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National ranking · College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Lowest Net Price for Low-Income Students

Where can a student from a family earning under $30,000 attend for the least out of pocket? According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, using data retrieved March–July 2026, these 1,000-plus larger institutions charge the lowest net price for the lowest income band - after all grants and aid are applied.

$41
Lowest net price
100
Colleges ranked

The list in one line

For students from families earning under $30k, every one of these 100 colleges costs no more than $3,051 a year after aid. Dartmouth College is the lowest at $41.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

$41
#1 lowest - Dartmouth College
$3,051
#100, the highest still on this list
100
large colleges ranked (enrollment 2,000+)

Live data rendered from the portal database; see the methodology for cohort, year, and eligibility details.

Top 15, Net price (income < $30k)

Live data, updated automatically whenever PlainCollege refreshes its dataset

USD

What this shows Two very different school types dominate: wealthy private universities whose endowments meet full need for low-income admits, and low-cost public community colleges - for a qualifying student, either can cost a fraction of the sticker price.

Source U.S. Department of Education

Here is where the #100 cutoff ($3,051 net price) lands among all US colleges:

The bar to make this top-100 list

Net price for income < $30k, College Scorecard

$3,051 Among the most affordable more affordable than 2% of 4,897 US colleges

$0–$2,000: 108 US colleges (2%). Below this entry. $2,000–$4,000: 240 US colleges (5%). This entry sits in this band. $4,000–$6,000: 326 US colleges (7%). Above this entry. $6,000–$8,000: 379 US colleges (8%). Above this entry. $8,000–$10,000: 417 US colleges (9%). Above this entry. $10,000–$12,000: 436 US colleges (9%). Above this entry. $12,000–$14,000: 423 US colleges (9%). Above this entry. $14,000–$16,000: 369 US colleges (8%). Above this entry. $16,000–$18,000: 405 US colleges (8%). Above this entry. $18,000–$20,000: 350 US colleges (7%). Above this entry. $20,000–$22,000: 314 US colleges (6%). Above this entry. $22,000–$24,000: 267 US colleges (5%). Above this entry. $24,000–$26,000: 203 US colleges (4%). Above this entry. $26,000–$28,000: 184 US colleges (4%). Above this entry. $28,000–$30,000: 142 US colleges (3%). Above this entry. $30,000–$32,000: 86 US colleges (2%). Above this entry. $32,000–$34,000: 63 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $34,000–$36,000: 47 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $36,000–$38,000: 36 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $38,000–$40,000: 25 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $40,000–$42,000: 14 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $42,000–$44,000: 9 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $44,000–$46,000: 16 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $46,000–$48,000: 9 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $48,000–$50,000: 6 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $50,000–$52,000: 11 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $52,000–$54,000: 2 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $54,000–$56,000: 3 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $56,000–$58,000: 2 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $60,000–$62,000: 2 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $64,000–$66,000: 1 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $92,000–$94,000: 1 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $114,000–$116,000: 1 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. #100 cutoff $0 $116,000 every US college, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $2K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

The full top 100

Filter by state, ownership sector, or minimum enrollment, then open any school profile for aid packaging context.

