Annual trend ranking · College Scorecard
Colleges Where Net Price Fell Most, 2013–2023
A like-for-like ranking of operating colleges with at least 500 students, eight or more annual observations, and a fitted trend that explains at least 40% of the year-to-year variation. Ranked by annual dollar slope, not a fragile endpoint percentage.
- −$2,115/yr
- Steepest decline
- 346
- Qualifying colleges that fell
- 2013–2023
- Comparable span
The result in one line
Celebrity School of Beauty records the steepest fitted decline in this comparable cohort: −$2,115 per year, from $19,763 in 2013 to $4,857 in 2023.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
- −$2,115/yr
- #1 fitted decline
- 346
- qualifying colleges that fell
- 1,240
- comparable 2013–2023 series
Nominal dollars. Trend direction comes from a least-squares fit across every annual observation; r² must be at least 0.40.
The 15 steepest sustained net-price declines
Absolute fitted dollar movement per year · 2013–2023
- Celebrity School of Beauty
Celebrity School of Beauty
$2,115 per-year decline
- Post University
Post University
$1,783 per-year decline
- Auguste Escoffier School …
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder
$1,695 per-year decline
- South College
South College
$1,594 per-year decline
- Smith Chason College
Smith Chason College
$1,547 per-year decline
- Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
$1,459 per-year decline
- Orange Technical College-…
Orange Technical College-West Campus
$1,377 per-year decline
- University of Advancing T…
University of Advancing Technology
$1,237 per-year decline
- Caldwell Community Colleg…
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
$1,215 per-year decline
- Strayer University-Texas
Strayer University-Texas
$1,208 per-year decline
- Asher College
Asher College
$1,132 per-year decline
- Washington University in …
Washington University in St Louis
$1,113 per-year decline
- Strayer University-Florida
Strayer University-Florida
$1,098 per-year decline
- MDT College of Health Sci…
MDT College of Health Sciences
$1,085 per-year decline
- Bethany College
Bethany College
$1,050 per-year decline
What this shows These schools show sustained nominal declines in average net price after grants and scholarships. The list does not say why the price moved or what any individual family will pay.
The full top 100
| # | College | 2023 net price | Fitted annual move |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Celebrity School of BeautyFL · 855 enrolled | $4,857 | −$2,115/yr |
| 2 | Post UniversityCT · 13,603 enrolled | $19,196 | −$1,783/yr |
| 3 | Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-BoulderCO · 8,504 enrolled | $12,193 | −$1,695/yr |
| 4 | South CollegeTN · 8,745 enrolled | $17,182 | −$1,594/yr |
| 5 | Smith Chason CollegeCA · 2,447 enrolled | $34,402 | −$1,547/yr |
| 6 | Johns Hopkins UniversityMD · 5,693 enrolled | $18,161 | −$1,459/yr |
| 7 | Orange Technical College-West CampusFL · 677 enrolled | $10,256 | −$1,377/yr |
| 8 | University of Advancing TechnologyAZ · 855 enrolled | $20,913 | −$1,237/yr |
| 9 | Caldwell Community College and Technical InstituteNC · 2,393 enrolled | $5,517 | −$1,215/yr |
| 10 | Strayer University-TexasTX · 2,293 enrolled | $17,517 | −$1,208/yr |
| 11 | Asher CollegeCA · 649 enrolled | $16,924 | −$1,132/yr |
| 12 | Washington University in St LouisMO · 7,857 enrolled | $22,117 | −$1,113/yr |
| 13 | Strayer University-FloridaFL · 1,107 enrolled | $17,518 | −$1,098/yr |
| 14 | MDT College of Health SciencesIL · 575 enrolled | $27,375 | −$1,085/yr |
| 15 | Bethany CollegeWV · 614 enrolled | $15,306 | −$1,050/yr |
| 16 | Strayer University-GeorgiaGA · 4,299 enrolled | $18,224 | −$1,045/yr |
| 17 | West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange CountyCA · 3,192 enrolled | $36,836 | −$1,045/yr |
| 18 | Strayer University-Global RegionDC · 9,376 enrolled | $18,918 | −$1,039/yr |
