[Bioinformatics](/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences/biomathematics-bioinformatics-computational-biology/bioinformatics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for bioinformatics students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in bioinformatics, balancing cost against outcomes.
University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus tops our 2026 list of the best value bioinformatics schools in Pennsylvania. Set in the city of Pittsburgh, University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $21,926, while out-of-state students pay about $41,430. Typical student debt for bioinformatics graduates is $24,958. Bioinformatics graduates of University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus earn a median of $56,926 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 58% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in bioinformatics will find it at University Of Pennsylvania, which ranked #2. University Of Pennsylvania is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,686. Typical student debt for bioinformatics graduates is $16,155. Soon after graduation, bioinformatics degree recipients from University Of Pennsylvania generally make around $99,682. Set against $16,155 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Pennsylvania admits about 5% of applicants.
Carnegie Mellon University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in bioinformatics, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $65,636. Typical student debt for bioinformatics graduates is $23,529. Bioinformatics graduates of Carnegie Mellon University earn a median of $89,327 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Carnegie Mellon University admits about 12% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Drexel University earned it the #4 place for bioinformatics. Drexel University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. Students from in state pay about $62,412 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for bioinformatics graduates is $28,838. Soon after graduation, bioinformatics degree recipients from Drexel University generally make around $67,556. That is a strong return on a $28,838 median debt. The acceptance rate is 79%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
