As I have just spent the better part of my summer driving around the
country (USA) I realized that all of the radio stations at the "bottom
of the dial" are either religious based, college based, or NPR. So my
question is the: What are all the stations between 88.1FM and 92.1FM
the "low budget" stations?

Hello professorman,

Since 1945, the FCC has allocated this portion of the FM radio
spectrum (essentially 88-92 MHz) to "noncommercial educational
broadcasting."

"Allocation of Frequencies -- 10 kHz to 30 MHz" (Docket No. 6651, 39
FCC 222) (June 27, 1945)
Federal Communications Commission
http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/assemble?docno=450627

47 CFR sections 73.501, 73.503 (Oct. 1, 2004)
Code of Federal Regulations [GPO Access]
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/12feb20041500/edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2004/octqtr/pdf/47cfr73.503.pdf

(Incidentally, if anyone reading this answer intends to rely on my
citation of the FCC regulations, I should note that answers and
comments provided on Google Answers are general information, and are
not intended to substitute for informed professional legal advice.)

I have not found a detailed page on the use of this band.  But there
are helpful snippets of information on the subject available through
the following search:

Results for: "88 92" fm educational (non-commercial OR noncommercial)
Google
://www.google.com/search?q=%2288+92%22+fm+educational+%28non-commercial+OR+noncommercial%29

- justaskscott


Search strategy --

Searched for these terms in various combinations on Google:

"left of the dial"
"left * of the dial"
"low power"
micropower
fm
"88 92"
reserved
non-commercial
noncommercial
educational
religious
fcc
site:fcc.gov
cfr

Thank you sooooooo much, the answer is more than perfect!!!!!!

Although the stations may be reserved, one of Detroit's alternative
rock stations is 88.7.  But, that's just a comment, not meant to
discredit the answer.

I presume that Detroit's 88.7 FM (CIMX, 89X) is different because it
originates, at least in part, from Canada.

Ahh, yes.  I often forget that it is a Canadian station.  Things would
be so much easier if they just joined the Union.

Just kidding to all of our Canadian friends.