The WSJ/College Pulse Best Value ranking lists schools in order of how quickly the difference between their graduates’ salaries and those of comparable high-school graduates pays back the average net ...

Read on for the top 50 value colleges in the U.S., which shows that schools of all kinds have figured out how to make higher education valuable for students, even in today's economy.

For many students and families, college is one of the largest investments of time and money so, naturally, they ask which schools offer the best value. As college tuition and fees continue to soar, ...

Rising tuition has families questioning the value of college. See which Illinois universities offer top returns.

Stacker referenced a 2026 Niche list of Best Value Colleges in America to report the best value college in every state.

The publication looked at 17 different factors including graduation rate, full-time faculty, student-faculty ratio, standardized tests, peer assessment, and more. U.S. News also created specialized ...

U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 national rankings of top colleges and universities again this year give high marks to UMass ...

U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Colleges rankings gives favorable placement to Texas A&M University-San Antonio, along with two local private institutions that have been highly rated in the ...

AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom. Read our AI Policy. Duke University ranks No. 7 nationally, highest among North Carolina colleges. UNC-Chapel Hill climbs to No. 26 overall and holds No.

Story updated by Isabel Sepulveda and Madison Troyer.

As of the second quarter of 2025, student loan debt in the U.S. hit $1.814 trillion. According to the Education Data Initiative, that averages out to about $42,673 per borrower. For many, that level ...