# Most Affordable Colleges for Education

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 50 | Category: Value
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/most-affordable-education

## Methodology

Ranked by affordability with program concentration in Education

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

Finding an affordable college for education can feel overwhelming, especially with the rising costs of tuition. The schools in this list are focused on providing a quality education while keeping costs manageable. For families considering their options, understanding the financial landscape is essential, and these institutions stand out for their affordability and outcomes.

What sets these schools apart is their ability to balance educational quality with financial practicality. Metrics such as earnings, graduation rates, and debt levels are crucial for assessing the value of an education degree. The schools listed below have demonstrated success in these areas, making them worthy of consideration for future educators looking to minimize debt while maximizing their earning potential.

Take CUNY Brooklyn College and the University of Florida-Online, for example. Brooklyn College has a net price of just $3,103, but its graduation rate of 55% and earnings of $60,752 show a solid return on investment. In contrast, the University of Florida-Online has a higher graduation rate of 81% and earnings of $71,588, but the net price is $4,815. Both schools offer distinct advantages, but understanding these trade-offs is key to making the best choice for your education and financial future.

## Key Findings

- CUNY Brooklyn College has a net price of $3,103 with earnings of $60,752.
- The University of Florida-Online boasts an 81% graduation rate, the highest in the top five.
- CUNY Queens College has a debt level of $10,298, which is lower than the national average for education degrees.
- Texas A & M International University graduates only 48% of its students, which is a critical factor to consider.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [CUNY Brooklyn College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-brooklyn-college) | Brooklyn, NY | 55% | $60,752 | $3,103 | $11,000 | 0.18x |
| 2 | [CUNY Queens College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-queens-college) | Queens, NY | 56% | $62,763 | $4,195 | $10,298 | 0.16x |
| 3 | [CUNY York College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-york-college) | Jamaica, NY | 31% | $56,945 | $4,456 | $11,000 | 0.19x |
| 4 | [CUNY City College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-city-college) | New York, NY | 56% | $66,039 | $3,776 | $11,990 | 0.18x |
| 5 | [University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-science-and-arts-of-oklahoma) | Chickasha, OK | 41% | $41,913 | $6,624 | $21,750 | 0.52x |
| 6 | [University of Florida-Online](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-florida-online) | Gainesville, FL | 81% | $71,588 | $4,815 | $15,000 | 0.21x |
| 7 | [CUNY Medgar Evers College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-medgar-evers-college) | Brooklyn, NY | 21% | $46,498 | $5,718 | $10,988 | 0.24x |
| 8 | [Texas A & M International University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/texas-a-m-international-university) | Laredo, TX | 48% | $48,386 | $3,637 | $15,000 | 0.31x |
| 9 | [Berea College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/berea-college) | Berea, KY | 60% | $43,150 | $6,106 | $3,591 | 0.08x |
| 10 | [Indiana University-Kokomo](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/indiana-university-kokomo) | Kokomo, IN | 45% | $49,917 | $3,968 | $16,961 | 0.34x |
| 11 | [Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/abraham-baldwin-agricultural-college) | Tifton, GA | 33% | $34,996 | $6,842 | $16,750 | 0.48x |
| 12 | [Elizabeth City State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/elizabeth-city-state-university) | Elizabeth City, NC | 46% | $40,026 | $6,364 | $21,463 | 0.54x |
| 13 | [Southeastern Oklahoma State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southeastern-oklahoma-state-university) | Durant, OK | 32% | $45,079 | $8,039 | $17,000 | 0.38x |
| 14 | [Florida International University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-international-university) | Miami, FL | 74% | $60,249 | $9,288 | $16,500 | 0.27x |
| 15 | [Marshall University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/marshall-university) | Huntington, WV | 50% | $46,354 | $7,502 | $23,250 | 0.5x |
| 16 | [Dalton State College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/dalton-state-college) | Dalton, GA | 28% | $40,251 | $5,012 | $12,937 | 0.32x |
| 17 | [Valley City State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/valley-city-state-university) | Valley City, ND | 51% | $52,725 | $11,890 | $20,369 | 0.39x |
| 18 | [Oakland University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/oakland-university) | Rochester Hills, MI | 57% | $58,612 | $9,120 | $22,750 | 0.39x |
| 19 | [Northern Kentucky University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northern-kentucky-university) | Highland Heights, KY | 50% | $50,220 | $8,191 | $23,000 | 0.46x |
| 20 | [Ferris State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ferris-state-university) | Big Rapids, MI | 47% | $54,735 | $8,624 | $21,000 | 0.38x |
