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.

RankName8-year graduation ratePell/non-Pell graduation rate gapNumber of Pell graduatesActual vs. predicted Pell enrollmentMedian earnings 10 years after entering collegeEarnings performance rankNet price of attendance for families below $75,000 incomeNet price rank
1Berea College (KY)67%-17%27941%389461344981
2Wade College (TX)62%100%229%333176818422169
3Texas A&M International Univ. (TX)*53%1%67117%470293132862
4Simmons College of Kentucky (KY)20%48%1-10%N/A5664863
5Univ. of TX–Rio Grande Valley (TX)*56%-6%225722%467974537244
6Univ. of Houston–Downtown (TX)*45%4%11334%5139938999437
7Tougaloo College (MS)43%6%9517%34680251209958
8Univ. of Houston–Clear Lake (TX)*68%-5%4925%54472191029755
9Sam Houston State University (TX)*60%-4%12842%5118821225085
10Grambling State University (LA)*41%5%39224%345055517069149
11Vanderbilt University (TN)93%-3%2355%8214464646216
12Strayer University–Arkansas (AR)°7%48%518%43290121340198
13King University (TN)73%-9%33810%50863421405195
14University of North TX–Dallas (TX)*47%0%2022%N/A26709412
15Mississippi Univ. for Women (MS)*63%1%2846%370971521125453
16Rust College (MS)37%0%1478%28395132935920
17Univ. of Texas–Permian Basin (TX)*51%8%266-10%5248691761615
18Texas A&M–Texarkana (TX)*52%-11%17015%4113223981734
19University of Texas–Arlington (TX)*58%-3%21764%563146613566112
20Northeastern State University (OK)*45%-12%6048%4171484866023
21Parker University (TX)74%0%2424%4528920918791175
22Le Moyne-Owen College (TN)28%-5%8620%2975634894818
23University of the Cumberlands (KY)60%-5%5395%412722113390106
24University of Texas–El Paso (TX)*48%-10%186013%4593627865833
25University of Houston–Victoria (TX)*51%-2%2100%4899360832821
26Midwestern State University (TX)*52%-10%287-5%517025852522
27University of Texas–San Antonio (TX)*51%0%185610%52464119925340
28Texas A&M–College Station (TX)*83%-11%2137-2%687228513941119
29Mississippi Valley State Univ. (MS)*43%0%50710%299131831260575
30Rice University (TX)93%-3%1595%8246919851938
31Wiley College (TX)40%-25%26915%33256201340077
32John Brown University (AR)70%-10%1513%533751118104164
33Texas Woman's University (TX)*57%-13%8911%511537836628
34Criswell College (TX)38%7%710%N/A991347079
35Sul Ross State University (TX)*37%1%2076%44103351130254
36East Central University (OK)*42%-8%2401%4194859921025
37West Texas A&M University (TX)*53%-11%5679%47503781301283
38Baptist Univ. of the Americas (TX)27%4%4-5%322591079269
39University of AR–Pine Bluff (AR)*35%-13%2146%333811091108538
40Jackson State University (MS)*44%-10%63719%355728615564139
41University of Houston (TX)*60%-3%237813%581722121122971
42University of Texas–Tyler (TX)*54%-6%4323%51060101829827
43Christian Brothers University (TN)55%-4%1014%532601111155959
44University of Memphis (TN)*51%-15%116013%44872581225286
45Kentucky State University (KY)*29%-4%128-4%357629766285
46Austin Peay State University (TN)*42%-11%64914%405191101320687
47Texas State Univ.–San Marcos (TX)*61%-11%2169-3%52278811257293
48Stephen F. Austin State Univ. (TX)*52%-12%8290%47103981108048
49Tennessee Wesleyan University (TN)53%-11%937%423331301070031
50Prairie View A&M University (TX)*45%-13%60912%418723313498109
51Johnson University (TN)63%-2%766%3721519516383141
52St. Edward's University (TX)61%0%28910%5482611620082183
53Philander Smith College (AR)35%-20%5318%35560151416596
54Alcorn State University (MS)*40%-15%25626%339688015702132
55Northwestern OK State Univ. (OK)*32%-2%1031%4188841884524
