Verified data from IPEDS & College Scorecard
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Best Colleges for First-Generation Students

Schools with high Pell Grant enrollment and strong graduation rates — ranked by how well they serve low-income, first-gen students.

Methodology: Schools with 25%+ Pell recipients and 40%+ graduation rate, ranked by combined Pell share (40%) and graduation rate (60%).
1

Four Rivers Career Center

Washington, MO · Public

Grad100%Net Price$19k/yr10yr Earnings$48kMedian Debt$11k
2

Morrison Institute of Technology

Morrison, IL · Private

Grad90%Net Price$24k/yr10yr Earnings$64kMedian Debt$12k
3

Laboure College of Healthcare

Milton, MA · Private

Grad100%10yr Earnings$62kMedian Debt$25kAcceptance50%
4

Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse Hospital

East Syracuse, NY · Private

Grad100%Net Price$22k/yr10yr Earnings$84kMedian Debt$15kAcceptance78%
5

Apex Technical School

Long Island City, NY · Private

Grad78%Net Price$16k/yr10yr Earnings$41kMedian Debt$10k
6

Berea College

Berea, KY · Private

Grad58%Net Price$4k/yr10yr Earnings$43kMedian Debt$4kAcceptance19%
7

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA · Public

Grad93%Net Price$15k/yr10yr Earnings$92kMedian Debt$13kAcceptance11%
8

University of California-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA · Public

Grad93%Net Price$14k/yr10yr Earnings$83kMedian Debt$14kAcceptance9%
9

Gupton Jones College of Funeral Service

Decatur, GA · Private

Grad75%Net Price$22k/yr10yr Earnings$43kMedian Debt$16k
10

Word of Life Bible Institute

Pottersville, NY · Private

Grad80%Net Price$12k/yr10yr Earnings$36kMedian Debt$12k
11

University of California-San Diego

La Jolla, CA · Public

Grad86%Net Price$12k/yr10yr Earnings$85kMedian Debt$16kAcceptance27%
12

University of California-Riverside

Riverside, CA · Public

Grad76%Net Price$14k/yr10yr Earnings$68kMedian Debt$18kAcceptance76%
13

State Technical College of Missouri

Linn, MO · Public

Grad84%Net Price$14k/yr10yr Earnings$56kMedian Debt$11k
14

Trinity International University-Illinois

Deerfield, IL · Private

Grad46%Net Price$21k/yr10yr Earnings$47kMedian Debt$26kAcceptance100%
15

California State University-Long Beach

Long Beach, CA · Public

Grad69%Net Price$9k/yr10yr Earnings$64kMedian Debt$14kAcceptance46%
16

California State University-Fullerton

Fullerton, CA · Public

Grad70%Net Price$6k/yr10yr Earnings$63kMedian Debt$14kAcceptance91%
17

Thomas Aquinas College

Santa Paula, CA · Private

Grad84%Net Price$25k/yr10yr Earnings$56kMedian Debt$18kAcceptance83%
18

University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA · Public

Grad83%Net Price$14k/yr10yr Earnings$75kMedian Debt$14kAcceptance33%
19

Florida International University

Miami, FL · Public

Grad74%Net Price$9k/yr10yr Earnings$60kMedian Debt$17kAcceptance55%
20

Victor Valley College

Victorville, CA · Public

Grad62%Net Price$3k/yr10yr Earnings$36k
21

Dominican University of California

San Rafael, CA · Private

Grad78%Net Price$50k/yr10yr Earnings$85kMedian Debt$27kAcceptance83%
22

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, IL · Private

Grad78%Net Price$27k/yr10yr Earnings$62kMedian Debt$26kAcceptance57%
23

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

Pomona, CA · Public

Grad68%Net Price$12k/yr10yr Earnings$72kMedian Debt$16kAcceptance75%
24

Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing

Lafayette, IN · Private

Grad64%Net Price$28k/yr10yr Earnings$65kMedian Debt$26kAcceptance89%
25

College of Our Lady of the Elms

Chicopee, MA · Private

Grad68%Net Price$21k/yr10yr Earnings$52kMedian Debt$25kAcceptance85%
26

Bradley University

Peoria, IL · Private

Grad76%Net Price$24k/yr10yr Earnings$67kMedian Debt$27kAcceptance77%
27

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA · Public

Grad76%Net Price$16k/yr10yr Earnings$65kMedian Debt$15kAcceptance36%
28

Agnes Scott College

Decatur, GA · Private

Grad71%Net Price$24k/yr10yr Earnings$56kMedian Debt$27kAcceptance62%
29

University of La Verne

La Verne, CA · Private

Grad63%Net Price$27k/yr10yr Earnings$65kMedian Debt$24kAcceptance71%
30

Charles A Jones Career and Education Center

Sacramento, CA · Public

Grad65%Net Price$16k/yr10yr Earnings$41kMedian Debt$6k

Pell data: IPEDS. Graduation rate: IPEDS. Earnings: College Scorecard. Rankings reflect available federal data and do not constitute endorsement.