According to CNBC, The Princeton Review's new 2027 report ranked colleges by overall value and named Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Harvey Mudd College and the University of Michigan among the top contenders. The report was based on surveys of administrators, students and alumni at more than 650 colleges in the 2025-26 school year and weighed academics, affordability, career prospects, cost, financial aid, career services, student debt and graduation rates. Among the top five private schools on the list, the average sticker price was $97,813 as of June 2026 and the average scholarship for students with need was $75,646. Among the five public schools, the average in-state price was $38,194 and the average scholarship grant for students with need was $26,976.