56Texas A&M–Commerce (TX)*54%-10%760-2%46420491157674
57LA State Univ.–Alexandria (LA)*31%4%112-12%3864617466686
58University of Pikeville (KY)55%-14%3896%422954713991122
59Texas Wesleyan University (TX)45%7%1384%501511821073196
60Paul Quinn College (TX)22%-25%1720%3567361072532
61Milligan University (TN)66%1%773%4422720517217152
62Texas Lutheran University (TX)55%-16%98-4%52822816778143
63Lindsey Wilson College (KY)48%-14%28614%3440310014667116
64Texas Tech University (TX)*63%-10%1419-7%59446431261994
65Southeastern OK State Univ. (OK)*39%-17%2660%4315879774717
66University of TN–Martin (TN)*50%-19%4787%41958113961029
67Centre College (KY)83%-7%522%5921213814922125
68Univ. of Arkansas–Fort Smith (AR)*38%-8%334-6%38723216865413
69Bryan College (TN)47%-4%50-9%47344571382999
70LeTourneau University (TX)52%2%181-3%5384211720665188
71University of St. Thomas (TX)61%0%11710%5377319316637154
72OK State University–Main (OK)*63%-18%1100-1%5331390988645
73University of OK–Norman (OK)*65%-14%9461%583603017527166
74Huston-Tillotson University (TX)32%-15%848%38676481379688
75University of Texas–Austin (TX)*82%-9%22341%7027621013949121
76Bacone College (OK)19%4%46-2%368415416586140
77Northwestern State Univ. of LA (LA)*41%-14%480-5%43326461290781
78Tennessee State University (TN)*41%-12%5543%41049721165776
79LA State Univ.–Baton Rouge (LA)*68%-15%926-5%581303913942120
80University of Central Oklahoma (OK)*44%-8%747-1%4572613914719117
81Middle Tennessee State Univ. (TN)*49%-13%13906%457521051080862
82Langston University (OK)*29%-8%18613%333411311181961
83Alice Lloyd College (KY)37%-3%531%384498814489102
84Mid-America Christian Univ. (OK)34%-5%1927%452663218643173
85Southern Univ./A&M College (LA)*39%-5%3895%4003811216250146
86University of Southern MS (MS)*51%-21%96515%413076113192104
87Rhodes College (TN)83%-6%68-3%679178717784171
88LA State Univ.–Shreveport (LA)*35%-9%1421%4376795806019
89Oklahoma Wesleyan University (OK)48%-5%84-4%513331224195212
90Welch College (TN)43%20%18-7%3731617718425170
91University of the Ozarks (AR)52%-16%40-7%398981591184246
92Jarvis Christian College (TX)17%-3%3413%285391271319873
93Lincoln Memorial University (TN)60%-15%1036%4319314113040101
94Tarleton State University (TX)*58%-8%856-8%483186717435163
95Wayland Baptist University (TX)44%-4%242-4%470795322788207
96University of North Texas (TX)*60%-24%2293-2%52640124860330
97Southwestern Adventist Univ. (TX)52%-25%83-3%470092417516156
98University of Kentucky (KY)*64%-17%8932%551747413677114
99Williams Baptist University (AR)43%-6%487%3753612816195134
100St. Mary's University (TX)61%-10%25310%5452417216767145
101University of Tennessee (TN)*71%-15%12047%5464619214189124
102Southern Adventist University (TN)59%7%1283%4862722120505185
103Murray State University (KY)*56%-22%4963%42486167984235
104Bethel University (TN)42%-7%607-9%4245216515306128
105Crowley's Ridge College (AR)37%2%172%287832041426298
106Arkansas Tech University (AR)*47%-20%532-3%394571291090243
107Texas College (TX)18%9%58-7%3169411814784107
108University of Texas–Dallas (TX)*70%-3%108520%624972271242791
109Eastern Kentucky University (KY)*49%-18%8355%41317421241289
110Morehead State University (KY)*48%-19%5271%387481611023039
111Dillard University (LA)46%-19%14414%370266517508167
112Southwestern Assemb. of God U. (TX)44%-4%13812%4085714022680205
113Blue Mountain Christian Univ. (MS)53%-24%49-1%346971601290570
114Sewanee–Univ. of the South (TN)80%-3%72-5%5796713419512187
