University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranked No. 3 best value public school by The Princeton Review
By University Communications, Wednesday, July 9th, 2025
Exterior view of South Building adorned with UNC banners on December 14, 2023, on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (Johnny Andrews / UNC-Chapel Hill)
Recognized as No. 1 in financial aid and No. 2 best value without aid among public school.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is ranked the No. 3 best value public university in the nation in The Princeton Review’s list of Best Value Colleges for 2025, up from No. 4 last year. Carolina is also ranked the top public school in the country for financial aid.
The ranking underscores Carolina’s continued commitment to academic excellence, affordability and strong career outcomes for graduates.
The Princeton Review’s methodology for the Best Value Colleges project includes institutional data, student surveys and alumni salary data collected through spring 2025.
The University earned a 93 out of 99 rating for return on investment (ROI) based on more than 40 data points, including academic quality, costs, financial aid, student debt, graduation rates and alumni career outcomes.
“We have a profound responsibility to the people of North Carolina — who have provided longstanding support to our University — to provide an exceptional education at an accessible and affordable cost,” said Chancellor Lee H. Roberts. “This recognition reflects the dedication of our faculty, staff and students who work together every day to prove that excellence and affordability aren’t mutually exclusive in higher education.”
