Colleges with the Least Debt

Following are some of the top US colleges and universities with the least debt:

University of Virginia's College at Wise - The U.S. News & World report ranked the University of Virginia College at Wise 4th for 2010 among liberal art colleges in the Least Debt category. While 59 percent of students at the College at Wise graduate with debt, at an average debt of $10,252, it is the 4th lowest among national liberal arts colleges.

Carson-Newman College (C-N) - U.S. News has ranked C-N in its 2011 edition of Best Colleges. In addition, C-N is championed in the publication's "Least Debt" section and is noted as being an institution to which high school counselors direct students. It reports that one-third of Carson-Newman graduates are debt-free upon graduation, which ranks the College in the top seven percent of institutions cited in that category.

Columbia College - It received the No. 40 spot as one of America's "Best Regional Universities-Midwest" and also ranked No. 3 for "Least Debt Load," a new category listing schools whose class of 2009 graduated with the least amount of debt (USNWR 2011).

Doane College - Ranked among the top 25 liberal arts colleges nationwide in the "Least Debt" category (USNWR 2009 College Guide). Doane was ranked 14th nationwide for a 2007 class in which the average debt upon graduation totaled $14,171. The data include loans taken out by students from colleges, from private financial institutions, as well as from federal, state and local governments.

Emory & Henry College - It is ranked among the best institutions nationwide for delivering a quality liberal arts education, and its graduates carry some of the least debt among the top-ranked national liberal arts colleges. Emory & Henry ranks 61st out of the top 266 national liberal arts colleges in the category of least debt, according to U.S. News & World Report. Among private liberal arts institutions in Virginia, Emory & Henry graduates in 2009 had the lowest debt. Among those 266 institutions with national reputations, the College ranks 73rd in the average amount of need-based aid awarded.

* Suggested Reading:

Most Affordable Colleges

Washington Monthly College Rankings

Colleges with the Highest Endowments

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Kelvin Wong Loke Yuen is a seasoned educator and writer, distinguished by his certifications, including the Certified Microsoft Innovative Educator designation. His academic credentials are equally impressive, with an MBA and Postgraduate Diploma from Heriot-Watt University, a leading institution in the UK, and a BCom degree from Adelaide, a member of Australia’s prestigious Group of Eight. Follow: LinkedIn

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