15 Best Value Public Universities: 2025

Slideshow June 27, 2025 at 01:24 PM

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The Princeton Review’s 2025 list of the best value colleges in the U.S. comprises 141 private and 68 public institutions, based on its surveys of administrators at some 650 colleges in the 2024–25 academic year. Researchers analyzed data on academics, cost/financial aid and career services, as well as on student debt and graduation rates.

PayScale.com's surveys of alumni about their starting and mid-career salaries and job satisfaction. They then used more than 40 data points to tally Return on Investment ratings, which determined the selection of schools on the list. Various data points from the surveys were used to tally the project's ranking lists.</p>" data-v-31a70f38>The Princeton Review</u></a>, a tutoring, test prep and college admissions services company, is not affiliated with Princeton University.</p>" data-v-31a70f38>

Michael S. Fischer

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