Best-value Sober Colleges

The majority of colleges and universities that restrict the use of alcohol on campus are affiliated with various religions, but some of them simply have more conservative reputations and ideologies. Students who prefer to steer clear of alcohol may have fewer schools to choose from, but there are certainly options. Payscale’s rankings for the best value sober schools in the country are based on The Princeton Review’s list of the top 20 sober schools in the United States.

Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, is frequently on our list of best sober schools when it comes to ROI. BYU, or ‘The Y’, is closely affiliated with the Church of Latter Day Saints. The LDS faith, or Mormon faith, expressly prohibits the use of alcohol, and the honor code of BYU — whose student population is 98 percent Mormon — reflects this. Students are expected to abstain from drinking alcohol and may be warned or expelled for failing to do so. The university’s 11 colleges and schools span a number of programs, including engineering, law, management and the liberal arts. Perennially named the #1 ‘Stone-Cold Sober School’ in the U.S. by the Princeton Review, BYU offers a sober schools return on investment students can benefit from enormously.

Despite not being a private school or being affiliated with any particular religion, the University of Houston is among the best value sober schools students can attend. Through the years, the school has earned a reputation for not being much of a party school, which may explain why it appears on Princeton Review’s list of the Top 20 Sober Schools.

Grove City College, a private, non-denominational Christian college in Grove City, Pennsylvania, has a strong alcohol use policy. Essentially, students are not permitted to partake on campus. Located about 50 miles north of Pittsburgh, the small college strives to provide a “thoroughly Christian environment,” which explains why alcohol use is frowned upon. Offering 55 majors in the liberal arts, engineering and the sciences, Grove City College has many strong think tank connections and offers more than 150 clubs and organizations for students.