115Univ. of Science & Arts of Okla. (OK)*40%-15%44-13%383802870587
116University of TN–Southern (TN)*40%-13%926%383109218012161
117Transylvania University (KY)72%-8%585%5218412120106193
118Tusculum College (TN)38%-11%839%4152610414512113
119Houston Baptist University (TX)46%-11%16813%524008917941162
120McMurry University (TX)39%-9%927%461097019033177
121Cameron University (OK)*23%-15%1804%3811373755114
122Lane College (TN)28%-16%16420%3036415613959100
123Southern Univ. at New Orleans (LA)*34%-11%171-1%342841711120251
124University of LA–Monroe (LA)*48%-13%361-4%42906108975942
125Ecclesia College (AR)^^24%-1%12-5%378034016359137
126Southwestern OK State Univ. (OK)*43%-12%219-2%444481551056641
127McNeese State University (LA)*47%-14%301-9%43477142990136
128Southeastern Louisiana Univ. (LA)*42%-15%513-2%426631481153457
129Delta State University (MS)*43%-11%227-8%382441151278778
130University of Mississippi (MS)*64%-18%1043-3%493831531017452
131Univ. of TN–Chattanooga (TN)*50%-10%5935%450481541094565
132Xavier University of Louisiana (LA)49%-21%17315%521785218142165
133Carson-Newman College (TN)52%-14%12811%431969415810144
134Arlington Baptist University (TX)19%16%113%331649621230197
135Henderson State University (AR)*38%-17%2508%39851831334990
136Brescia University (KY)37%-11%57-5%384591031237360
137Howard Payne University (TX)45%-14%72-17%460202219920182
138Union College (KY)36%-13%685%389756316029135
139Tennessee Technological Univ. (TN)*58%-13%6618%4436219713447108
140Louisiana College (LA)38%-15%541%43805441338492
141Lamar University (TX)*39%-17%497-1%45050501089664
142Rogers State University (OK)*24%-10%123-5%411761141318072
143East Tennessee State University (TN)*52%-19%76710%416481491189080
144University of Dallas (TX)68%-14%543%5571419615551129
145Lee University (TN)55%-15%2385%4143719416044136
146Oklahoma Baptist University (OK)53%-15%1180%4397810719083178
147Nicholls State University (LA)*47%-20%2471%434731511139156
148Texas A&M–Kingsville (TX)*49%-11%5594%484481911107966
149Thomas More College (KY)50%-25%57-7%57430317211151
150Spalding University (KY)47%-15%110-1%476161421779199
151Central Baptist College (AR)32%-12%39-1%412168217174147
152OK Panhandle State Univ. (OK)*25%-10%32-9%43324144830711
153Texas Southern University (TX)*32%-11%48914%3572515018427176
154Northern Kentucky University (KY)*48%-18%550-5%45823157535610
155University of Louisville (KY)*54%-16%769-1%5062812514872131
156Hallmark University (TX)44%-7%217%384852261026826
157University of New Orleans (LA)*43%-5%342-3%465832011081363
158Kentucky Wesleyan College (KY)44%-11%577%4355112221809202
159Trinity University (TX)79%-12%75-5%663672061260969
160Southern Nazarene University (OK)49%-23%403%518846917115150
161Arkansas State Univ. (AR)*52%-20%6854%387901731224584
162Art Institute of San Antonio (TX)°22%-4%61-3%37556924379218
163Texas Christian University (TX)81%-4%264-7%6242116927136224
164Millsaps College (MS)67%-6%32-12%5596512620033192
165Hendrix College (AR)70%-13%536%469282231160244
166Randall University (OK)35%-17%13-2%401571714874123
167Cumberland University (TN)60%-17%106-7%477207624661216
168Trevecca Nazarene University (TN)55%-12%1390%4869218913938118
169So. Arkansas Univ.–Main (AR)*41%-17%1947%3993116614399111
170Oral Roberts University (OK)46%-13%1564%4322710219346180
171Loyola University–New Orleans (LA)60%-11%1712%4941417017958172
172Midway University (KY)44%-9%726%4032716321199191
173University of LA–Lafayette (LA)*52%-16%678-4%437151781109067
