1
Huston-Tillotson University
TX · Acceptance Rate: 65%
Tuition: $16,396
Designation: HSI
Merit Aid: Available
Honors College: Yes
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Top 20 Colleges for First-Generation Students
Colleges with affordable tuition, open admissions, and strong first-gen support.
How we ranked these schools
Schools are scored on a combination of factors that correlate with first-generation student success: HSI/HBCU designation, acceptance rate accessibility, tuition affordability, merit aid availability, and honors college programs. Only schools with acceptance rates above 30% are included. Data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (the federal government's education data authority), Princeton Review, Niche, and My School List's own school database. All figures reflect the most recently available data and are updated periodically. Rankings are for informational purposes only.
2
Prairie View A&M University
TX · Acceptance Rate: 62%
Tuition: $25,700
Designation: HSI
Merit Aid: Available
Honors College: Yes
3
New Mexico Highlands University
NM · Acceptance Rate: 88%
Tuition: $9,888
Designation: HSI
Merit Aid: Available
Honors College: Yes
4
Alcorn State University
MS · Acceptance Rate: 72%
Tuition: $7,564
Designation: HBCU
Merit Aid: Available
Honors College: Yes
5
Harris-Stowe State University
MO · Acceptance Rate: 72%
Tuition: $11,286
Designation: HBCU
Merit Aid: Available
Honors College: Yes
6
Jackson State University
MS · Acceptance Rate: 68%
Tuition: $10,738
Designation: HBCU
Merit Aid: Available
Honors College: Yes
7
Central State University
OH · Acceptance Rate: 55%
Tuition: $8,406
Designation: HBCU
Merit Aid: Available
Honors College: Yes
8
Kentucky State University
KY · Acceptance Rate: 65%
Tuition: $13,086
Designation: HBCU
Merit Aid: Available
Honors College: Yes
9
Lincoln University
PA · Acceptance Rate: 72%
Tuition: $15,632
Designation: HBCU
Merit Aid: Available
Honors College: Yes
10
Coppin State University
MD · Acceptance Rate: 62%
Tuition: $14,174
Designation: HBCU
Merit Aid: Available
Honors College: Yes
11
Savannah State University
GA · Acceptance Rate: 72%
Tuition: $16,570
Designation: HBCU
Merit Aid: Available
Honors College: Yes
12
CSU Stanislaus
CA · Acceptance Rate: 85%
Tuition: $19,190
Designation: HSI
Merit Aid: Available
Honors College: Yes
13
Hinds Community College Utica
MS · Acceptance Rate: 95%
Tuition: $6,500
Designation: HBCU
Merit Aid: Need-based
Honors College: No
14
Coahoma Community College
MS · Acceptance Rate: 95%
Tuition: $6,500
Designation: HBCU
Merit Aid: Need-based
Honors College: No
15
CSU Bakersfield
CA · Acceptance Rate: 82%
Tuition: $19,189
Designation: HSI
Merit Aid: Available
Honors College: Yes
16
CSU Monterey Bay
CA · Acceptance Rate: 82%
Tuition: $19,371
Designation: HSI
Merit Aid: Available
Honors College: Yes
17
Elizabeth City State University
NC · Acceptance Rate: 72%
Tuition: $17,478
Designation: HBCU
Merit Aid: Available
Honors College: Yes
18
University of Puerto Rico
PR · Acceptance Rate: 55%
Tuition: $4,500
Designation: HSI
Merit Aid: Need-based
Honors College: Yes
19
CSU San Marcos
CA · Acceptance Rate: 82%
Tuition: $19,966
Designation: HSI
Merit Aid: Available
Honors College: Yes
20
Bethune-Cookman University
FL · Acceptance Rate: 58%
Tuition: $15,240
Designation: HBCU
Merit Aid: Available
Honors College: Yes
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