2026 Best Value Zoology Schools in the Southwest Region
[Zoology](/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences/zoology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong zoology education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for zoology students.
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2026 Best Value Zoology Schools in the Southwest Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in zoology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Zoology Schools
Our analysis ranked Oklahoma State University Main Campus the best value for a degree in zoology in the Southwest Region. Located in the town of Stillwater, Oklahoma State University Main Campus is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,110 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $25,630. Zoology graduates carry a median of $21,750 in student loans. Early-career zoology graduates make about $23,031. That is a strong return on a $21,750 median debt. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Texas State University San Marcos one of the best values for zoology. Set in the city of San Marcos, Texas State University San Marcos is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,450, compared with $22,930 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for zoology graduates is $25,033. Zoology graduates of Texas State University San Marcos earn a median of $22,264 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 89%.
Students looking for strong value in zoology will find it at University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus, which ranked #3. Set in the suburb of Norman, University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,797, with out-of-state students paying around $27,377. Students borrow a median of $23,375 to complete the zoology program here. Zoology graduates of University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus earn a median of $30,931 early in their careers. Set against $23,375 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes West Texas A And M University one of the best values for zoology. Set in the town of Canyon, West Texas A And M University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,101 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $10,996. Students borrow a median of $21,406 to complete the zoology program here. Soon after graduation, zoology degree recipients from West Texas A And M University generally make around $43,515. That is a strong return on a $21,406 median debt. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes Texas A And M University College Station one of the best values for zoology. Set in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,995, while out-of-state students pay about $40,124. Typical student debt for zoology graduates is $17,500. Early-career zoology graduates make about $31,485. That is a strong return on a $17,500 median debt. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