174Angelo State University (TX)*41%-13%347-12%452991791112949
175Oklahoma City University (OK)69%-12%92-2%4898718220294190
176Asbury University (KY)62%-17%1075%4199018721797200
177Belhaven University (MS)46%-9%2283%4195721116628153
178Hardin-Simmons University (TX)50%-17%931%487383618114174
179Southern Methodist University (TX)80%-7%2321%7459313529358228
180Our Lady of the Lake San Antonio (TX)48%-8%1717%4415017617074158
181East Texas Baptist University (TX)40%-11%88-3%466197520640186
182Texas A&M–Corpus Christi (TX)*45%-7%6004%4826218017104160
183University of Arkansas (AR)*64%-19%906-5%5306017513174103
184Univ. of the Incarnate Word (TX)53%-9%5032%5001318121432201
185Freed-Hardeman University (TN)58%-21%760%4210520714391110
186Southwestern University (TX)72%-8%88-7%5869619020987204
187Southwestern Christian Univ. (OK)28%-12%65-8%3762114317867159
188Art Institute of Houston (TX)16%1%92-3%375566224191217
189North American University (TX)55%-21%35-1%N/A2171218068
190Belmont University (TN)71%-12%217-1%5090716224173215
191South University–Austin (TX)°23%25%13-8%3597419924579219
192Maryville College (TN)57%-18%983%4586115816899157
193Georgetown College (KY)53%-16%59-4%480921061376995
194University of Central Arkansas (AR)*45%-20%5189%4309212014269126
195Austin College (TX)70%-9%770%5854221918302179
196Mississippi State University (MS)*61%-23%10003%4721920214370127
197Univ. of Arkansas—Monticello (AR)*33%-31%1155%34519931114650
198University of AR–Little Rock (AR)*40%-16%477-1%4152514615086133
199Western Kentucky University (KY)*48%-21%7910%401801681202382
200Oklahoma Christian University (OK)55%-15%77-4%4528621316093138
201Bellarmine University (KY)66%-17%127-4%5432913720943194
202Dallas Baptist University (TX)55%-15%122-6%518877124081214
203Campbellsville University (KY)40%-15%165-7%3931613320041181
204Harding University (AR)66%-18%217-11%4889714516663155
205Univ. of Mary Hardin–Baylor (TX)48%-14%2073%498003725807220
206Dallas Christian College (TX)28%-9%20-21%442682926229223
207Baylor University (TX)77%-11%558-10%6171314729243227
208Fisk University (TN)34%-16%5019%421147722415213
209William Carey University (MS)49%-21%259-2%384072001280097
210Louisiana Tech University (LA)*52%-16%293-11%49736203996747
211University of Tulsa (OK)70%-14%101-2%5571022420249189
212Concordia University–Texas (TX)46%-10%122-7%5215416423118209
213Art Institute of Austin (TX)15%-6%85-5%375565127831226
214Miami Int. U. of Art/Design–Art Inst. Dallas (TX)18%-4%63-2%3553712326185222
215Lyon College (AR)52%-8%54-5%4438022514584115
216Kentucky Christian University (KY)26%-12%27-15%3976713620265184
217Lubbock Christian University (TX)56%-23%1212%4558018422919208
218Schreiner University (TX)51%-8%75-4%4436921423805210
219Union University (TN)66%-13%1893%4999121827774225
220Centenary College of Louisiana (LA)56%-10%41-6%4833818622204211
221Ouachita Baptist University (AR)63%-21%71-11%4579918817632168
222University of Holy Cross (LA)38%-37%52-14%480531614119105
223Lipscomb University (TN)64%-15%144-2%4970622222020203
224Abilene Christian University (TX)63%-18%164-7%5031518525956221
225South College (TN)37%-23%798%3340821516291148
226Amer. InterContinental U.–Houston (TX)32%-37%3911%3656520815631130
227Mississippi College (MS)53%-20%189-8%4518522015709142
228Tulane University (LA)67%-9%186-12%5840622822362206
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
^^ Under heightened financial monitoring by the U.S. Department of Education