We’ve uncovered 10 affordable hidden gems on the East Coast that are known for being generous with merit aid and offer high student appeal for future engineers, entrepreneurs, artists, and more. 

Clark University 

Located in the bustling urban center of Worcester, MA, Clark University offers an intimate liberal arts education supplemented with intensive world and workplace experience. Clark University’s history is also quite illustrious: they hosted Sigmund Freud’s only lectures outside of Europe in 1909; Clark professor Gregory Pincus conducted the biology research that ultimately led to the creation of the birth control pill. Clark champions a model of education they call LEEP, which stands for Liberal Education and Effective Practice. This model is designed to prepare its students for successful and productive post-college lives, and all students must complete a LEEP capstone that demonstrates the knowledge they have accumulated in their 4 years at Clark.

Admit Rate: 47%. Cost of Attendance: $60,152

Binghamton University

A member of the State University of New York system, Binghamton University (also known as SUNY Binghamton) offers intellectually curious students the experience of a mid-size private school with a public school sticker price. Binghamton is a place with international flair and students hoping to brush up on their language skills should look no further than Languages Across the Curriculum. This unique engagement program allows students to apply existing language skills to their academic areas of interest. 

Admit Rate: 43%. Cost of Attendance: $45,205 out-of-state

SUNY at Purchase College

SUNY at Purchase College was founded by then-governor of New York Nelson Rockefeller in 1967 as “the cultural gem of the SUNY system.” This founding goal rings true today, and SUNY Purchase is best known for its signature programs in the Arts. Approximately half of Purchase’s 3,600 undergraduates pursue a degree in the visual or performing arts; the rest find their niche in the robust school of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Regardless of major, all students are required to complete a senior project–either an extended research project, performance, or exhibition. Students looking for inspiration have the Neuberger Museum of Art on campus, one of the largest public college museums in the country, and are only 30 miles north of New York City. 

Admit Rate: 73%. Cost of Attendance: $37,931 out-of-state

Rochester Institute of Technology

RIT is a university that prides itself on merging the power of technology, arts, and design for the greater needs of humanity. Indeed, RIT not only offers its students an array of original and classic engineering majors but also exceptional programs in the creative arts, while being home to the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. It was also the first university in the country to provide a bachelor's degree in software engineering and continues to provide stellar computing and engineering education. RIT also offers a robust co-op program wherein students work full-time in jobs related to their major, and receive full-time pay (without having to pay tuition).

Admit Rate: 73%  Cost of Attendance: $67,260 

University of Maine

Of the handful of New England’s premier public universities, UMaine is both the cheapest and the least selective while still delivering a first-rate college education and experience. Nestled on an island between two rivers, UMaine educates approximately 10,000 undergraduates each year and boasts exceptional programs in both engineering and marine science. Engineering students will soon have access to the newly renovated Ferland Engineering and Design Center; marine science students can spend a semester by the sea and conduct scientific underwater dives at the Darling Marine Center. High achieving out-of-state students can benefit from the Flagship Match scholarship, which allows them to attend UMaine at the same cost as their home-state flagship.   

Admit Rate: 92%  Cost of Attendance: $47,020

Marymount Manhattan College

A small but dynamic liberal arts college located in New York City’s Upper East Side, Marymount Manhattan College offers 34 distinct undergraduate degrees along with over 40 minors and pre-professional tracks. Aspiring actors should take note: MMC has been touted as a top school for trained Broadway and Tony-Award nominated actors. In addition to stellar performing arts training, MMC offers a host of liberal arts and professional areas of study, like Psychology, Entrepreneurship, and Neuroscience. The college’s CityEdge program features a set of seminars that explores topics like religion and community psychology through the lens of New York City resources and history. 

Admit Rate: 88%  Cost of Attendance: $63,804

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

If your student desires a project-based, flexible, and rigorous STEM education, look no further than WPI. Located on a scenic New England hilltop and only minutes away from the second-largest city in Massachusetts, WPI is a pioneering and innovative university and at its founding, was one of the only engineering and technology schools in the nation. Instead of the traditional semester, WPI’s academic calendar consists of four 7-week terms; this allows students to explore more subject areas, albeit at a quicker pace, resulting in a degree with significantly more substantiated knowledge than many peer institutions. WPI’s curriculum is undergraduate-focused and project-based. Students are required to complete 2 formal projects: the Interactive Qualifying Project, wherein students work in groups toward the goal of relating technology and science to societal or human needs. The Major qualifying project is akin to a senior capstone and assesses a student’s knowledge in his or her field of study. 

Admit Rate: 59%  Cost of Attendance: $72,296 

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Nationally recognized for its forward-thinking sustainability efforts, the University of Massachusetts Amherst endeavors to educate creative, passionate revolutionaries. In addition to the more than 100 undergraduate degree programs, UMass is a member of the Five College Consortium a collaborative community exchange among neighboring colleges that allows students to take classes, pursue projects, and conduct research at any of the 5 represented campuses. The W.E.B. Du Bois Library is the tallest academic research library in the world and features the Du Bois personal archive and access to the Digital Media Lab for 3D printing. 

Admit Rate: 65%   Cost of Attendance: $52,156

Fashion Institute of Technology

Driven by its mission to “prepare students for excellence and leadership in the creative industries,” FIT has been likened to “an MIT for the Fashion Industries.” Serving approximately 7,000 undergraduates, FIT is well known for its classic programs in Menswear and Cosmetics & Fragrance marketing and boasts innovative majors in Toy Design, Spatial Experience Design, and Fashion Business Management. As part of the State University of New York System, FIT also offers a well-rounded education in the arts and sciences to supplement students’ creative endeavors. 

Admit Rate: 58%   Cost of Attendance: $35,693 out-of-state

University of Delaware

As a public flagship university, the University of Delaware offers all the attractions and resources of a large college at a much more manageable size–the undergraduate study body clocks in at just under 20,000. In 1973, the University of Delaware became the first American university to participate in a study abroad program, and UD continues to offer interesting and rigorous programs and areas of study. For example, Delaware is one of only nine universities nationwide to offer an undergraduate major in Art Conservation, a truly interdisciplinary major that trains its students in the areas of material culture, historical preservation, and museum studies. Other exciting majors include Entrepreneurship, Fashion Design & Apparel Innovation, and Chemical Engineering, whose students benefit from the university’s close ties with Dupont. Regardless of major, all UD Blue Hens must take a First-Year Seminar, earn 3 credits of discovery-based or experiential learning, and complete a senior capstone project. 

Admit Rate: 65%  Cost of Attendance: $52,362 out-of-state