| 21 | [California State University-Los Angeles](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-los-angeles) | Los Angeles, CA | 53% | $59,211 | $3,967 | $13,000 | 0.22x |
| 22 | [Murray State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/murray-state-university) | Murray, KY | 60% | $44,737 | $9,096 | $20,500 | 0.46x |
| 23 | [University of Central Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-central-florida) | Orlando, FL | 77% | $58,308 | $10,411 | $18,190 | 0.31x |
| 24 | [Rhode Island College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/rhode-island-college) | Providence, RI | 47% | $56,318 | $9,478 | $20,500 | 0.36x |
| 25 | [University of West Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-west-florida) | Pensacola, FL | 60% | $49,137 | $9,364 | $16,624 | 0.34x |
| 26 | [University of North Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-florida) | Jacksonville, FL | 69% | $56,343 | $10,154 | $15,531 | 0.28x |
| 27 | [College of Staten Island CUNY](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/college-of-staten-island-cuny) | Staten Island, NY | 33% | $53,501 | $5,579 | $14,350 | 0.27x |
| 28 | [Mayville State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/mayville-state-university) | Mayville, ND | 40% | $47,828 | $11,456 | $18,585 | 0.39x |
| 29 | [Concord University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/concord-university) | Athens, WV | 41% | $42,703 | $9,966 | $18,900 | 0.44x |
| 30 | [The University of Texas at El Paso](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-el-paso) | El Paso, TX | 48% | $50,923 | $9,403 | $18,000 | 0.35x |
| 31 | [University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-puerto-rico-aguadilla) | Aguadilla, PR | 47% | $27,997 | $7,765 | $5,500 | 0.2x |
| 32 | [Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/eastern-new-mexico-university-main-campus) | Portales, NM | 42% | $38,550 | $4,904 | $16,500 | 0.43x |
| 33 | [Northwestern Oklahoma State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northwestern-oklahoma-state-university) | Alva, OK | 33% | $44,358 | $10,104 | $17,355 | 0.39x |
| 34 | [California State University-Fullerton](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-fullerton) | Fullerton, CA | 70% | $62,951 | $6,555 | $13,750 | 0.22x |
| 35 | [University of North Georgia](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-georgia) | Dahlonega, GA | 37% | $50,135 | $9,823 | $17,750 | 0.35x |
| 36 | [California State University-Bakersfield](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-bakersfield) | Bakersfield, CA | 50% | $59,009 | $5,652 | $16,600 | 0.28x |
| 37 | [University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-puerto-rico-bayamon) | Bayamon, PR | 34% | $34,409 | $8,484 | $5,500 | 0.16x |
| 38 | [Austin Peay State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/austin-peay-state-university) | Clarksville, TN | 42% | $44,301 | $9,735 | $20,547 | 0.46x |
| 39 | [SUNY Buffalo State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/suny-buffalo-state-university) | Buffalo, NY | 35% | $52,334 | $11,346 | $21,028 | 0.4x |
| 40 | [Saginaw Valley State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/saginaw-valley-state-university) | University Center, MI | 51% | $51,955 | $10,775 | $25,000 | 0.48x |
| 41 | [The University of Texas at San Antonio](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-san-antonio) | San Antonio, TX | 52% | $57,131 | $10,836 | $20,500 | 0.36x |
| 42 | [East Texas A&M University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/east-texas-am-university) | Commerce, TX | 44% | $50,296 | $11,841 | $20,500 | 0.41x |
| 43 | [Georgia Southwestern State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/georgia-southwestern-state-university) | Americus, GA | 36% | $48,757 | $12,019 | $18,851 | 0.39x |
| 44 | [Universidad Central de Bayamon](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/universidad-central-de-bayamon) | Bayamón, PR | 37% | $25,021 | $4,827 | $9,393 | 0.38x |
| 45 | [East Central University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/east-central-university) | Ada, OK | 34% | $44,962 | $8,683 | $17,671 | 0.39x |
| 46 | [Minot State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/minot-state-university) | Minot, ND | 46% | $51,759 | $12,703 | $19,609 | 0.38x |
| 47 | [University of Minnesota-Morris](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-minnesota-morris) | Morris, MN | 62% | $50,919 | $8,837 | $18,995 | 0.37x |
| 48 | [Purdue University Northwest](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/purdue-university-northwest) | Hammond, IN | 43% | $48,318 | $6,079 | $21,229 | 0.44x |
| 49 | [Valdosta State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/valdosta-state-university) | Valdosta, GA | 42% | $49,361 | $10,945 | $24,779 | 0.5x |
| 50 | [University of North Carolina at Greensboro](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro) | Greensboro, NC | 57% | $48,160 | $10,965 | $22,858 | 0.47x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Most Affordable Colleges for Education." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/most-affordable-education

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.