College (CA)^^	44%	5%	86	-12%	40022	180	34382	195
196	Biola University (CA)	70%	-10%	262	-5%	47265	195	24031	167
197	Univ. of Phoenix–Southern CA (CA)°	51%	-2%	1293	-25%	32490	201	12306	73
198	Arizona Christian University (AZ)	45%	-20%	37	-4%	41297	166	27009	185
199	California Institute of the Arts (CA)	66%	-5%	68	1%	36979	183	43911	200
200	DeVry University–Ontario (CA)°	26%	-5%	382	-4%	39744	200	30129	188
201	Academy of Art University (CA)°	29%	-23%	206	2%	34985	159	33265	194

Definitions:

Pell/non-Pell graduation gap: graduation rate for Pell students minus the graduation rate for non-Pell students; a positive number indicates that students who receive Pell grants graduate at a higher rate than those who don’t, and vice versa.

2024 Best Bang for the Buck Rankings: West

Definitions:

Pell/non-Pell graduation gap: graduation rate for Pell students minus the graduation rate for non-Pell students; a positive number indicates that students who receive Pell grants graduate at a higher rate than those who don’t, and vice versa.

* = public
° = for-profit

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Definitions:

Pell/non-Pell graduation gap: graduation rate for Pell students minus the graduation rate for non-Pell students; a positive number indicates that students who receive Pell grants graduate at a higher rate than those who don’t, and vice versa.

* = public ° = for-profit

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* = public
° = for-profit