US university data

What it costs, whether students repay, and who gets in

Three federal datasets on 863 US universities: published tuition and the net price each income band actually pays, the share of borrowers paying their loans down, and the SAT/ACT scores of admitted students. No estimates — where the Department of Education publishes nothing, we say so.

Median in-state tuition$18,240before aid
Median cost of attendance$35,717tuition + living
Paying loans down66%3 years after leaving
Median SAT1196599 universities publish it
RankedCheapest tuitionLowest published in-state price.
RankedMost expensiveHighest total cost of attendance.
RankedBest loan repaymentWhere borrowers actually pay it down.
RankedFewest students borrowStrong aid, low price, or both.
RankedHighest SAT scoresThe most academically selective intakes.
RankedHighest acceptance ratesWhere applicants are most likely to be admitted.

Cheapest in-state tuition

UniversityIn-statePaying downSATAcceptance
Haskell Indian Nations University $600 — — 90%
United States Merchant Marine Academy $895 — 1207 34%
Irvine Valley College $1,156 41% — —
Shasta College $1,197 34% — —
University of the People $1,400 — — —
Sierra College $1,446 32% — —
Vance-Granville Community College $1,944 29% — —
Pensacola State College $2,361 50% — —

Best loan repayment

UniversityIn-statePaying downSATAcceptance
Vassar College $71,030 93% 1494 19%
University of Notre Dame $65,025 93% 1520 11%
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology $58,649 93% 1427 77%
Whitman College $64,050 93% 1410 38%
Carleton College $68,892 92% 1517 20%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology $62,396 92% 1560 5%
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute $64,081 92% 1456 63%
Worcester Polytechnic Institute $60,965 92% — 60%

Highest average SAT

UniversityIn-statePaying downSATAcceptance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology $62,396 92% 1560 5%
University of Chicago $70,662 87% 1554 4%
Rice University $64,144 87% 1553 8%
Princeton University $62,688 86% 1553 5%
University of Pennsylvania $68,686 84% 1553 5%
Johns Hopkins University $65,230 82% 1553 6%
Harvard University $61,676 71% 1553 4%
Stanford University $65,910 90% 1553 4%

Common questions

How much does university cost in the US?
The median university charges $18,240 in-state and $31,374 out-of-state, with a full cost of attendance around $35,717. After aid, the median net price for families under $30,000 is $12,713.
Do US students repay their student loans?
At the median university, 66% of borrowers have a smaller balance three years after leaving. 40% of students take federal loans and 29% receive Pell grants.
What SAT score is average?
Across universities that publish scores, the median average SAT is 1196 and the median ACT midpoint is 25.
Debt vs graduate salary Which degree pays best Scholarships Student loans

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard. Information only, not financial advice.