Top 10+ Worst Colleges In The US Today

Worst Colleges In The US Today

College is costly, but students attend in the hopes of securing a more financially secure future. To assist America's prospective college students in making an informed decision, we compiled a list of the worst colleges in America based on our economic score.

Because of the way our economic score is set up, the lower the score, the better, because it means you're getting the best value for money. However, we are looking at schools that provide graduates with little to no economic value.

You'd be better off with a high school diploma than a degree from one of these bad colleges.

What is the worst college in America?

In a nutshell, the worst college is the worst imaginable type of bad institution for students. What constitutes a bad college experience? The answer will vary depending on who you ask, and the list that follows is not meant to be exhaustive. Even though we are certain that some will disagree. We considered several factors before ranking the worst colleges in America by state.

READ MORE: Top 30 Cheapest Schools (by Tuition Costs) in the U.S 2023/2024

Top 10+ Worst Colleges In The US Today

1. Berklee College of Music

https://www.berklee.edu/

Annual net cost: $46,805

Average years to graduate: 4.5

Graduation rate: 7% lower than the state average

Berklee College of Music is a private liberal arts college in Boston, Massachusetts. Berklee's admissions policy is moderately inclusive.

Berklee's return on educational investment is in the bottom 5% of all ranked schools. Ten years after enrolling, the median student earns $34,452, ranking 60th in Massachusetts and in the bottom 10% nationally. When earnings differences by major are taken into account, Berklee bachelor students earn 5% more than the national average. Berklee College of Music is ranked 55th in Massachusetts.

READ MORE: Top 50 Cheapest Schools for In-State Students in the US 2023/2024

2. Alabama State University

https://www.alasu.edu/

Tuition: $11,068 for Alabama residents and $19,396 for out-of-state students

Graduation rate: below 28%

Alabama State University, founded in 1867, was ranked 496th out of 500 colleges and universities in the United States. Graduation rates, student loan default rates, and the percentage of students who receive Pell Grants were all considered in the ranking. Alabama State University has a 21% graduation rate and a $32,637 student loan default.

3. DeVry University

https://www.devry.edu/

Acceptance rate: 44%

Application fee: $30

Tuition and fees: $17,488 (the academic year 2021-22)

Average federal loan debt after graduation: $28,308

DeVry University, founded in 1931, is a semester-based academic educational institution. The university has small campuses in about 16 states across the United States.

DeVry University, based in Illinois, is a for-profit institution that has been accused of misleading students and providing a subpar education. The university has also been fined by the government for its deceptive practices.

4. University of Montevallo

https://www.montevallo.edu/

Graduation rate: 49%.

In-state tuition and fees: $13,710 (for the academic year 2022-23)

Out-of-state tuition and fees: $26,730 (for the academic year: 2022-23)

Average private loan debt at graduation for 9% of graduating students who took out private loans: $22,341

Average federal loan debt after graduation: $23,823

Average federal loan debt among students who don’t graduate: $11,000

The University of Montevallo is an Alabama public university that was founded in 1896.

Commuters complain about the lack of parking and the excessive distance between student buildings. Furthermore, there aren't many financial aid options, and the cafeteria food isn't particularly tasty.

5. Morris College

https://www.morris.edu/

Tuition: $13,420

Total cost for one year: $28,552

Graduation rate within 6 years: 33%

Average annual salary after 10 years: $25,300

When you look at the data, it's clear why Morris College is one of the worst colleges in America. The fact that policy can be applied by anyone says a lot about the school. When we consider the expenses, low graduation rate, and low salary after graduation, it's clear why a future applicant should avoid this college.

6. Bob Jones University

https://www.bju.edu/

High acceptance rate: 89%

Application fee: $25

Tuition and fees: $21,890 (the academic year 2022-23)

Average federal loan debt after graduation: $18,500

Average federal loan debt among students who don’t graduate: $6,500

The accepted applicants' SAT scores (ranging from 990 to 1260) and ACT scores (ranging from 20 to 27) reveal a lot about them. Even though Bob Jones University has a higher average graduation rate of 65%, the overall rankings and strange campus rules (couples are not allowed to socialize, different music genres are prohibited, and not all movies are permitted to be watched on campus...) place this private Christian university among the worst in America.

7. Lindsey Wilson College

https://www.lindsey.edu/

Average net price (varies according to family income and financial aid): $14,647

Tuition: $25,440

For the academic year 2020/2021, the annual list price of attendance at Lindsey Wilson College for full-time 1-year students is $41,456, for 2-year students is $42,368, for 3-year students is $43,299, and for 4-year students is $44,251. According to U.S. News, this college's four-year graduation rate is 30%. High attendance fees, students complaining about poor room conditions (mold), bad food, and faculty members are all reasons why Linsey Wilson College should not be considered for your future education.

8. Shaw University, North Carolina

https://www.shawu.edu/

The University, which was founded in 1865 and is located in Raleigh, North Carolina, has a very high dropout rate. Its graduation rate of 18% is among the lowest in the country. Furthermore, the school's student loan default rate is extremely high.

The University has a loan debt of approximately $28,144. Shaw University is also well-known for its subpar academic programs and a lack of campus security. These factors combine to make Shaw University one of the worst educational institutions in the country.

9. Western International University

https://www.west.edu/

Tuition: $11.040

The Western International University located in Arizona. The University being a privately owned university has around 1,350 students with low average graduation rate of only 15% after six years.

The institution is said to have lost it accreditation in early 2019 when it officially closed moreover prior to this time before it stopped enrolling students for degree program; a lot of students had complained about poor service delivery, an expensive cost in terms of tuition fee etc.

10. Fayetteville State University

https://www.uncfsu.edu/

Tuition: $3,906 for North Carolina residents and $7,906 for out-of-state students

Fayetteville State University is a public university that operates on a semester system. Fayetteville State University, located in a city on a 156-acre campus, is another college with a high acceptance rate, indicating that it is one of the less selective educational institutions. Half of the students at Fayetteville State University have a SAT score between 830 and 1040 or an ACT score between 14 and 19.

Other worst colleges in the US by states

Conclusion

As there are many standard schools that promise to give you the best in the United States, there are also some colleges that we would not recommend you apply to. The reason for this is that students who graduate from these colleges are not always proud of their alma mater, and they find it difficult to find good jobs with their diplomas. We don't recommend any school in this list!

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