| 19 | Strayer University-MarylandMD · 1,043 enrolled | $18,092 | −$1,037/yr |
| 20 | Shawnee Community CollegeIL · 698 enrolled | $4,542 | −$1,032/yr |
| 21 | Elaine Sterling InstituteGA · 641 enrolled | $23,335 | −$1,009/yr |
| 22 | Strayer University-TennesseeTN · 1,784 enrolled | $18,466 | −$1,001/yr |
| 23 | Boston UniversityMA · 18,248 enrolled | $26,996 | −$976/yr |
| 24 | GateWay Community College-Central CityAZ · 595 enrolled | $4,239 | −$964/yr |
| 25 | Strayer University-AlabamaAL · 1,196 enrolled | $22,923 | −$956/yr |
| 26 | Irvine Valley CollegeCA · 10,286 enrolled | $1,886 | −$953/yr |
| 27 | Hampshire CollegeMA · 839 enrolled | $25,810 | −$929/yr |
| 28 | West Valley CollegeCA · 6,416 enrolled | $1,842 | −$929/yr |
| 29 | University of Detroit MercyMI · 2,438 enrolled | $16,179 | −$921/yr |
| 30 | Strayer University-South CarolinaSC · 1,868 enrolled | $22,134 | −$912/yr |
| 31 | University of FloridaFL · 35,629 enrolled | $6,351 | −$893/yr |
| 32 | Millikin UniversityIL · 1,382 enrolled | $8,837 | −$873/yr |
| 33 | Wilberforce UniversityOH · 822 enrolled | $7,349 | −$846/yr |
| 34 | Golden West CollegeCA · 9,034 enrolled | $2,861 | −$826/yr |
| 35 | University of the PacificCA · 3,204 enrolled | $25,926 | −$813/yr |
| 36 | George C Wallace State Community College-SelmaAL · 855 enrolled | $970 | −$812/yr |
| 37 | Florida State UniversityFL · 32,212 enrolled | $10,997 | −$811/yr |
| 38 | Carthage CollegeWI · 2,660 enrolled | $24,813 | −$802/yr |
| 39 | Montclair State UniversityNJ · 18,376 enrolled | $14,159 | −$802/yr |
| 40 | Treasure Valley Community CollegeOR · 1,193 enrolled | $5,441 | −$797/yr |
| 41 | Metro Technology CentersOK · 632 enrolled | $7,184 | −$794/yr |
| 42 | Northern Illinois UniversityIL · 11,301 enrolled | $12,909 | −$761/yr |
| 43 | South Texas Vocational Technical Institute-WeslacoTX · 521 enrolled | $19,268 | −$760/yr |
| 44 | Azusa Pacific UniversityCA · 2,759 enrolled | $19,798 | −$756/yr |
| 45 | Sampson Community CollegeNC · 846 enrolled | $3,826 | −$746/yr |
| 46 | The College of WestchesterNY · 759 enrolled | $11,669 | −$742/yr |
| 47 | Jarvis Christian UniversityTX · 577 enrolled | $10,409 | −$735/yr |
| 48 | Miami Dade CollegeFL · 46,182 enrolled | $5,929 | −$731/yr |
| 49 | Western Illinois UniversityIL · 4,410 enrolled | $11,592 | −$706/yr |
| 50 | Saddleback CollegeCA · 17,684 enrolled | $2,976 | −$699/yr |
| 51 | Louisiana Delta Community CollegeLA · 3,057 enrolled | $8,306 | −$681/yr |
| 52 | Hartnell CollegeCA · 9,453 enrolled | $2,895 | −$674/yr |
| 53 | University of Southern MaineME · 4,222 enrolled | $11,729 | −$671/yr |
| 54 | Albion CollegeMI · 1,300 enrolled | $16,882 | −$665/yr |
| 55 | Erwin Technical CollegeFL · 581 enrolled | $7,086 | −$653/yr |
| 56 | North American Trade SchoolsMD · 534 enrolled | $11,812 | −$637/yr |
| 57 | Massachusetts Bay Community CollegeMA · 3,837 enrolled | $7,388 | −$635/yr |
| 58 | Miller-Motte College-STVT-Corpus ChristiTX · 533 enrolled | $20,581 | −$623/yr |
| 59 | Florida International UniversityFL · 39,508 enrolled | $9,133 | −$620/yr |
| 60 | Southern Careers Institute-AustinTX · 746 enrolled | $23,458 | −$619/yr |
| 61 | Orange Coast CollegeCA · 16,091 enrolled | $4,754 | −$613/yr |
| 62 | Hallmark UniversityTX · 769 enrolled | $11,130 | −$610/yr |
| 63 | Clovis Community CollegeNM · 1,309 enrolled | $2,572 | −$608/yr |
| 64 | Central Carolina Community CollegeNC · 3,237 enrolled | $616 | −$602/yr |
| 65 | University of Central FloridaFL · 59,146 enrolled | $10,650 | −$597/yr |
| 66 | Seminole State College of FloridaFL · 12,864 enrolled | $3,119 | −$595/yr |
| 67 | Florida Atlantic UniversityFL · 23,757 enrolled | $8,001 | −$595/yr |
| 68 | Pensacola State CollegeFL · 7,538 enrolled | $2,254 | −$589/yr |
| 69 | Florida State College at JacksonvilleFL · 19,648 enrolled | $2,760 | −$587/yr |
| 70 | Salem UniversityWV · 892 enrolled | $14,469 | −$586/yr |