# College StateNet price (income < $30k)Enrollment
1 Dartmouth College NH $41 4,541
2 Princeton University NJ $41 5,709
3 Henry Ford College MI $46 8,643
4 Illinois Valley Community College IL $191 2,040
5 College of the Albemarle NC $398 2,001
6 Southern Regional Technical College GA $423 3,098
7 Johns Hopkins University MD $428 5,693
8 Durham Technical Community College NC $525 3,890
9 CUNY Bernard M Baruch College NY $607 16,154
10 Lewis and Clark Community College IL $721 2,487
11 Irvine Valley College CA $734 10,286
12 Duke University NC $735 6,442
13 Hartnell College CA $828 9,453
14 Skyline College CA $842 7,620
15 Joliet Junior College IL $890 9,306
16 Middlesex Community College MA $943 5,412
17 Lake Land College IL $979 2,448
18 CUNY Hunter College NY $1,029 16,289
19 CUNY Brooklyn College NY $1,029 10,543
20 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor MI $1,043 34,177
21 Trident Technical College SC $1,057 10,512
22 CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice NY $1,073 11,590
23 Lincoln Land Community College IL $1,079 3,976
24 Schoolcraft Community College District MI $1,083 7,511
25 Imperial Valley College CA $1,112 7,652
26 George C Wallace Community College-Dothan AL $1,199 3,017
27 CUNY City College NY $1,251 12,505
28 Kalamazoo Valley Community College MI $1,290 4,997
29 San Joaquin Delta College CA $1,291 15,781
30 Middlesex College NJ $1,306 8,469
31 West Georgia Technical College GA $1,311 5,163
32 College of the Mainland TX $1,352 3,368
33 San Diego Miramar College CA $1,358 11,271
34 Smith College MA $1,363 2,544
35 Wayne Community College NC $1,371 2,739
36 South Texas College TX $1,395 15,856
37 Indiana University-Northwest IN $1,419 2,661
38 Purdue University Northwest IN $1,432 5,671
39 University of Florida-Online FL $1,477 4,627
40 University of Michigan-Flint MI $1,517 4,411
41 Cerritos College CA $1,538 18,870
42 CUNY Queens College NY $1,541 12,550
43 CUNY Lehman College NY $1,589 10,696
44 Florence-Darlington Technical College SC $1,589 3,055
45 Modesto Junior College CA $1,658 15,109
46 West Valley College CA $1,658 6,416
47 Texas Southmost College TX $1,696 3,372
48 Washington University in St Louis MO $1,716 7,857
49 Johnston Community College NC $1,743 3,453
50 Northwestern University IL $1,764 9,201
51 Cornell University NY $1,776 15,995
52 Wharton County Junior College TX $1,779 4,585
53 Santa Monica College CA $1,896 21,440
54 Kellogg Community College MI $1,924 2,971
55 Taft College CA $1,934 3,556
56 Washtenaw Community College MI $1,940 7,816
57 Santa Ana College CA $1,970 22,485
58 University of Florida FL $1,982 35,629
59 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill NC $2,004 20,752
60 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign IL $2,038 36,258
61 Michigan Technological University MI $2,045 5,955
62 Fayetteville Technical Community College NC $2,056 9,471
63 Shasta College CA $2,107 6,128
64 Dallas College TX $2,120 43,869
65 Victoria College TX $2,144 2,351
66 Northeastern University MA $2,264 17,326
67 Trinity Valley Community College TX $2,338 5,655
68 Suffolk County Community College NY $2,393 14,218
69 Triton College IL $2,397 6,902
70 El Paso Community College TX $2,509 24,214
71 College of the Canyons CA $2,522 15,832
72 Del Mar College TX $2,541 9,501
73 Wellesley College MA $2,546 2,300
74 Ferris State University MI $2,556 8,106
75 Chattahoochee Technical College GA $2,561 8,727
76 Florida State College at Jacksonville FL $2,563 19,648
77 Indian River State College FL $2,594 11,822
78 Saddleback College CA $2,596 17,684
79 Northern Kentucky University KY $2,603 8,246
80 Pima Community College AZ $2,605 14,242
81 Spartanburg Community College SC $2,669 5,006
82 Sandhills Community College NC $2,674 2,539
83 California State University-San Bernardino CA $2,681 15,023
84 Moraine Valley Community College IL $2,710 7,490
85 South Suburban College IL $2,722 2,042
86 Midland College TX $2,774 5,542
87 Orange County Community College NY $2,797 3,989
88 Delta College MI $2,819 6,573
89 Cincinnati State Technical and Community College OH $2,823 5,667
90 CUNY York College NY $2,861 4,345
91 California State University-Los Angeles CA $2,877 19,562
92 Gulf Coast State College FL $2,915 3,934
93 Cuyahoga Community College District OH $2,941 13,382
94 University of Maryland-College Park MD $2,962 30,760
95 Westmoreland County Community College PA $2,972 2,441
96 Central New Mexico Community College NM $2,975 15,203
97 Antelope Valley Community College District CA $3,012 11,534
98 Las Positas College CA $3,020 7,299
99 Florida Atlantic University FL $3,022 23,757
100 Pasadena City College CA $3,051 21,466

About this ranking

Net price is what a student actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price - the number that matters far more than published tuition. This ranking uses the College Scorecard's net price for students from families earning under $30,000 a year, the lowest income band the federal data tracks, and limits the list to institutions enrolling at least 2,000 students. Two very different kinds of school dominate the top: wealthy private universities whose large endowments let them meet full need for low-income admits, and low-cost public community colleges. For a qualifying student, either can cost a small fraction of the headline price.

Read the full methodology and data sources →

Caveats and limitations

The figure shown is an average across all enrolled students in that income band at each school, not a guarantee for any individual family - actual aid packages vary by a student's specific finances, state of residence, and the year they apply. A school appearing low on this list can still be expensive for a family just above the $30,000 cutoff.

Many of the private universities near the top of this list are also highly selective, so a low net price does not mean easy admission. This ranking measures cost for students who are admitted and enroll, not the likelihood of getting in.

This ranking is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Net price figures are averages for aid recipients and can vary by individual family circumstances - use each school's net price calculator for a personalized estimate.

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. Rankings are computed directly from College Scorecard and IPEDS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. 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 Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.