Ranking
Cheapest Colleges in District of Columbia 2026
Trinity Washington University leads this list with an average net price of $9,302 per year. EduGradify shows 9 colleges here after checking federal net-price and earnings data.
The lowest-net-price colleges in District of Columbia that report federal earnings.
- Schools ranked
- 9
- Cheapest net price
- $9,302
- Top earnings 10y
- $103,494
- Public / Private
- 1 / 7
Trinity Washington University
A- Net price/yr
- $9,302
- Net price
- $9,302
- Earnings 10y
- $53,804
- Acceptance
- 99.5%
University of the District of Columbia
B- Net price/yr
- $10,648
- Net price
- $10,648
- Earnings 10y
- $44,236
- Acceptance
- Open / not reported
Gallaudet University
C- Net price/yr
- $15,845
- Net price
- $15,845
- Earnings 10y
- $43,101
- Acceptance
- 58.1%
Strayer University-Global Region
C- Net price/yr
- $17,833
- Net price
- $17,833
- Earnings 10y
- $40,092
- Acceptance
- Open / not reported
The Catholic University of America
C- Net price/yr
- $29,561
- Net price
- $29,561
- Earnings 10y
- $73,250
- Acceptance
- 82.8%
George Washington University
C- Net price/yr
- $36,586
- Net price
- $36,586
- Earnings 10y
- $90,873
- Acceptance
- 47.1%
Georgetown University
C- Net price/yr
- $40,815
- Net price
- $40,815
- Earnings 10y
- $103,494
- Acceptance
- 12.9%
American University
D- Net price/yr
- $41,943
- Net price
- $41,943
- Earnings 10y
- $77,370
- Acceptance
- 62%
Howard University
D- Net price/yr
- $50,539
- Net price
- $50,539
- Earnings 10y
- $63,066
- Acceptance
- 41.3%
How we picked this list
This list starts with District of Columbia colleges, removes schools without usable net-price data, then sorts from lowest average net price upward. The set's average EduGradify ROI score is 7.08 (1 public, 7 private).
Source transparency: every figure comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard public data set. See our full methodology for the ROI formula, value grade rules and missing-data handling.
FAQ
Who leads this ranking?
Trinity Washington University in Washington, DC tops this ranking. Average net price is $9,302 per year.
How does EduGradify pick this list?
We rank this set by net price/yr using the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard — see our methodology for the full formula. No paid placements, no surveys.
How many District of Columbia colleges are in this list?
9 District of Columbia colleges qualified for this ranking based on available federal data.
What does net price mean here?
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — not the sticker price. It is reported by each college to the U.S. Department of Education.
Can I use this ranking as a final college decision?
Use it as a shortlist, not a final decision. The ranking compares school-wide federal data; you should still confirm program fit, aid letters, graduation path, transfer policies and current costs with each college.