| 71 | Southeastern Community CollegeNC · 820 enrolled | $4,474 | −$584/yr |
| 72 | Oklahoma City UniversityOK · 1,514 enrolled | $21,556 | −$581/yr |
| 73 | Florida Gulf Coast UniversityFL · 13,874 enrolled | $10,319 | −$574/yr |
| 74 | American InterContinental University-AtlantaGA · 734 enrolled | $15,774 | −$573/yr |
| 75 | Beaufort County Community CollegeNC · 1,074 enrolled | $5,105 | −$571/yr |
| 76 | City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King CollegeIL · 1,777 enrolled | $4,902 | −$568/yr |
| 77 | Georgetown CollegeKY · 1,097 enrolled | $13,485 | −$556/yr |
| 78 | Arkansas State University Mid-SouthAR · 502 enrolled | $3,558 | −$553/yr |
| 79 | Asbury UniversityKY · 1,420 enrolled | $20,428 | −$544/yr |
| 80 | City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X CollegeIL · 6,409 enrolled | $3,729 | −$542/yr |
| 81 | Lindenwood UniversityMO · 4,624 enrolled | $18,516 | −$541/yr |
| 82 | Grayson CollegeTX · 3,075 enrolled | $4,984 | −$533/yr |
| 83 | CUNY Hunter CollegeNY · 16,289 enrolled | $2,446 | −$522/yr |
| 84 | Saint Louis UniversityMO · 7,267 enrolled | $27,075 | −$521/yr |
| 85 | University of the CumberlandsKY · 6,941 enrolled | $11,286 | −$520/yr |
| 86 | Indiana University-NorthwestIN · 2,661 enrolled | $5,970 | −$519/yr |
| 87 | Stanford UniversityCA · 7,554 enrolled | $12,136 | −$518/yr |
| 88 | North Hennepin Community CollegeMN · 3,451 enrolled | $9,804 | −$517/yr |
| 89 | Durham Technical Community CollegeNC · 3,890 enrolled | $1,183 | −$516/yr |
| 90 | Gordon CollegeMA · 1,278 enrolled | $24,817 | −$515/yr |
| 91 | Gaston CollegeNC · 3,518 enrolled | $5,752 | −$515/yr |
| 92 | College of the OzarksMO · 1,444 enrolled | $7,669 | −$515/yr |
| 93 | Central Piedmont Community CollegeNC · 15,067 enrolled | $3,660 | −$515/yr |
| 94 | Folsom Lake CollegeCA · 9,414 enrolled | $3,661 | −$508/yr |
| 95 | College of the MainlandTX · 3,368 enrolled | $1,975 | −$502/yr |
| 96 | Stark State CollegeOH · 5,749 enrolled | $6,693 | −$499/yr |
| 97 | South Arkansas CollegeAR · 862 enrolled | $6,235 | −$498/yr |
| 98 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan CampusNJ · 2,627 enrolled | $15,266 | −$497/yr |
| 99 | Warren County Community CollegeNJ · 836 enrolled | $3,550 | −$493/yr |
| 100 | City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman CollegeIL · 2,505 enrolled | $3,816 | −$490/yr |
How this ranking is computed
PlainCollege fits a straight line through every reported annual average-net-price observation from 2013 through 2023. A school qualifies only when it is currently operating, enrolls at least 500 students, reports at least eight observations over the full span, has positive endpoints, and the fit reaches r² 0.40. The list is ordered by the fitted dollar slope per year. This prevents a tiny starting value from winning solely because it creates an extreme percentage.
Average net price is the College Scorecard measure for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients: cost of attendance minus federal, state, and institutional grants and scholarships. It is an institutional average, not a quote for a specific student.
What the ranking cannot tell you
The series uses nominal dollars, so a rising figure includes general price inflation. A fitted direction is descriptive, not causal: changes in aid policy, student mix, program mix, reporting, or cost can all move net price. r² 0.40 filters the noisiest series but does not make every remaining line perfectly steady. Use the linked school profile and the full annual series before making a financial decision.
Read the full trend report and download the derived dataset →
Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Trend rankings use a least-squares fit over every stored annual observation and exclude low-fit or incomparable series. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of 2013–2023 annual series.