Best Value U.S. Colleges for International Students Methodology

Students from around the world are pursuing higher education in the U.S. in increasing numbers. They have found that a degree from an American university opens up doors to them both in the U.S. and in their own countries they could not otherwise pursue. Although American education is desirable, it is also quite expensive, unfortunately making it out of reach for many families.

International students typically pay full tuition prices at U.S. colleges and universities as well as additional fees and costs required for visas and travel. There are some scholarships available for international students, but they are rare and competitive. The high costs associated with American education leaves many students searching for the cheapest U.S. colleges and universities available to receive a quality education.

College Factual created their Best Value U.S. College Rankings for International Students to help students from other countries find quality and affordable education options.

Methodology Factors for Overall Value Ranking:

High Importance

Medium Importance

  • The total number of international students on campus.

Low Importance

We consider the following factors to be positive indicators of quality and are weighted of low importance, although they are not necessary for a school to be ranked:

  • Percentage of the student population that is international.
  • The rate of increase of international students on campus.

Methodology for Value Rankings by Country of Origin

In addition to overall value rankings for all international students, we also feature rankings specifically catered to students from 50 different countries. These are the countries who are sending enough students to the U.S. that allows us to make meaningful use of the data. Here is the methodology for rankings for specific countries:

High Importance

Medium Importance

  • The number of students from that specific country.
  • The number of all international students on campus.

Low Importance

  • The percentage of the student population from that specific country.
  • The percentage of the student population from any foreign country.
  • The rate of increase of the number in students from that specific country.
  • The rate of increase of the number in students from any foreign country.