Ranked

916 uS universities where fewest students need loans

Share of students taking federal loans, lowest first — strong aid, low price, or both.

#UniversityIn-stateCost of attendance BorrowPaying downSATAcceptance
601 Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, Ohio $66,608 $85,851 47% 85% 1513 37%
602 Fordham University Bronx, New York $64,915 $82,762 47% 77% 1418 59%
603 Goshen College Goshen, Indiana $38,890 $48,449 47% 82% 950 84%
604 Ohio University Athens, Ohio $14,158 $30,586 48% 52% 1212 85%
605 The College of New Jersey Ewing, New Jersey $19,632 $38,860 48% 84% 1246 62%
606 Saint Edward's University Austin, Texas $51,384 $66,719 48% 63% 1138 81%
607 Gettysburg College Gettysburg, Pennsylvania $66,640 $81,960 48% 90% 1379 39%
608 University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, Mississippi $9,998 $26,566 48% 55% 1190 99%
609 Azusa Pacific University Azusa, California $44,458 $56,313 48% 64% 1195 88%
610 Catholic University of America Washington, District of Columbia $58,378 $75,481 48% 76% 83%
611 Bowling Green State University Bowling Green, Ohio $14,460 $33,007 48% 53% 1117 81%
612 University of Wisconsin - Stout Menomonie, Wisconsin $10,701 $22,797 48% 75% 1150 88%
613 William Jewell College Liberty, Missouri $20,610 $35,785 48% 77% 1095 38%
614 Spelman College Atlanta, Georgia $31,556 $50,952 48% 42% 1220 25%
615 Eastern Connecticut State University Willimantic, Connecticut $13,928 $31,983 48% 70% 1160 83%
616 Minnesota State University Moorhead Moorhead, Minnesota $10,428 $25,197 48% 66% 1090 59%
617 University of the Incarnate Word San Antonio, Texas $37,090 $48,681 49% 47% 98%
618 Lawrence University Appleton, Wisconsin $56,982 $69,849 49% 79% 1350 64%
619 Western Connecticut State University Danbury, Connecticut $13,401 $24,877 49% 64% 1110 87%
620 Winona State University Winona, Minnesota $10,576 $23,683 49% 75% 75%
621 Georgian Court University Lakewood, New Jersey $37,260 $50,671 49% 58% 79%
622 Centre College Danville, Kentucky $52,820 $67,787 49% 80% 1352 54%
623 Lander University Greenwood, South Carolina $11,700 $27,277 49% 46% 1057 81%
624 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Stevens Point, Wisconsin $9,488 $20,079 49% 74% 1150 92%
625 Seattle Pacific University Seattle, Washington $40,407 $56,826 49% 79% 83%
626 Lindenwood University Saint Charles, Missouri $21,600 $35,436 49% 52% 1190 57%
627 Central Connecticut State University New Britain, Connecticut $13,050 $24,870 49% 61% 1080 73%
628 Walsh College Troy, Michigan 49% 67%
629 Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania $65,920 $83,250 49% 79% 1396 29%
630 Drexel University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania $62,412 $76,835 49% 77% 1345 79%
631 Mississippi Valley State University Itta Bena, Mississippi $7,692 $21,154 49% 36% 870 92%
632 Seattle University Seattle, Washington $56,721 $72,124 49% 78% 1307 77%
633 William Woods University Fulton, Missouri $30,340 $49,094 49% 68% 71%
634 University of Delaware Newark, Delaware $16,810 $30,952 50% 80% 1292 71%
635 Chadron State College Chadron, Nebraska $8,290 $21,132 50% 61%
636 California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks, California $52,560 $68,426 50% 71% 1266 76%
637 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Tallahassee, Florida $5,785 $23,970 50% 34% 1107 21%
638 Austin College Sherman, Texas $48,680 $61,607 50% 73% 1212 48%
639 Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan $15,140 $28,367 50% 64% 1074 83%
640 Tiffin University Tiffin, Ohio $34,790 $48,004 50% 23% 986 80%

Questions

Least debt burden in the US: which university leads?
Case Western Reserve University — 47% of students taking federal loans.
Where does this data come from?
The US Department of Education College Scorecard, which publishes what institutions charge, what students borrow and repay, and the test scores of admitted students. Nothing here is estimated — universities without a published figure are left out of the ranking.
Is the cheapest university the best value?
Not necessarily. Price is one half of value; the other is what graduates earn and whether they clear the debt. Each university page links to its earnings and repayment record.

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard. Universities without a published figure for the ranked measure are not listed.